Tourism, Crime, and Urban Segregation: A Spatial Analysis of Natal, Brazil

Ana Catarina Alves Coutinho; Wilker Nóbrega; Jarvis Campos; Fernando Almeida-García

doi:10.5281/zenodo.18062392

Authors

Ana Catarina Alves Coutinho Adjunct Professor in the Tourism Program at the São Bernardo, Campus of the Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6654-6629
Wilker Nóbrega UFRN
Jarvis Campos Adjunct Professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6404-6783
Fernando Almeida-García Coordinator the Master’s Program in Tourism Management and Planning at Málaga University, Spain https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6560-8752

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18062392

Keywords:

Tourism and crime, Statistic data, Brazilian Northeast, Tourist flow

Abstract

Tourism theories that address the relationship with criminology have reinforced the logic of segregation and urban insecurity through statistical data that portray a stimulus-response. This supports the idea that more crime leads to fewer tourists in tourist destinations. In this sense, this article aims to understand the context of contemporary crimes through their relationship to the socio-spatial dynamics of tourism. For this, statistical data on crime, tourist flow, and urban services and equipment in a capital city in northeastern Brazil were collected to understand the relationship between public security and tourism dynamics, using statistical and georeferenced analyses supported by QGIS (version 3.10), informed by the proposed theoretical discussion. The results show that the criminal incidence may not be a determinant for the decrease in tourist flow. In addition, it confirmed that the distribution of public urban equipment in the city does not serve as a measure to combat crime, thereby endorsing existing social segregation and, even less so, the causal relationship with tourist flow. Finally, the study offers a territorial analysis of a tourist destination across its different social strata, as well as an intersectoral analysis that goes beyond a classic approach in areas with high tourist numbers. The originality of the research lies in presenting a discussion of crime in Brazil based on statistical data, thereby contributing to the territorial management of the tourist destination. In addition, it calculates the distance in meters between the crimes committed and urban public facilities and tourist attractions.

Keywords: Tourism and crime; Tourism planning; Public security; Leisure and tourism; Urban segregation and tourism.

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Author Biographies

Ana Catarina Alves Coutinho, Adjunct Professor in the Tourism Program at the São Bernardo, Campus of the Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), Brazil

PhD in Tourism from the Graduate Program in Tourism (PPGTUR) at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). Holds both a Master's degree and a Bachelor's degree in Tourism from UFRN. Adjunct Professor in the Tourism Program at the São Bernardo, Campus of the Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), Brazil. Coordinator of the projects “Scientific Tourism in the Protected Area of the Foz do Rio Preguiças (Maranhão, Brazil)” and “Lazerólogo Project.” Leader of the Tourism Planning and Management Research Group (GPPGTUR/CNPq). Lattes CV: http://lattes.cnpq.br/8424702006807233; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6654-6629; Email: aca.coutinho@ufma.br

Wilker Nóbrega, UFRN

Associate Professor in the Department of Tourism and the Graduate Program in Tourism at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Brazil. PhD in Social and Environmental Sciences from the Federal University of Pará (UFPA/NAEA). Master's degree in Culture and Tourism from the State University of Santa Cruz (UESC), and a Bachelor's degree in Tourism from UFPA (Brazil). Postdoctoral researcher at Dalhousie University (Canada) and at UFPA/NAEA, including a research fellowship at the Cardiff University Criminology Institute (Wales, UK). Leader of the Research Group on Tourism Planning and Organization (GEPPOT/UFRN/CNPq). Lattes CV: http://lattes.cnpq.br/0025142529544906; ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1628-3493; Email: wilker.nobrega@ufrn.br

Jarvis Campos, Adjunct Professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Brazil

Ph.D. in Demography from the Center for Regional Development and Planning (CEDEPLAR) at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), having completed a research internship at the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) during his doctoral studies. Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Geography from the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (PUC Minas). Adjunct Professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), tenured faculty member in the Graduate Program in Demography (PPGDEM/UFRN), coordinator of the Spatial Demography Laboratory, and recipient of a CNPq Research Productivity Fellowship. Lattes CV: http://lattes.cnpq.br/9521949677900552; ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6404-6783; Email: jarvis.campos@ufrn.br

Fernando Almeida-García, Coordinator the Master’s Program in Tourism Management and Planning at Málaga University, Spain

Full Professor at the University of Málaga (Spain), Ph.D. in Geography (University of Málaga), and researcher in the fields of tourism policy, governance, destination management, and spatial planning. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography and History. His scholarly work focuses on the impacts of tourism, touristification, sustainability, and residents’ perceptions, and he has conducted studies in various tourist destinations in Europe, Latin America, and North Africa. Author of numerous articles and books and coordinates international projects focused on governance and the sustainable development of tourism. Currently is coordinator the Master’s Program in Tourism Management and Planning at Málaga University. Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6560-8752; Email: falmeida@uma.es

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