Theme and Water Parks in Brazil ¹

Abstract

Theme and water parks are leisure structures found across all continents which function as important tourist spaces. Brazil also integrates this system, with significant examples for analysis. Thus, we aim to apprehend the spatial logic of installation and functioning of these spaces in the country, which induces and at the same time is induced by the process of urbanization and metropolization of space, based on the institution of leisure as a central element in the reproduction of cities and the Urban. As a database, we obtained data from the Global Attractions Attendance report, by Themed Entertainment Association (TEA). The logic to the location of parks was analyzed through multi-scale cartography, mainly regional and metropolitan. The analytical choice highlights the possible relationship between the urban and the touristic by reflecting the role of these parks in the constitution of spatialities like tourist complexes in urban-metropolitan expansion zones.

Keywords:
Leisure; spatiality; metropolis; touristification