A ação do turismo nos Lençois Maranhenses: a Comunidade de São Domingos entre a tradição e a modernidade

Abstract

This paper analyses the socio-economic development process of Lençóis Maranhenses Region and its sociocultural and environmental impacts on traditional communities. Since Petrobrás passing in the seventies of the twentieth century and being incresed by the construction of MA-402 highway in 2002, the region was inserted in national and international tourism circuit which represented the arrival of modernity. São Domingos Community in Barreirinhas City, State of Maranhão, Brazil, has been chosen as a case study aiming to point out the socioeconomic and cultural changes experienced by this social segment facing modernity. Summer tourism emerges as the main cause of the rupture of economic and sociocultural traditional practices. Real estate speculation, work relationships and socio-spatial transformations are the principal impact consequences due to modernization process. The daily life of this community was modified by the presence of the new elements related to contemporary capitalist economic relations. The tourism development dynamics that takes place in this community does not take local development into account, therefore making sociocultural and environmental degradation irreversible.