Fonte: Journal of Tourism & Development; v. 1, n. 21/22 (2014); 191-204
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Resumo: In Brazil, gastronomy has become increasingly valued by tourists, being regarded as a strong tourist attraction. According to recent studies carried out by the Ministry of Tourism (2011, 2012), tourists visiting the country had a very positive experience with the Brazilian gastronomy during their journey. This research study seeks to present the potential of gastronomy as Fortaleza’s tourism product, which is one of the main tourist destinations in the country. The city offers a variety of typical dishes, being tapioca one of the main attractions. Tapioca is present in the daily lives of the local people, and for that reason it started being served in main tourist places. From the analysis of tapioca as Fortaleza’s cultural tourism product, one can easily notice the historical and cultural relevance of the product. The reviews posted by national and international travellers at Tripadvisor show that this product is highly valued by tourists. The information provided by official tourism websites about tapioca has also been analysed. From this research study, it can be concluded that tapioca has a strong historical, cultural, and economic potential, which can turn this product into one of the main attractions in Fortaleza. There is, however, a strong need to strengthen governance mechanisms regarding product trading, especially the interaction between producers and tourism agents.
