Tourism as a driver of Ponta Grossa's development, by Paulo Stachowiak

The city of Ponta Grossa has a series of strategic actions aimed at strengthening tourism as a vector of economic development, cultural enhancement and promotion of quality of life. The management of tourism in Ponta Grossa stands out by the implementation of the Intelligent Tourist Destination (ITD) model, structured by an intersectoral governance composed of the Institutional, Manager, Participatory and Collaborator cores. This structure brings together public authorities, business entities, educational institutions and sector organizations, ensuring shared decisions, strategic alignment and integrated implementation of public policies. Thinking in the future, the Secretariat prepared the Plano Municipal of Tourism 2035, a strategic document that guides the development of the sector in the next decade, in line with state and national guidelines.

The plan establishes goals and actions aimed at sustainable, competitive and integrated growth of tourism, reinforcing the importance of long-term planning for the generation of permanent benefits to the population. In the context of recreation and leisure, the city organizes the Ballooning Festival of Ponta Grossa. Integrated in the municipal tourist calendar, the festival brings together competitive flights, artistic and musical presentations and a wide food court, providing leisure for residents and visitors and strengthening the tourist fl uxo of the city. The plan establishes goals and actions aimed at sustainable, competitive and integrated growth of tourism, reinforcing the importance of long-term planning for the generation of permanent benefits to the population In the segment of rural tourism, the Secretariat promotes Hiking in Nature, in the district of Itaiacoca and Guaragi. In addition to the route through the natural landscapes, the event encourages the commercialization of local products, such as handicrafts, breads, sweets and vegetables, generating income for the community and promoting a solidarity action through the collection of food destined for social institutions.

Another outstanding initiative is the Projeto Sou PG – Souvenir Criativo, which reached its third edition with the launch of a catalogue composed of new products developed by local creatives. The official collection of the brand “Sou PG” brings together dozens of products, the result of a qualification program that offers technical training for the creation of souvenirs that value the identity, culture and tourist attractions of the municipality.

The appreciation of historical heritage also gained an important instrument with the launch of the book “Ponta Grossa – in the Rails of Memory”. Produced in partnership between the areas of Tourism, Culture and Education, the work brings together research and historical and geographic content that will serve as a reference for schools, researchers and actions to interpret cultural heritage, expanding knowledge about local history. Complementing this set of actions, the municipality has the Lei Municipal no 12.066/2014, which establishes the Incentive Program for Events. The mechanism allows natural and legal persons to allocate part of the value of the IPTU to the sponsorship of events generating tourist flow, expanding the possibilities of financing and strengthening the calendar of events of Ponta Grossa. The official collection of the brand “Sou PG” brings together dozens of products, the result of a qualification program that offers technical training for the creation of souvenirs that value the identity, culture and tourist attractions of the municipality.

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Article from the book "PONTA GROSSA: From the route of the tropeiros to the tracks of innovation"

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