The Atlantic Forest Great Reserve is divided into four main Sectors. These regions present unique and complementary characteristics, with distinct histories in their relationship with tourism and nature conservation. This sector-based approach allows both the promotion and strengthening of joint actions by people in the region and easier visitor access based on the type of experience sought. In practice, some areas and attractions within the Great Reserve have been established tourism regions for decades; however, they have operated independently and in a fragmented manner, becoming standalone destinations. While this primarily serves local or state-level tourism demand, it has proven insufficient to reach larger scales, such as national or even international markets.
Each Sector of the Atlantic Forest Great Reserve encompasses both well-established attractions and areas where tourism is less developed. This creates a mutual opportunity, in which the more well-known sites act as “anchor” attractions that draw visitors, while lesser-known attractions diversify the range of experiences and enable longer stays and the offering of complete travel packages within these regions.
Each Sector has its own characteristics and challenges, creating fertile ground not only for partnerships among entrepreneurs, tour operators, municipalities, and institutions, but also for the exchange of experiences and knowledge between these regions. In this way, the Atlantic Forest Great Reserve functions as a platform that promotes collaboration at different levels toward a shared goal: development based on the diverse natural, cultural, and historical wealth of this entire territory.
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The Litoral do Paraná Sector is the true core of the Atlantic Forest Great Reserve, both due to its central position and its remarkable environmental diversity, ranging from the Serra do Mar mountain range to stunning bays, beaches, and islands.
The Rotas do Pinão Sector encompasses a large portion of the Curitiba Metropolitan Region and is of paramount importance to the residents of the state’s largest city, as most of the water that supplies this population and its economic activities originates there. The combination of mountains and well-preserved dense forest makes this region a vital source of clean, pure water.
The Serra Mar Sul Sector is the Santa Catarina portion of the Atlantic Forest Great Reserve, a region of unique natural beauty that extends from the coast and Babitonga Bay to the mountain municipalities and the state’s Northern Plateau. The steep escarpments of Serra Dona Francisca offer a striking landscape combined with distinctive gastronomic attractions rooted in the local German communities.
