Environmentally sustainable: How are the practices in the organic food tourist route?

Marcelo Pellegrini; Ana Claudia Machado Padilha; Erlaine Binotto; Eduardo Luis Casarotto; João Paulo da Conceição Silva Jorge; Debora Nayar Hoff; Marcelino de Souza

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17546

Environmentally sustainable: How are the practices in the organic food tourist route?

Heliyon. 2023 Jun 27;9(7):e17546. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17546. eCollection 2023 Jul.

Authors

Marcelo Pellegrini¹, Ana Claudia Machado Padilha¹, Erlaine Binotto², Eduardo Luis Casarotto², João Paulo da Conceição Silva Jorge³, Debora Nayar Hoff⁴, Marcelino de Souza⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Agricultural Sciences, Innovation and Business, University of Passo Fundo, Brazil.
² Faculty of Administration, Accounting and Economics, Federal University of Grande Dourados, Brazil.
³ Higher School of Tourism and Sea Technology, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Portugal.
⁴ Economic Sciences, Federal University of Pampa, Brazil.
⁵ Center for Studies and Research in Agribusiness, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Abstract

This study analyzes Environmentally Sustainable Practices (ESPs) in the Organic Food Tourist Route (OFTR) in South Brazil. Data collection included interviews with open and closed questions about ESPs and the Barometer of Tourism Sustainability (BTS) tool. Eight owners or managers of OFTR's enterprises answered questions online or personally. Content analysis and descriptive statistics were used. Results indicated that tourism enterprises adopt ESPs according to each reality since some are dedicated to producing and commercializing organic products, while others are dedicated to lodging and guided tours. Managers realize the importance of adopting ESPs, enabling a decrease in expenses and the supply of organic products. Since tourists are concerned and careful with the environment nowadays, sustainability must be considered, becoming a differential. The enterprises develop ESPs, which makes the route potentially sustainable, following the standards established by the BTS. In order to achieve the "sustainable" level, the enterprises on the route need to improve their performance in many items whose results were less sustainable. From a theoretical perspective, this study contributed to understanding how ESPs were developed in enterprises and how they contribute to tourism development. The understanding of tourist routes expanded with an emphasis on sustainability, the environmental dimension, the ESPs, and organic agriculture. The BTS enabled the assessment of the sustainability of OFTR's enterprises.

Keywords: Environmental; Sustainability; Tourism; Tourist route.