Tourism Development in Fernando de Noronha: A proposal based on local trades and perceptions.
Turismo; Sustentabilidade; ESG; Fernando de Noronha.
The emerging need to find differentiated strategies that aim for both economic development and environmental conservation is essential in the management of sustainable tourist destinations. This research focuses on a unique aspect of environmental development and takes place in the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Pernambuco, Brazil. Its general objective is to analyze the perception of socio-environmental impacts generated by the island's tourism industry, from an ESG perspective and the residents' point of view. To this end, the methodology used in the study consisted of bibliographic, exploratory, descriptive, and explanatory research with a mixed-methods approach (qualitative and quantitative). The thesis is structured in three chapters: the first addresses the article, "From the bars to paradise: The origin of tourism in Fernando de Noronha," which consists of a historical overview of tourism on the island; the second is composed of a systematic review of the construct studied, "Attachment to place," entitled "Affective bonds with place: A systematic review"; and the third chapter is titled "Sustainable connections: The effect of ESG on the lives of Noronha residents." The methodology for this chapter involved exploratory, quantitative research using a data collection instrument with a sample of 200 questionnaires to assess residents' perceptions of ESG practices, their impact on quality of life, attachment to place, and resident support for tourism. The analysis of quantitative data was performed using descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), using IBM SPSS and AMOS software, version 22. The results showed that the main drivers of tourism support are the perception of quality of life and environmental impacts. Attachment to place indirectly influences support for tourism, being mediated by the perception of quality of life. Also noteworthy is the lack of more effective public policies that foster local entrepreneurship and qualify residents to fill jobs in the tourism industry. Finally, it is evident that tourism development in Fernando de Noronha demands an integrated approach, sensitive to the perceptions of residents and committed to the principles of sustainable tourism.