PUBLIC POLICY AND WINE TOURISM: MASTER PLAN IN VALE DOS VINHEDOS, SOUTH BRAZIL

Abstract

The article is based on a case study where Master Plans –basic tool for urban planning at the municipal level in Brazil- issued from the three cities which form the area known as "Vale dos Vinhedos", in Southern Brazil. The aim is to analyze public policies and their relation with wine tourism business. Documental research was conducted, analyzing the plans and the registers issuing from District meetings as well as field research with observation and interviews. The field research was compared with the documental information and some inconsistencies were detected. The conclusion is that Master Plans do not have unity, do not apparently share common interests in wine tourism or other collective needs and also antagonistic interests were observed in spite of spatial continuity. As a counterpart, public institutions are making great efforts to elaborate protective policies in regard of landscape and land use through District meetings.