Urban Tourism and Sustainability: Pathways to a Viable Future
sustainable tourism; urban tourism; city tourism; tourist destination; sustainability.
Understanding the sustainability of tourism in cities as the world’s main destinations is essential for the discussion of sustainable tourism. Climate change, the continued expansion of urban areas, and the increase in tourist flows make it important to identify the critical points for sustainable urban tourism. There is little research on the sustainability of tourism in cities in the Global South, and in Brazil in particular. This study aimed to understand the sustainability challenges faced by Brazilian urban tourist destinations. A series of interviews were conducted with federal public tourism managers from September to December 2023. The results allowed us to identify the main challenges of urban tourism in Brazil related to sustainability, such as inadequate solid waste management, lack of security, the need for climate change adaptation and mitigation, proper governance practices, among others. This work contributes to a deeper understanding of the needs of urban tourist destinations within the current discussion of tourism sustainability.