COFFEE TOURISM IN THE CAPARAÓ FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ITS TOURIST POTENTIAL

Abstract:

Located in the states of Minas Gerais and Espirito Santo, the Caparaó region is increasingly important as a coffee-related tourist destination. Many specialty coffee consumers and coffee professionals visit the region, motivated by the local coffee culture and the association of the region's image with the quality product from family farming and with Denomination of Origin. This research aims to understand the profile of the potential coffee tourist in the Caparaó region. Qualitative, exploratory and descriptive in character, this study uses a methodological approach that is divided into two main stages: bibliographical, and data collection. The first stage involved a literature review of national and international databases on the theme of consumer behavior in tourism and coffee tourist profile. The second stage consisted of data collection through questionnaires with coffee consumers and online semi-structured interviews with coffee roasters; entrepreneurs who work exclusively with Caparaó’s specialty coffees. Among the results, two main groups were identified: coffee lovers and traders. Despite the different characteristics of consumer behavior, both act jointly for the benefit of local economic development and the appreciation of the region’s social, cultural and environmental aspects.

Keywords:
Coffee; Coffee Tourism; Consumer behavior in tourism; Caparaó