Capacita COP 30 Program Promotes Qualification in Sustainable Tourism in Pará
The most recent edition of the Sustainable Tourism Management course took place on Combu Island in Belém
Owner of a hostel on Combu Island in Belém, teacher Ana Cardoso, 61, participated in the "Sustainable Tourism Management" course, a qualification that is part of the Capacita COP 30 program, strategically developed by the State Government to strengthen sustainable tourism in Pará.
“With the qualification, I understood that my business is economically viable and goes hand in hand with sustainability. We must always follow the guidelines of respect for the environment, seeking to value local culture. The Capacita program is training and informing thousands of people,” she said.
The "Capacita COP 30" is a state qualification program that offers various courses aimed at the tourism sector, such as "Sustainable Tourism Management", "Cultural Tourism", "Marketing and Sales in the Tourism Sector", and "Excellence in Tourism, Hospitality, and Leisure Services". The initiative is part of a series of strategic qualifications offered by the State in preparation for COP 30, which will take place in Belém in November 2025.
These courses are conducted by the State Tourism Secretariat (Setur), in partnership with institutions such as the National Service for Commercial Learning (Senac) and the State Secretariat for Science, Technology, and Higher, Professional, and Technological Education (Sectet).
“We are investing in training qualified professionals to ensure excellent service to visitors while leaving a lasting legacy for the development of sustainable tourism in our State,” emphasizes Setur head, José Eduardo Pereira da Costa.
COMBU - From April 23 to May 7 of this year, Combu Island in Belém hosted the "Sustainable Tourism Management" course. With 30 spots available, the classes, which took place in the evening to facilitate access for participants who work during the day, were aimed at residents and owners of bars, inns, and restaurants on the island.
Course professor, tourism expert Jackson Tavares, who is also the distance education coordinator at Sectet, states that students become multiplying agents as sustainability managers of the bioeconomy. “The island experiences an average intense flow during high season of 2,000 people per weekend, totaling 10,000 people per month during this period. There are 32 restaurants, businesses, hospitality, lodging, and more than 30 boats available for crossings, which draws our attention to the influence of this movement on Pará's flora and fauna. Thus, the course helps residents and entrepreneurs to be better prepared to raise awareness among all visitors about the importance of preserving the environment on the island,” he explains.
Owner of a restaurant on the island, extractor Edinei Silva, who was one of the students awarded by the course, celebrates the confidence he has gained to plan the next steps of his business based on the learnings from the qualification. “The course was rewarding and very enlightening, and it made me see and understand a lot about management. It was quite an experience, and with this, we have one more chance to do quality and effective work, in addition to developing new projects that will soon be implemented,” he concludes.
COMBU ISLAND - Considered an Environmental Protection Area (APA) since 1997, Combu Island is the fourth largest island in the municipality of Belém, Pará. Among the main attractions of the island are: the connection with nature, gastronomy, immersion in Amazonian culture, as well as boat trips and trails through the area.
