10 May 2008

On May 13, at 9:30pm, at the Kukukaya club, the Community Based Tourism Network of Ceará – REDE TUCUM, will be presented. This articulation includes 12 communities of Ceará State: Tatajuba (Camocim), Curral Velho (Acaraú), Caetanos de Cima (Amontada), Flecheiras (Trairí), Jenipapo-Kanindé (Aquiraz), Batoque (Aquiraz), Prainha do Canto Verde (Beberibe), Assentamento Coqueirinho (Fortim), Ponta Grossa  (Icapuí), Tremembé (Icapuí), Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra  (MST-Fortaleza), e Conjunto Palmeiras (Fortaleza).

TUCUM's goal is to strengthen and give visibility to the experiences of community based tourism developed in Ceara. The communities, through this articulation, receive training, improvementos of infrastructure, expand possibilities for resources and work together for a marketing strategy, expanding thus the ability of communities to offer tourist services.

In this perspective, the TUCUM network brings together communities that are already part of national tours, and international community based networks - as Prainha do Canto Verde (Beberibe) and Ponta Grossa (Icapuí). Recently, they have started to practise it in a more planned way.

This initiative originates from communities perception that there was not enough ability to criticize conventional tourism as model that generates a huge socio-spatial segregation, concentration of capitals and social problems.  The community based tourism wants to build another kind of logic and perspective. The community based tourism would like to set against the convencional tourism, representing an alternative income for the community, helping the local populations to have an effective control over its development and management, and to be responsible for infrastructure and tourism services. The practice of the community based tourism follows principles such as ethical attitudes between native people (hosts) and tourists (guests), equitable distribution of income, establishment of community funds and valorisation of local production, culture and local identities.

The event is part of the program of the II International Conference on Sustainable Tourism (SITS),  organized by Institute Terramar and the Forum in Defense of Coastal Zone of Ceara, from May 12-15, in the Condominio Espiritual Uirapuru (CEU). The launch event,  reserved for guests, will be the occasion to present the TUCUM network and its communities.

Also on the agenda is the presentation of the book "Indigenous Ecotourism" of Luíndia Azevedo, the photographic exhibition "The beach´s being" by Águeda Coelho, and the musical representation of the bands Cumpadre Barbosa and Cumadres.  During these events, five tours will be introduced, organised by the community based tourism network TUCUM.

PRESENTATION:  Community Based Tourism Network of Ceará – REDE TUCUM

PRESENTANTION : Ecoturismo Indigena of Luinda Azevedo.

Date: 13 May, 9.30pm
Location:  Kukukaya Club, Av. Pontes Vieira, 55. São João do Tauape, Fortaleza- Ceará- Brazil.

Contacts: Instituto Terramar (85) 32262476 / (85) 32364154
Vanessa Luana (coordination of SITS II) (85) 88640653 / Jefferson de Sousa (coordination of SITS II) (85) 99258965 / Domênica Rodrigues (coordination of SITS II) (85) 87265495 / Rosa Martins ( coordination of SITS II) ( 85) 99330153.

Submitted by:  Aline Baima

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