O potencial da Fitoterapia para o turismo no Amazonas

Abstract

This research emerges as a work of scientific initiation, motivated by the deepening of the questions and the discussions about the tourism potential of phytotherapy in Amazonas. When cutting and dimensioning the work for communities along riverbanks, the objective was to investigate the possibilities of using phytotherapy in small communities as a motivator of tourism demand and, as specific objectives, to discuss ethno-knowledge as a motivation of tourism demand in traditional communities; to identify studies on medicinal plants conducted by the National Institute of Amazonian Research (INPA); and to demonstrate the possibilities of using phytotherapy as a complement to the income of riverside communities based on the results of the research. In order to meet the objectives of the study, the methodology was defined as bibliographic, qualitative and exploratory-descriptive. There was a visit to the community of Bela Vista do Jaraqui that allowed the acquaintance of a community garden experience and medicinal plants, still incipient, and a informal conversation with community representatives to understand how the project that involves herbal medicines has been developed. The systematic observation of community tourism resources was an ally of this study. The results of this research are the gathering of studies that address the important correlation of the ethno-knowledge issue directed to medicinal plants in traditional communities, published by the National Institute of Amazonian Research (INPA), the identification of a catalog of medicinal plants used by riverside communities of the middle stretch of the Solimões River (AM), published by the Federal University of Amazonas (UFAM), which can serve as a reference for other communities, and it can be observed that phytotherapeutics can be used by the community as well as offered to visitors. In general, it is possible to affirm that there is a potential to add phytotherapics, such as syrups and ointments, to products and services related to tourism, making it possible, above all, that the local knowledge be diffused and that the community be recognized by one of the segments of health tourism.