Rural tourism development as a conversion strategy in the Brejo of Paraíba

Abstract

This article is directed at discussing the process of social reconversion of agricultural hands into small entrepreneurs in the Brejo of Paraíba and at identifying the relationship between this phenomenon and the development of tourism in the municipality of Areia. The question is posed due to the moment of inflection in the agricultural settlers circumstances coincident with the emergence of tourism as an economic activity stimulated by development policies in the Northeast of Brazil. Qualitative research carried out between 2015 and 2016 afforded the valuable ethnographic data included herein. Secondary data, obtained through documentary research and bibliographic review, complement the analysis. The discussion of the results contemplates the story of how the agricultural workers in the Chã de Jardim community have evolved from the second half of the twentieth century through to the present, within the broader context of the widespread and deep transformation of the rural world. The results and conclusions show that the reconversion of the agricultural workers depends upon a change in values with younger more educated workers embracing the discourse of entrepreneurship, and pragmatically pursuing their "dreams". It was also found that the development of tourism is decisive for the 'productive conversion' of the rural territory itself, which ceases to be perceived only as agricultural and becomes a space for leisure and entertainment, a situation that consolidates its perception as complementary to urban territory.