Located in the northeast of São Paulo, Perus is not a well-known Brazilian community. The region has always suffered from lack of governmental attention. Perus struggles with poverty, violence and black youth genocide, as well as with the threat of displacement of indigenous communities. Although it is a poor area, it features important history and many interesting stories.
In December 2018 a fieldwork was organized to provide the opportunity to a group of students and supervisors from the Placemaking & Shaping Destinations course as well as from UFSCar University to learn about Quilombaque’s innovative approach to destination development.
Perus is a community that can serve as an illustration of how tourism and leisure can support creating a sense of place while at the same time increasing the livability of the region. Collaborating with such locations, through fieldwork, for instance, can be a source of expanding learning beyond the classroom while simultaneously contributing to local development.
Making Places and Shaping Destinations in Perus, São Paulo, Brazil
