Subsídios para a definição de zoneamento climático para o turismo de sol e praia no litoral Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

This research addresses the relationship between climate and tourism. The work begins with a reflection on the theoretical and practical foundations on the relationship between climate x tourism (climate as a tourist factor and resource, influence of time and climate on tourism development) according to the type of tourism. After defining the research focus on sun and beach tourism, we initially sought, in the literature, theoretical and methodological references to assess the tourist potential of the atmospheric environment at different spatial scales, from regional to local. The work starts from a characterization of the study area and presents different space units previously proposed for this area to contribute to a zoning of the climate as a resource for the tourism. In the sequence, secondary INMET data were used to investigate the climatic-tourist potential through three different methodological approaches: a) application of the annual climate type method, b) application of climatic-tourism indexes, and c) application of the weather types method proposed by Besancenot, Mounier and Lavenne (1978) restricted to the months when summer holidays traditionally take place. The first analyzes, based on monthly averages and totals, indicated more favorable conditions for sun and beach tourism in the summer season on the middle and south coast of the state; however, the third analysis, based on daily data, showed that, despite the medium and south coast presenting, in general, fewer days with precipitation than the north coast, there are more days of wind in the middle and south sectors, which makes leisure the sea less pleasant. Considering the static factors of the climate, the study proves the effect of the escarpment on the north coast as the main differentiator of the beach climates along the coast in this province. The effect of the presence of large inland water bodies in the middle and south coast merit further study.