Brotas celebrates three decades of tourism that goes far beyond welcoming people from all corners for adventure in nature, one of the best options of its kind in Brazil. It is also a journey of opportunities and economic growth for the people of Brotas and for those who live in Brotas. Over the last seven years as Secretary of Tourism, I have witnessed how this economic activity has grown in the municipality, which is proven by the exceptional performance of the Tourist Services Tax (ISS). From 2016 to 2022, this indicator quadrupled, reaching an impressive R$2.2 million, signaling a growing and constant demand from tourists for Brotas.
And this year, the ISS is on track to break the all-time record. By September, it had already accumulated R$2.1 million. In other words, every day more tourists choose Brotas. It is important to highlight that even people from Broton who do not work in tourism benefit from the increase in activity. The ISS is intended to improve basic infrastructure, which impacts the quality of life of people from Broton. The success of Brotas tourism is not the result of chance. It is the result of a series of factors. Several of them are independent of the work of the Municipal Tourism Secretariat, but others are directly linked to efficient tourism management, attentive to the demands of the private sector and committed to sustainable development. Let’s list:
The first, which I make a point of highlighting, is the preservation of the Jacaré-Pepira River, which runs through Brotas and where several adventure tourism activities are carried out. Since 2017, we have fought against the degradation of the water source with efforts to stop the damage and complaints to the Public Prosecutor’s Office in three situations: the irregular removal of water from the river by a farm in Brotas; the capture of water at the source of the river by the city of São Pedro and, more recently, due to siltation caused by land under the responsibility of Raízen.
I coordinate a Tourism Secretariat that listens to the wishes of the tourism business community, so much so that the Tourism Master Plan is drawn up by the public authorities and the private sector together. Engagement in government actions aimed at promoting tourism is another indicator of our work. Since I took on the role of Secretary of Tourism, in 2017, I have always had good communication with the State government, regardless of who occupied the governor’s chair. We work together!
Also important was the creation of a marketing plan, which envisioned new tourist products for Brotas in order to reduce seasonality in tourism, which was a problem. This is how, for example, we became a gastronomic destination. Also aiming to attract tourists throughout the year, we created a tourist calendar, which warmed up the destination in the low season and reduced dependence on adventure activities in the water in the cold months. An example is the success of Brotas Rock, Trirex and Broteco, among other events. More recently, we created Rota Cervejeira, which already has five craft breweries, to expand the range of good eating and drinking in Brotas. In 2024, we will already have Beer Week.
Still in communication, it is important to remember that Brotas came out ahead of many resorts by having a press office to publicize the destination. Another valuable achievement for our tourism was Brotas obtaining the long-awaited title of National Capital of Adventure Tourism. Even in challenging times, such as during the pandemic, we do not fold our arms. We look for alternatives to maintain tourist activity. We implement effective health protocols, minimizing negative impacts on the tourism sector.
Now Brotas is entering the world motorsport map with the construction of the RaceVille Speed Club, a club with a modern race track regulated by the FIA, which can even host stock car races, and which has former formula 1 driver Rubinho as its ambassador. Barrichello. Motorsports is another type of adventure tourism in the city, a project that I have supported since its inception. I closely follow the implementation of RaceVille, supporting entrepreneurs. In fact, for 2024 we already have four races on the national motorsport calendar scheduled for Brotas.
Partnerships between public authorities and the private sector, which generate results for the entire community, are part of my way of managing. It was like this in Águas de São Pedro, when we signed relevant partnerships with Cielo and Fiat, and in Brotas also with large companies such as Elo, Mitsubishi, Raízen, Jeep and now Raceville. The result is that tourism increasingly generates jobs in Brotas. And this heated economic activity is even motivating the arrival of companies from national and state networks in our city. It is proof of the attractive potential of Brotas as a place not just to visit, but to live and invest.
The efficient raising of funds from Dadetur is also proof of the management’s ability to guarantee resources for significant improvements in the tourist infrastructure and quality of life of the people of Broton. As of 2017, 14 important works were carried out in Brotas with this funding and the dialogue with the state government, which I have always had as a principle, helped. An example is the construction of the Capitão Modesto Salviatto Filho bridge, which gave the city a second option for crossing the Jacaré-Pepira river. In Parque dos Saltos, within our city, the revitalization of the suspension bridge, the Machine House and the Forest Police space and the expansion of the ETE, the Sewage Treatment Station. More recently, the implementation of lighting and handrails on the trails at Parque dos Saltos.
As for the Patrimônio neighborhood, where the Jacaré-Pepira dam is located, an important tourist attraction, we managed to pave practically all the streets with this funding from Dadetur. In addition to the tourism funds, Brotas, as it is a relevant tourist destination in the State of São Paulo, received R$24 million to resurface the 23 kilometers of the local road that connects Brotas to Patrimônio, the so-called Caminho das Cachoeiras. It is a work that shows how much the government of the State of São Paulo recognizes the importance of our tourism. Not only do we celebrate three decades of tourism, but we celebrate a trajectory of innovation and commitment to a sustainable and prosperous tourism future. Our municipality is not just a tourist destination. It’s an ever-evolving success story.
