Brotas, state Sao Paulo

Бротас, штат Сан Пауло См. Фото-галерею

Started in the 1970’s, tourism in Brotas started slowly, going through different stages. Each stage had its own focus and approach: in the 70’s Brotas would follow traditional tourism models; in the 80’s the traditional models were still followed but also focusing on some natural attributes; in the 90’s an alternative model is adopted influenced by the Rio 92 and environmentalist debates around the world. At this point tourism in Brotas starts to value its natural and cultural attributes. For the city, the 21st century starts with the focus on professional formation, planning and the establishment of tourism regulations.

Today Brotas is a reference for nature-based tourism, being one of the first destinations with this focus in Brazil and now it is also recognized as a quality adventure tourism destination all over the country.

Brotas is one of Brazil’s most famous towns in terms of radical and adventure sports and tourism. It is an ancient town, which flourished in the coffee era and still has livestock breeding and agriculture as the basis of its economy. The exuberant vegetation is composed of Brazilian inland vegetation and Plateau Forest, a variation of the Atlantic Forest.

The fauna is comprised of different species of birds and other animals typical of the inland vegetation, including the Guará wolf. The region is very rich in springs, rivers and waterfalls, allowing for the practice of different outdoor activities.

Located in the center of the state of Sao Paulo, due to its clean rivers and steep hills the small town quickly became a center of rafting, canyoning and similar sports.

Though the town today still depends economically mainly on agriculture, the region’s natural resources – waterfalls, conserved forests, mountain ranges and rivers - have encouraged tourism. Ecotourism, adventure and rural tourism have been on the rise, making Brotas a favourite for nature lovers.