Resumo

DERZI VIDAL, Marcelo et al. Perception of Local Inhabitants Regarding the Socioeconomic and Conservationist Impacts of Tourism with Amazon River Dolphin in Anavilhanas National Park, Brazil. Estud. perspect. tur. [online]. 2019, vol.28, n.3, pp.802-817. ISSN 1851-1732.

Tourism to feed Amazon River dolphin in Anavilhanas National Park, Novo Airão-Brazil, has become worldwide known and understanding the combination of factors that influence the perceptions regarding this model of wildlife interactions is essential to public use management. This article presents the perception of local inhabitants regarding the socioeconomic and conservationist impacts of the interactive tourism with Amazon River dolphin. Using a semi-structured script, containing open and closed questions, were conducted interviews with 175 inhabitants from Novo Airão urban area. Most of the interviewees consider that tourism with Amazon River dolphin is the main tourist attraction of Novo Airão, which attracts visitors and circulates money in the city, and which assists in the preservation of Amazon River dolphin. However, some residents believe that the activity concentrate its benefits just to the family that owns the enterprise where tourist interactions happen and that the food supply causes dependence on cetaceans in relation to humans. So that tourism with Amazon River dolphin in Novo Airão is a recognized and engaging economic activity, its activities should be better planned and developed along the different segments and actors related to tourism.

Palavras-chave : Conservation; Environmental perception; Inia geoffrensis; Protected area.