Local tourism in metropolitan contexts: an analysis of the user profile of Icaraí Beach in Caucaia/CE

Abstract

Icaraí Beach, located in the metropolitan region of Fortaleza (RMF), was historically occupied by elites and vacationers, later resulting in several problems associated with occupation and coastal erosion, causing the beach to gradually degrade over the last 30 years. In this sense, this research focuses on investigating the contemporary profile of users who visit this beach after the series of transformations resulting from the last decades. The methodology consisted of applying 100 questionnaires in situ, systematizing the data in tables, and producing cartographic images. In this way, it was possible to characterize the profile of the visitors, analyzing their motivations, origins, and usage patterns. The results revealed a profile no longer of traditional tourists or long-distance vacationers, but of visitors from nearby areas, mainly from the metropolitan region of Fortaleza and the municipality of Caucaia itself, highlighting the social and tourist function of this beach in the metropolitan context.