Sustainable Tourism in the Southern Santa Catarina and Highland Plateau Region

The objective of the chapter is to propose a sustainable route and certification criteria for the creation of a Consortium on Tourism in the Southern Santa Catarina and Highland Plateau Region based on regional vocations and possibilities. This is a qualitative study based on secondary data and documents, interviews, and visits to tourist spots in the cities in the target regions of the chapter. The researchers executed journal techniques and unstructured interviews with local actors, namely, residents and public and private institutions that support tourism and entrepreneurs in local tourism. The chapter allowed for a greater understanding of the structure of tourism by indicating a continuous entry of new ventures and tourism modalities with challenges and problems that have not yet been overcome, such as deficient infrastructure, the absence of a culture of belonging to the territory on behalf of some actors and citizens affected by touristic activity, economic activity aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the lack of an innovative spirit and institutional support from some governing officials. Tourism business arises from individual initiatives that are still disconnected from a sustainable regional tourism plan. The Consortium on Sustainable Tourism offers great possibilities for contributing decisively to the achievement of the main goals and actions related to at least nine SDGs: 1 (eradication of poverty), 4 (quality education), 5 (equality and gender), 6 (clean water and sanitation), 8 (employment and economic growth), 9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure), 10 (reduction of inequalities), 11 (cities and sustainable communities), 12 (responsible consumption and production), and 17 (partnerships in support of goals).