Imbituba is a municipality in Santa Catarina with a unique tourist vocation. Recognized as the National Capital of the Southern Right Whale, The city boasts beaches, lagoons, natural landscapes, Azorean culture, gastronomy, nature tourism, and a strong commitment to environmental preservation. However, transforming this potential into structured tourism development requires more than just attractions: it demands planning, governance, data, and a clear vision for the future.
It was with this challenge that the Girus Tourism Solutions worked on the development of Imbituba Municipal Tourism Plan 2025–2030, carried out on behalf of Sebrae/SC, through the program Entrepreneurial City. The project aimed to create a strategic instrument capable of guiding the growth of tourism in the municipality in a sustainable, intelligent, and integrated way.
The challenge
Despite having great tourism potential, Imbituba needed a plan capable of organizing its opportunities, strengthening its identity, and transforming its natural and cultural attractions into more structured tourism products.
The city already has important distinguishing features, such as the presence of Southern Right Whale Environmental Protection Area, The strength of whale watching tourism, its renowned beaches, its natural landscape, and its local culture. The challenge was to connect these elements to a long-term strategy capable of generating greater competitiveness, extending visitor stays, strengthening the tourism industry, and guiding public and private investments.
Girus's performance
Girus conducted a technical and participatory process, combining data analysis, active listening, and strategic planning. The methodology included a diagnosis of the territory, analysis of tourism supply and demand, workshops, and consultations with public managers, entrepreneurs, trade representatives, COMTUR (Municipal Tourism Council), and the community.
This process allowed us to understand not only the current tourism scenario in Imbituba, but also the growth opportunities for the coming years.
The plan's development was based on an integrated vision of the destination, considering aspects such as governance, innovation, technology, sustainability, infrastructure, mobility, professional training, tourism promotion, and product structuring.
Five strategic priorities for tourism.
The Imbituba Municipal Tourism Plan was structured around five major strategic priorities:
Governance: Strengthening the Municipal Tourism Council (COMTUR), organizing tourism activity, fostering collaboration between public authorities, the private sector, and the community, as well as establishing guidelines for the regulation and management of the sector.
Innovation: Formatting thematic itineraries, developing new tourism products, promoting the creative economy, and improving the quality of services offered to visitors.
Technology: The use of digital tools, QR codes, apps, connectivity, and smart solutions to improve the tourist experience and support destination management.
Sustainability: Enhancing the Southern Right Whale brand, preserving ecosystems, promoting certifications, and strengthening responsible tourism practices.
Mobility and infrastructure: Improvements in tourist signage, accessibility, support infrastructure, sustainable mobility, and preparing the destination to receive events and visitors with higher quality.
Vision for 2030
One of the main results of the work was the definition of a strategic vision for the future of Imbituba:
To position the municipality, by 2030, among the most recognized destinations in the world for whale watching tourism, with excellence in experiences, innovation and sustainability.
This vision reinforces the importance of transforming the Southern Right Whale into a strategic asset for the destination, not only as an environmental symbol, but as a central element for creating high-quality, educational, sustainable, and memorable tourism experiences.
Results and deliverables
The work resulted in a comprehensive plan, including a diagnosis, strategic guidelines, goals, indicators, thematic roadmaps, and an action plan. Key deliverables include:
- Diagnosis of the tourism economy and visitor profile;
- Analysis of the tourism offerings and competitive advantages of Imbituba;
- Structuring thematic itineraries;
- Action plan with responsible parties, deadlines and indicators;
- Guidelines for strengthening tourism governance;
- Marketing strategies and destination positioning;
- Innovation and technology roadmap to bring Imbituba closer to the concept of a Smart Tourist Destination.
More than just a technical document, the Imbituba Municipal Tourism Plan was developed to be a living management tool, capable of guiding decisions, monitoring results, and supporting the municipality's tourism development in the coming years.
Impact on the destination
With this plan, Imbituba will have a strategic base to strengthen its tourism identity, improve its offerings, increase its competitiveness, and generate new opportunities for the local economy.
The project also contributes to consolidating tourism as a public development policy, valuing the territory, the entrepreneurs, the community, and the natural resources that make Imbituba a unique destination in Santa Catarina.
For Girus, the Imbituba Municipal Tourism Plan represents the importance of combining technique, participation, and a vision for the future. When tourism planning is built with data, dialogue, and purpose, it ceases to be just a document and becomes a viable path for the sustainable development of the destination.