In Brotas, ecotourism privileges the car – 06/04/2023 – É Logo Ali
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– Mom, what place do you suggest for a walk in the woods, not far from São Paulo?
The Inquisitor had thrown indirect shins several times over the last few months, especially since I started publishing this blog. The calf, a beautiful 28-year-old woman (yes, doting mother present), turning 29 on the day this story begins. And finally we had our mom-and-daughter moment in the woods. I mean, not that much bush. A bush, let’s say, differentiated.
– How about spending your birthday in Brotas?
And off we went —by bus—, to complete three days of intense activity.
Small Brotas is 250 kilometers from São Paulo, in the central region of the state, a traditional producer of sugar cane. It is one of the adventure tourism destinations that have been better structured in recent years in the country, thanks to the fame of the rapids that attract lovers of rafting, the art of avoiding crashing against rocks and branches in the midst of strong water currents in boats. down the Jacaré-Pepira river, and a series of ecotourism attractions that followed, such as tree climbing, zip lines, buoy crosses and a good dozen waterfalls that are worth every penny invested. Yes, because Brotas is an expensive city and doesn’t care about changing its profile.
“We want quality tourism, not quantity, because our focus is on preserving the environment and that doesn’t fit with mass tourism”, argues Fábio Pontes, the city’s Secretary of Tourism. With a flow that, in 2022, reached 450,000 visitors with average daily expenses of at least R$ 400 “so, considering it well below and without taking into account informality”, as he says, ecotourism and adventure tourism are the second largest source of local income, second only to agribusiness and its vast production of sugarcane. Last year, says Pontes, the sector generated revenue of R$ 180 million. It is worth remembering that the municipality had, in 2020, a fixed population estimated at less than 25 thousand inhabitants, according to the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics).
One of the differentials that make Brotas even more exclusive is the fact that there is no transport system in the city that allows those who arrive there without their own car to access the vast majority of attractions. Practically only rafting has a transfer at most agencies that sell packages to visitors. For the other rides, the unwary who got there by bus needs to rely on the good humor of half a dozen taxi drivers who pressure the city hall to assure them of privileges and not authorize the entry of applications such as Uber. “They are elderly people, for the most part, who have always worked like this”, tries to justify Pontes. By “like this” he means that the price is agreed with the interested party by eye, in an informal table that reaches absurd values, which end up being circumvented by guides from the same agencies, who offer the service in their private cars for very high prices. minors. A system that is too amateur for a city that lives in the sector, let’s face it.
“Yes, we are looking for a solution and trying to bring the application to the city, but we are still negotiating”, Pontes dismisses, always repeating the mantra of quantity x quality. On the possibility of implementing at least one bicycle rental system, then, he says that some attempted conversations simply did not go ahead. Although cycle tourism is one of the local attractions, everyone should bring their own bike or buy the package at, of course, one of the agencies.
Hurry up, Ruby!
To further reinforce the profile of a sophisticated destination for the few, the Raceville Speed Club project is being implemented in the city, which Pontes mentions three times throughout the conversation of minutes as an exclusive club for millionaires headed by Rubens Barrichello, himself, the ex-Formula 1 driver, who is going to take an autodrome to the city. The title to enjoy society, according to Pontes, costs R$ 500 thousand, and only 520 will be sold to a selected public. And, as those interested have already warned that they will arrive with their electric cars, Brotas is rushing to implement specific supply points, something that does not yet exist there. In addition, the site will have an aircraft landing strip and helipad, in addition to shared flights to be defined.
But isn’t it a contradiction to take a racetrack, a helipad and an airport to a city that prides itself on preserving the wonders of the environment? “No, because the 25,000-acre area that was bought by the club’s investors is now a sugar cane plantation, which will be removed and reforested”, replies the secretary. “Only 5% will be used by the runway, and the project foresees capturing 700 tons of carbon dioxide, recovering the area currently occupied by sugarcane, in addition to generating solar energy, the surplus of which will be donated to the city”, he adds.
Raceville, scheduled to open in November, coinciding with the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Brazil, will feature a 3.6-kilometer track, whose curves are intended to reproduce those of the Silverstone, Spa-Francorchamps, Interlagos, Suzuka and Barcelona racetracks. , where Brazilian drivers made history in F-1. Privileged partners will also be offered a fleet of sports models of up to 600 horsepower that they can use, “in a mixture of emotion and technology in the midst of nature”, as stated in the promotional material for the venture.
All right then. Campos do Jordão take care.
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