This article analyzes the consequences of the arrival of tourism in Ilha Grande (Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro), especially for the community of Vila do Abraão, that has been suddenly transformed into a spot for a mass of tourists. Different cases that have been equally studied suggest a model for the arrival and growth of touristic activities in places where these did not exist before, illustrated here with the case of Vila do Abraão. Here, the antagonism between "natives" and "nonnatives" becomes a central issue with the growth of tourism, hindering the incorporation of an environmental ideology and also the acceptance of general proposals for "an ideal touristic development".
ecology; environment; Ilha Grande; tourism