Governance of Tourism in Campo das Vertentes, MG, Brazil: a path to regional development?

Abstract The purpose of this study is to verify coordination and the role of governance structures in tourism activities in the region of Campo das Vertentes, state of Minas Gerais. For that, we studied the municipalities of Prados, São João Del Rei, and Tiradentes, included in the “Trilha dos Inconfidentes” (‘Inconfidentes’ trail). As a theoretical basis, the ten elements of governance proposed by Bovaird and Löffler (2003) were considered. This study is exploratory and of a qualitative nature. We used documentary research and conducted 12 in-depth interviews. The results show a high level of governance development in the region, even though there are discrepancies between the municipalities analyzed. It was verified that the Tourist Circuit “Trilha dos Inconfidentes”, responsible for establishing a direct channel with the public power at the state and federal levels in order to meet the needs of the region, has relevant power and influence over the actions, projects, and programs that are carried out.