Cyclists and Cycle Tourists in Paraná Coast, Brazil: Profile, Behavior, Perceptions and Motivations

Abstract

Given the importance of the cycle tourism segment, which is in a stage of expressive growth and the potential that Paraná Coast has to welcome this public, the present study aimed to identify the profile, behavior, perceptions and motivations of these cyclists. and cycle tourists. The results showed that the Covid -19 Pandemic period did not influence the decision of starting cycling, but when analyzed separately the portion of those who started cycling after the pandemic period, it was possible to verify that the number of men and women showed an equal result, demonstrating the growing search of women for cycling. The main difficulties for the practice of cycle tourism, as well as the factors that are lacking on the coast, are related to the lack of public policies that provide safe conditions and the encouragement to the practitioners. In addition, cycle tourists demonstrated dissatisfaction with the infrastructure found in the coastal cities. It is concluded, therefore, that cycle tourism is a tourist segment of great importance, since it moves the economy of several sectors and promotes the appreciation of all elements of the visited place. In this sense, it is necessary to reassess actions by the public, private sectors and local communities, in order to achieve the satisfaction of this kind of public.