BUSINESS TOURISM CONSULTING: a study of SEBRAE -AM

Abstract

Consultancy services in tourist companies provide knowledge about management and organization of companies, quality of services, and specialization of offer, among other aspects. Through this process, they help make the tourist market more attractive and competitive. The Micro and Small Business Support Service (SEBRAE) operates throughout Brazil, with the aim of promoting competitiveness and sustainable development and fostering entrepreneurship, thereby facilitating the access of small entrepreneurs to business management knowledge, through its Business consulting service. In view of the potential of business consulting, and identifying a facilitator that is accessible in the use of services offered by the institution, this study aimed to understand the system and process used by SEBRAE-AM, in the State of Amazonas, in its consulting services, and to investigate the motivations and expectations of the demand for tourism entrepreneurs, and the consultants’ view of this market. We opted for a basic methodology using a qualitative approach, with semi-structured interviews in which three subjects formed part of the intentional sample: manager of the consulting department of SEBRAE-AM, and two consultants working within the area of business activities in tourism. Among other results, the research found that despite the notoriety and the full consultancy work performed by the institution, the demand is still low compared to other business segments, and there are some limitations on the consulting services offered by the institution. This relevance of this research is its potential as a reference model for consulting companies, and it can be used by companies in the consulting area, as well as for the development of new research on this topic.