Fernando de Noronha Archipelago : community perspectives on tourism

The Fernando de Noronha Archipelago is located in the Atlantic Ocean, about 500 kilometres off the Northeast coast of Brazil. The archipelago is a World Heritage site and is considered one of the main ecotourism destinations in Brazil. The aim of this paper is to present an assessment of Fernando de Noronha's community in regards to their perceptions of change and impacts on local culture due to tourism development. The study used surveys distributed to tourism businesses and employees, interviews with government staff, and participant observation. It was concluded that the constant growth of tourism in the archipelago is leading to serious social issues on the main island. On the other hand, significant improvements have been experienced in the standard of living of, and in services offered by the government to, the local community. It is necessary, therefore, to find ways to balance impacts and consequently reach an outcome that is positive to the local population and to the natural environment.