Slow Travel: An analysis of the relationship between the environment, railways and tourism in Brazil

Abstract

Inspired by the theory of symbolic sites of belonging developed by Zaoual, this exploratory and descriptive study contributes in two ways to the production of knowledge on the interplay of tourism, railways and the environment in the context of slow travel: (1) conceptually, to the design of what can be called slow rail travel (SRT), involving relations with protected areas (in Brazil called conservation units); and (2) analytically, by identifying the potential of SRT provided by trains pulled by steam locomotives in Brazil. The results indicate that the south and southeast regions, notably the states of Minas Gerais and São Paulo (southeast) are propitious for the development of this type of rail travel in association with protected areas.

Keywords

• railway
• tourism
• slow travel
• Brazil
• protected areas