Da carga ao turismo: guia prático para avaliação de projetos viáveis de trens turísticos em linhas férreas não operacionais no Brasil

Abstract

This application project deals with regulatory, operational, tourist and financial aspects in an assessment of the feasibility of implementing a Tourist Train in non-operational stretches returned or in the process of being returned by freight railways. We sought to answer which premises should be considered by railway concessionaires and sponsors when supporting entities interested in implementing tourist train projects. The objective was to prepare a practical guide and prepare a checklist covering conceptual, social and functional aspects that must be evaluated by private companies and sponsoring and supporting bodies, in order to assess aspects that bring the viability of a tourist train. The methodology involved using a combination of social, operational and financial approaches to the reality of maintaining a railway operation. The strategic principles based on case studies inserted in the universe of successful and unsuccessful initiatives were observed to raise which aspects should be considered in a feasibility study for the implementation of tourist trains. A guide was created with a checklist that will support the sponsoring institutions in the assessment of the premises to be considered in order to make the requested project viable. It was found that the analyzed train projects have historical and social relevance and are not led by large economic groups, tourism or leisure companies. They are not located in already touristic cities, although they have historical attractions and those related to the railway memory. The railway line offer is not accompanied by the availability of unused passenger cars, but in good condition. Existing assets also require great efforts and investments for recovery, a scenario that is aggravated when considering the inexistence of a variety of companies working with the restoration of this type of asset. It was concluded that the feasibility of the projects will have a strong relationship with the cities in which they are located and with the existence of policies and actions aimed at tourism in the municipality; with the existence of great economic power, whether its own or as a sponsor, with breath for the short, long and medium term; with the regulatory bodies' willingness to offer technical advice and, eventually, make regulatory rules more flexible that generate high costs and great complexity for management.