When we talk about a tourist route, we’re not just talking about a path. We’re talking about permanence, experiences that connect and make sense of each other. A tourism product that, when organized, communicates an identity, a narrative and a unique way of living in that territory. This is the heart of the work we are doing on Combu Island, in Pará.
Rota Combu is an initiative of Sebrae Nacional, in partnership with Sebrae Pará, which entrusted Raízes with the execution of the project. The aim is to help organize and structure community-based tourism in one of the most symbolic regions of the Pará Amazon, increasing the length of stay of visitors and valuing all that this place already has to offer – its people, its knowledge and flavours.
Combu: a beloved destination, but still little explored
Ilha do Combu is a popular destination for people from Pará and is already well known regionally. Located less than 15 minutes by boat from Belém, it is famous for its riverside restaurants, for bathing in the igarapés and for the typical cuisine that fills the table and the soul. But until now, tourism there has almost always been in the form of short, half-day tours.
Rota Combu’s proposal is to create a more structured tourism product that invites visitors to spend two or three days on the island, experiencing everything it has to offer in a deeper and more transformative way.
How can we ensure that all this works?
Our role in this process is to help stitch these elements together into an integrated itinerary that is sustainable for the territory, viable for local businesses and unforgettable for visitors. We are working on structuring local governance, with three operators from the island itself responsible for organizing the experiences in an articulated manner. This ensures that the attractions are accessed responsibly and that the benefits of tourism are better distributed among those who live on and build the island every day.
In addition to the collective construction of the route, we are also taking care of its promotion and strategic positioning. Actions include famtours – familiarization trips aimed at tour operators – and relationships with DMCs (Destination Management Companies), which are companies specializing in the management of tourist destinations and act as a bridge between travellers and local services. Rota Combu already has a brand and visual identity developed by our partner Zebú Mídias. We can even give you a little spoiler: you can find a taste of it on Instagram @rotacombu. Our suggestion? Follow the profile and keep an eye out! The official launch will take place in October, in Rio de Janeiro, during ABAV Expo, one of the largest tourism fairs in Latin America, organized by the Brazilian Association of Travel Agencies.
All this is still under construction, and we know that creating a route is no simple task. It involves listening, dialog, taking care of people’s time and respecting the local way of life. But it’s also a beautiful chance to show that the Amazon is alive, diverse and full of protagonists.
Combu Island doesn’t need any major changes. It is already enchanting in itself. What Rota Combu wants to do is simply turn on the right lights so that each visitor can see more clearly the beauty of a place where forest, culture and community go hand in hand.
