Brazil’s Cearí¡, Piauí­ and Maranhí£o Join Forces to Bring Tourism

Ceará, in the Northeast of Brazil, and its western coast should be the priority of the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae) in the state in 2009, strengthening the tourist frontier of Jericoacoara with the state of PiauÀ­ (Parnaí­ba River Delta) and the Lençóis Maranhenses (an area rich in sand dunes and lagoons).

Actions for personnel training will be developed to strengthen the viability of the Integrated Tourism Route between the northeastern Brazilian states of Ceará, Piauí­ and Maranhão.

Among the targets of the Integrated Route Project are: increasing by 20% the number of rooms, a 15% expansion in the time spent by tourists in the region, a reduction of the seasonal aspect and an expansion of 20% in sector tourism revenues.

The project of the Integrated Route is executed by the Sebrae in three states, in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism and local state and city governments. Among the actions promoted are training, participation in national and international events, improvement of company management and expansion of services.

The Jeri-Delta-Lençóis route, or Route of Emotions, as it is known, involves nature, adventure, culture and sports. A destination that covers two national parks and an area for environmental promotion, covering almost 300 kilometers with over 550 enterprises for night stays, restaurants, travel agencies and other tourist services.

Included in the route are the cities of Barroquinha, Chaval and Camocim, in Ceará; Luí­s Correia, Cajueiro da Praia and Ilha Grande, in Piauí­; and Araioses, Tutóia, Paulino Neves and Barreirinhas, in Maranhão.

Sebrae