SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF TOURISM SERVICES AND ATTRACTIONS OF THE ‘CIRCUITO DOS DIAMANTES’: SUPPORT FOR TOURISM PLANNING

The ‘Circuito dos Diamantes’, (Diamond Circuit) is a region comprising 15 municipalities located in the Espinhaço mountain Range of Minas Gerais, Brazil. This study presents the results of a spatial analysis carried out with a Geographic Information System (GIS), using data from the georeferenced tourism inventory. The methodological stages of this exploratory research were: bibliographical research and review; standardization of the inventory data in the GIS software; map making; and analysis of tourism services and attractions. The analysis resulted in density maps of tourism attractions and services, in which the main problems identified are outlined here. There is a lack of tourism services in certain areas and a significant concentration of services around the Estrada Real highway and the cities of Diamantina and Serro. The tourism inventory was incomplete for municipalities with less tourism importance, showing a need for further investments in this basic instrument of tourism planning. Aceito 19/Mai/2019 Publicado 16/Set/2019 Graduanda em Turismo Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri laismurtaalves@gmail.com Doutor em Geografia Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14210/at.v4n3p01©2019 autores. Publicado por Univali Esse artigo é de livre acesso sob a licença KEY-WORDS Geographic Information System


Introduction
The main object of consumption, transformation, and building of new localities in tourism is the geographical space (Cruz, 2003). Tourism is also a form of spatial displacement (Nicolàs, 1996). Tourism is described by Panosso Netto (2010) as a person's displacement and return to his/her place of residence, for known or unknown purposes, that involves communication between people and the use of technology, among many other aspects, promoting an exchange of experiences and having an impact in many other ways. It is, therefore, as much a spatial phenomenon, as it as a social phenomenon (Fratucci, 2000). Tourism is an activity that results from the development of societies establishing interpersonal relationships.
As such, tourism is considered one of the most important activities in the global economy (Barbosa, 2004).
Tourism performance is unique in each location. The elements of tourism differ from one location to another and are responsible for the dynamics and formation of a geographic space (Tulik, 1990). For this to occur in an organized manner, planning is necessary (Dias, 2003). Planning should be carried out with the specific characteristics of the location in mind, considering the different variables involved in the process. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the relationship between tourism and geographical space. There are several theoretical contributions to this field, including geography (Santos, 2014).
Understanding this relationship is crucial for planning tourism activity, including the collection and analysis of information (Scheuer, 2011). Planning helps minimize potential problems and serves as a guide for future achievements (Solha, 2006). Petrocchi (1998) defines planning as "the definition of a desired future and all the necessary measures for its materialization" (p. 19). Therefore, appropriate actions should be carried out in order to achieve the desired results.
Tourism development should be focused on minimizing negative impacts and promoting positive ones (Cooper, 2001cited by Vieira et al., 2017. Thus, planning involves gathering accurate information from the real environment, requiring the assistance of computer tools (Bissoli, 1999). Geoprocessing is an effective tool for gathering, organizing and analyzing information accurately (Silva, 2010 cited by Carvalho et al., 2012).
Map generation using this technology allows crossreferencing of data using GIS . These maps can assist in the observation and evaluation of the tourism potential of a place, and in the planning (Carneiro et al., 2005). According to Câmara and associates (1998) and Dangermond (1992), GIS consist of computational systems capable of storing, manipulating, analyzing and presenting georeferenced data. Burrough and Mcdonnell (2005) define GIS as "a powerful set of tools for collecting, storing, retrieving at will, transforming and displaying spatial data from the real world for a particular set of purposes" (p. 11). Nodari et al. (2006) emphasize the importance of this technology in tourism; for them "the amount and type of tourism data requires a management tool that addresses the needs for an instrument that optimizes the storage, analysis and manipulation of such data" (p. 217). The use of GIS enables greater ease, reliability and efficiency in the processing of information related to geographic space, and is an essential tool for tourism planning (Scalco, 2006).
The use of technology in tourism provides a powerful instrument that enables the creation of new strategies aimed at economic growth (Sousa & Fernandes, 2007), and it is a fundamental tool for resolving problems and visualizing new opportunities (Rossato, 2004).
