Projetos culturais como estratégia de desenvolvimento turístico: estudo de caso no município de Lençóis Paulista, São Paulo

Abstract

This study analyzes how the tourism projects Walking Tour “Villa de Lençóis” and the Night Cemetery Tour “Lençóis de Memórias”, developed by the Municipal Department of Tourism of Lençóis Paulista (SP), contribute to the dynamization of the local tourism value chain and to the appreciation of the municipality’s cultural identity. The research discusses concepts related to cultural tourism, memory, and heritage interpretation applied to municipal tourism planning, in addition to describing the conception, structure, and operation of the two initiatives. The results indicate that the projects mobilize different actors within the tourism value chain, stimulating the creative economy, expanding opportunities for income generation, and improving the quality of the local tourism offer. In the sociocultural field, the main contributions include the appreciation of collective memory and the strengthening of territorial identity, promoting closer interaction between the community and visitors. It is also observed that the articulation between public management, cultural professionals, and institutional partners highlights the importance of collaborative governance in the implementation of tourism initiatives with local impact. It is concluded that cultural projects structured around the historical and symbolic specificities of the territory can act as strategic instruments for the development of cultural tourism, contributing to innovation and the competitiveness of the tourist destination, while consolidating Lençóis Paulista as a reference in initiatives aimed at valuing local memory and heritage.