Rural tourism and agriculture: a case study in Três Cachoeiras/RS

Abstract

The article presents an analysis of the configuration of rural tourism in the municipality of Três Cachoeiras. The objective was to understand how the field of rural tourism was organized in Três Cachoeiras/RS, based on the analysis of the habitus and trajectory of the families that dedicate themselves to the activities that make up this sector, as well as the capitals that articulate the social relations that the conform. From a methodological point of view, we opted for a qualitative approach, which privileged the analysis from the perspective of the actors involved in tourist activities, in the rural areas of the municipality. Information collection was carried out through fieldwork carried out in two locations in the municipality of Três Cachoeiras. The fieldwork included semi-structured interviews with owners of tourist establishments from September to October 2023. Based on the information collected in the fieldwork, it was possible to highlight the life trajectories of people involved with rural tourism in the municipality de Três Cachoeiras and understand why families opt for rural tourism. Thus, with the research it was possible to verify, on the one hand, that the support base for rural tourism in Três Cachoeiras is centered on agriculture, so that rural tourism offers families a second income opportunity. On the other hand, it was also possible to verify that retirement plays an important role in family income and in their permanence in tourism.