Georeferenced data contribute to the development of tourism products and services, and cross-referencing these data allows a broader view of the elements being studied (Souza & Fernandes, 2007). Duque and Mendes (2006) point out that the use of GIS allows the establishment of relationships between different types of information, such as: the distribution of tourism services (accommodation and food); accessibility to attractions and facilities; tourism infrastructure support; mapping outbound tourism hubs and the routes to reach destinations; and information about tourism demand, enabling any imbalances between services to be identified. GIS can provide information on environ-Applied Tourism ISSN: 2448-3524 https://siaiap32.univali.br/seer/index.php/ijth/index mental aspects, landscapes, tourist attractions, services and infrastructure (Rossato, 2004). Ramón Morte (1997), quoted by Ladwig (2012), shows that this tool is also capable of obtaining geographic information at a remote distance, using online satellite imagery, among other sources, enabling its use from anywhere in the world.
An example of the use of GIS in tourism is a study carried out Gutiérrez and associates (2017) who demonstrated, through bivariate spatial autocorrelation, the spatial relationship between hotel locations and Airbnb accommodation. Multiple regression analysis showed the explanatory factors of the locations, which were very similar for both types of accommodation.
The tourism inventory is an important tool for the study of tourism services supply, and is considered an indispensable source for tourism managers. In 2017, a tourist inventory layout was implemented in Minas Gerais with georeferenced data, allowing its representation in a GIS. The inventory is a government program required in all municipalities of the Minas Gerais tourism circuits. These circuits were created in 2001, aimed at promoting regional development. Decree no. 43.321 defines them as: [...] a set of municipalities in the same region, with cultural, social and economic affinities that unite to organize and develop regional tourism activity in a sustainable way, through the continuous integration of municipalities, consolidating a regional activity (Minas Gerais , 2003, p. 1). Oliveira and Santos (2006) highlight that the creation of these tourist circuits or routes was due to "the need to obtain competitive advantages, where the availability of tourism products and services should comple- Thus, the objective of this study is to present a spatial analysis of the services and attractions of the tourism of Circuito dos Diamantes. This will be performed through thematic maps elaborated in a Geographic Information System (GIS), using the tourism inventory as the main database. This representation through maps will allow a better understanding of spatial distribution of tourism services in Circuito dos Diamantes, helping tourism planning in this region.

Metodology
This study is an exploratory research of tourism services of the Circuito dos Diamantes. Exploratory research is understood as a way of studying a situation that has not yet been researched, making considerations and creating hypotheses about themes not yet known (Gil, 2008). Initially, a literature review was carried out investigating the themes of tourism planning, tourism geography, spatial analysis of tourism, geographic information systems and tourism. The The cities with more attractions are Diamantina (29) and Serro (18). Milho Verde and São Goncalo do Rio das Pedras, which are districts of Serro, have higher tion technique, using statistical natural breaks divided into 5 classes, which represented the distribution keys (Very Low, Low, Moderate, High and Very High). With the buffer tool, the distances between the attractions and the food and accommodation services were measured, using radiuses of one, two, and three kilometers, to represent the relationships between attractions and services.
The purpose of the organization, Circuito dos Diamantes, is the development of tourism in these locations, promoting the activities in a sustainable manner and seeking for the consolidation of an identity. Therefore, Applied Tourism ISSN: 2448-3524 https://siaiap32.univali.br/seer/index.php/ijth/index area.
One of the most well-known aspects of intangible heritage of the region is the artisan way of producing a type of cheese called 'queijo minas do Serro'. This is a technique that has been passed down through generations for more than three hundred years.  (Melo & Silva, 2014). This product, which provides the main economic support for several families of this region, became a tourist attraction, representing 11% of the cultural attractions of the circuit. Besides gastronomic tourism, another segment that this delicacy promotes is rural tourism, through visits to farms where the cheese is produced.
numbers (each has eight). There is a concentration of tourist attractions on the axis or around the Estrada Real highway, the main route by which gold and diamonds were transported through Minas Gerais and of great commercial and economic relevance (Santos, 2001).
Colonial cities, with their architectural and cultural heritage, are increasingly valued by tourists. Cultural tourism involves the histories of communities and their social memory, so that people from other locations can learn about their culture. Tourism is also a way of conserving and treasuring these elements (Barretto, 2000).
