ANALYSIS OF TOURIST SIGNS IN BELO HORIZONTE/MG (2013-2014)

Abstract

Tourist signs have important implications in the everyday life of their users, especially before major events capable of attracting a large flow of tourists, such as the 2014 World Cup. It assumes, therefore, a prominent position to exert a direct influence on experience of visitors and residents. Accordingly, the objectives of this article were to analyse the process of expansion of tourist signs and their influence in the tourism dynamic in the city of Belo Horizonte – MG, and to identify the perceptions of tourists about the effectiveness of tourist signs in the city. The methodology used was based on bibliographic research, followed by records and analyses of tourist signs in different regions of the city and its main avenues. Quantitative research using questionnaires with domestic and foreign tourists during the period of the Confederations Cup in 2013 and during the 2014 FIFA World Cup were obtained. The main technical parameters observed were based on the Brazilian Tourist Signs Guide. The results show that there was an improvement of tourist signs in the city, however, despite significant investment in this area, an effort is still necessary by the local government to plan tourist signs in Belo Horizonte and standardize their format and arrangement of information available.