Resumo: The involvement of the local community is one of the main bases of support for the tourist development of localities, especially for small municipalities, where the lack of engagement of the population may be more keenly felt. One such case is Petrolândia, a small municipality in the sertão (semi-arid mountain range) of Pernambuco, where tourism is on the increase, but where attempts to raise awareness of tourism among the local community have been ineffective. In an action carried out with the municipal government, this work describes the experience of a pilot project applied in the community to promote the appreciation of the local culture and generate knowledge through tourism. The methodologies adopted by the pilot project involved tourist trips to local attractions and the application of questionnaires to the participants. The results, based on a qualitative approach, show that the action contributed to tourist awareness and helped strengthen relations between the local community and tourism. The action can also be an alternative for the municipal public planning of tourism and a tool for heritage education and tourist awareness.