There are 74 inventoried cultural attractions, distributed as follows: 38% churches; 11% cheese making attractions; 8% chapels; 8% historical houses or buildings; 8% tourism farms and ranches; 7% museums; 3% tourist art and crafts; and 17% other varied cultural attractions. The number of religious attractions suggests great potential for developing religious tourism in this    (César & Stigliano, 2005). They are characterized according to the particularities of the sites, e.g., relief and biome. The Circuito dos Diamantes is located at the intersection of three major Brazilian biomes: Cerrado (tropical savanna), covering most of the territory, Caatinga (dry shrubland), and Mata Atlântica (native Atlantic forest) (Gontijo, 2008). The highest regions, above 900 meters, have Campos Rupestres, or altitude fields (Minas Gerais, 2004). The present high species endemism is due to the isolation provided by the altitude difference (Giulietti et al., 2000). to stay in a destination for several days (Goeldner et al., 2002). Figure 3 shows the number of accommodation services, ranging from very low (one or less), through light yellow, to very high (18 or more), dark red. There is an inventory of 80 registered companies and establishments, as follows: 61% inns; 28% hotels; 4% campsites; 3% hostels; 3% roosts; and 1% motel. Other locations have very low (one or less) and low (between two and five) numbers of accommodation establishments.
Due to the close relationship between tourist attractions and services, an analysis was performed using the buffer tool, measuring the distance between these two elements. The buffer radiuses were divided into three categories: one, two and three kilometers. Most of the accommodation establishments are strategically located, as only 3% of all these establishments are more than three kilometers from a tourist attraction.
Considering a two-kilometer range, this value increases to only 4% and, within one kilometer, it increases to about 13%. Therefore, 87% of all the inventoried tourist attractions are within one kilometer from an accommodation service, i.e., within walking distance. Li and associates (2015) reached similar conclusions, stating that hotel location is related to land use, tourist attractions, transportation routes, and economic variables. Therefore, the location of accommodation services is crucial for the success of a business (Yang et al., 2015, Shoval et  Nonetheless, some natural attractions are further away from an accommodation service. It is well known that some of these attractions are in remote areas. Tourists tend to visit the attractions during the day and return to the urban center at night (Silveira & Medaglia, 2014).
The World Tourism Organization (WTO, 2001) highlights that tourist spending goes far beyond accommodation, involving the consumption of food, transport and leisure activities. There are few inventoried food services, totaling 72, with: 46% restaurants; 33% bars, beer houses and snack bars; 15% tea houses, coffee shops, bakeries and patisseries; 4% ice cream shops; 1% juice bars; and 1% other.  For tourism development to occur, it is necessary to have services and attractions that will enable the development of products. However, there is an unequal distribution of services among the studied cities. The identification of tourist potential in these other municipalities is fundamental, so that tourism will be more evenly distributed within the territory. That is the starting point for promoting tourism in the circuit. The information presented here is strategic for investors and businesses to create new services and establishments close to attractions where these services are lacking, such as in the cities of São Gonçalo do Rio Preto and Santo Antônio do Itambé. Government involvement is also important for creating tourism infrastructure in those areas, including tourist information centers.
This research is of great relevance for the characterization of the studied area, highlighting its strengths and allowing a greater understanding of the distribution of consolidated attractions and services. The region has great potential for ecotourism, due to its natural attractions and its location at the intersection of three biomes of great importance and rich biodiversity. It is no surprise that the region has seven conservation areas, and is part of the Serra do Espinhaço biosphere reserve.
This study identifies considerable deficiencies in the provision of services in most municipalities, which is an important issue to overcome. Several attractions lack services in their vicinity, and further stud is recommen-   Medium and long term actions can be conducted for sites that lack services and require more resources, such as incentives, improvement, and/or creation of tourism services and equipment. Professional training should also be encouraged in places where there is already a tourist flow, and in those with higher tourist potential. This potential can be identified by meticulously updating the inventory -a basic instrument for any consistent planning proposal.
The techniques and tools of GIS used in this study are applicable to various areas of tourism and allow analyses that goes beyond those performed in this work. The identification of tourist potential, such as mountains and waterfalls, by comparing altimetry differences with the waterways, is an example of an application that would be relevant to the studied region.
GIS tools are low in cost and can be applied remotely in various areas of tourism, providing an economically viable way of producing reliable information about the studied objects