Florianópolis can use technological inclination to find new ways to explore its tourist vocation

Florianópolis as we know it today was the result of a development that began in the XNUMXth century, with the creation of Vila de Nossa Senhora do Desterro by the pioneer Francisco Dias Velho. Before, the island only served as a “point” of supply for explorers who headed for the provinces of the La Plata Basin in the territories that today form Uruguay and Argentina.

From there, the island became almost an extension of the territory of the Azores, in Portugal, which today gives its name to one of the most famous beaches in Florianópolis. The arrival of the Portuguese from the North Atlantic towards the South Atlantic in search of a better life gave Santa Catarina Island the necessary impetus to develop agricultural and industrial activities that helped the region to develop.

Both the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries were periods of great transformations for the village, which became the capital of the province – which soon after became the State – of Santa Catarina. Public institutions of colonial architecture were raised, followed a century later by large structures of modern civil construction. This infrastructure made Florianópolis a service hub for the State and for the rest of the South region, a legacy that remains to this day through the various information technology businesses that emerged and are still emerging on the island.

This infrastructure also helped Florianópolis in the development of a thriving tourist industry, something that would be a natural path due to the attractions that the island has. The huge number of beaches that exist in Florianópolis, in combination with meteorological aspects that allow the practice of several sea ​​sports, make the capital of Santa Catarina one of the most worthy of attention by Brazilian and foreign tourists.

Both the quality of the city and its attractions and the presence of an increasingly influential service industry in the country are factors that can make Florianópolis and its surroundings one of the most important metropolises in Latin America. And to realize this potential, it would not be a bad idea to merge the realm of tourism with the world of technology that already exists in the city.

New technologies, new possibilities

In our increasingly digitized context, traditional practices of visiting and recording attractions and sights are in competition with the latest developments in technology. These developments go beyond digital cameras and smartphones into almost entirely digital environments.

One of the most striking recent developments in this area is virtual reality (VR). At first the technology was limited to high-end computers and smartphones, but this is a scenario that changes with each passing year. Thanks to VR, it is possible to interact with environments and objects that are thousands of kilometers away from the person.

Live streaming is also a new factor that has come into vogue in recent times. Also called “lives”, these become celebrations that can unite people from all over the world in a virtual environment in shows of the most diverse types, from music shows to plays.

There are several media that already use virtual reality, live broadcasts and even a combination of the two in their business practices. The artist from São Paulo Criolo made in january the first extended reality show in the country through the Twitch live streaming platform. Live streaming technology is also part of online gaming platforms such as online casino, which allow customers to access roulette and card tables like poker, blackjack and baccarat face-to-face with real dealers. Some of the biggest museums and tourist spaces in the world, which includes the National Museum in Rio de Janeiro, are available in augmented reality thanks to partnerships with big companies like Google. And that also includes the educational side, since traditional universities like UNINOVE turning their attention to the distance learning, with live classes given by highly qualified teachers.

It can thus be seen that there are many areas that can be explored through one or another technology, or even from a combination of them, mainly in terms of tourism exploitation. These are investments that will add value to what Florianópolis already offers to its inhabitants and visitors, increasing the city's earning potential in the short and long term.

Talents

Tourism and the service area in general are already two industries that are very well explored by Florianópolis, which only need occasional readjustments and/or additions to current practices to continue to bear good results. But in order to significantly increase the island's economic potential, it is also necessary to continue its vocation as a port of creation and technological development.

In addition to attracting new large investors to the region through public incentives in various areas, it is important not to forget small and medium-sized entrepreneurs with ideas that have great growth potential. It has become routine in today's world to see companies that start with a few people turn into giants in the field they exploit, thanks to the good business acumen of their constituents and also the investments made both in the private and public spheres.

Also, one cannot forget the talent that is already found in Florianópolis and in the rest of the state, something that serves as another great attractive factor for the installation of cutting-edge businesses in various sizes. It is important to create mechanisms that make the capital of Santa Catarina not only able to add more talent to itself, but also to maintain the “silver of the house” in its domains.