GEOGRAPHY OF INNOVATION: AN ANALYSIS OF TOURISM SECTOR STARTUPS IN BRAZIL

• Grant number: 24/20050-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2025
• End date: May 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Geography
• Principal Investigator: Maria Terezinha Serafim Gomes
• Grantee: Naara Oliveira Souza
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia (FCT). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Presidente Prudente. Presidente Prudente , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In recent decades, innovation has taken on a central role in various sectors of economic activity, including industry, commerce, and services. In this context, innovation in tourism stands out, enabling travelers to access information in real time and plan their trips interactively, facilitating agile connections with destinations and service providers. The world has witnessed the growth of startups, especially travel tech companies such as Airbnb, a platform that provides residential accommodation options, allowing anyone to book lodgings from anywhere; and MaxMilhas, a platform that offers the purchase of airline tickets and hotel reservations with varied prices. In Brazil, travel techs have emerged as key players in tourism innovation, mainly in response to changes imposed by the global Covid-19 pandemic, which severely affected the sector, leading to a drastic decline in travel and in-person activities. This situation forced companies to innovate. However, the post-pandemic period brought significant growth to these startups, reflecting their adaptation to new demands and technological trends. In this scenario, several travel techs have emerged focusing on innovations in health security, virtual and personalized tourism experiences, among others. Thus, the tourism sector has begun to invest in these companies, which offer faster and more flexible service to consumers, fostering the development and expansion of startups in various regions of Brazil, often linked to regional tourism. The objective of this research is to analyze the distribution of startups in the tourism sector in Brazil, focusing on travel techs in the 2000s, especially during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. (AU)