Sustainable Tourism Law

Legal protection of sustainable tourism in Brazil Joandre Antonio Ferraz 1 University of São Paulo I. POSITION OF THE MATTER We understand that the set of natural and cultural points of attraction that a country possesses is composed of its tourist heritage and represents the basic raw material of the tourism economic cycle, from which diverse assets and services are produced and consumed. Therefore, the legal system for this heritage is an essential and primary condition for the sustainable development of tourism, as an instrument of continuous sector planning. This, in turn, shall aim at organizing the use of the locations of these natural points of attraction and valuing the basic characteristics of cultural attractions, in order to reconcile their economic exploitation with preservation for future generations. Considering the level and dynamics regarding the attractiveness of natural and cultural assets, which may be local, regional, national or international, as well as the infrastructure of its surroundings, to be dosed in their disclosure. Without intending to prohibit their use or visitation, trying to transform them into ecological sanctuaries, removing them from the universe of the visitors’ interest, damaging their most relevant social function and, almost always, distorting it. From this perspective, several Brazilian examples are known internationally, seeing as they occurred in noble areas such as the banks of dams in São Paulo, the largest city in Latin America, and in hills of Rio de Janeiro, the most beautiful city in Brazil. 1 Joandre Antonio Ferraz, graduated and master in Economic and Financial Law by the Universidade de São Paulo, specialized in Government by the Fundação Getúlio Vargas, author and co-author of articles and books on Tourism Law, lawyer representing Cruise Lines International Association – CLIA Brasil and companies (joandre@ joandreferraz.com.br , www.joandreferraz.com.br ).