International capital as a social agent producing urban space: a case study of Praia do Forte - Mata de São João – BA

Abstract

The isolated urban area of Praia do Forte has undergone intense socio-spatial changes since its sale to São Paulo engineer Klaus Peters in the 1970s. The space, once a bucolic fishing village, has come to house large resorts and high-end condominiums over time, becoming one of the main tourist destinations in the state of Bahia. Praia do Forte is located in a protected area, a pioneer in the incorporation of socio-spatial planning into the environmental dimension. The main objective of this work is to understand how international capital acts in the production of spaces in Praia do Forte. Bibliographic, documental surveys were carried out in real estate registry offices and in the Municipality of Mata de São João, cartographic and field surveys for the observation of hotel developments and photographic records. Through the methodological processes exposed, it was possible to exemplify the means by which international capital acted in the production of urban space in Praia do Forte through interaction with other social agents producing space. The action of international capital in Praia do Forte took place through mega-companies and mega-entities that envisioned the locality as a potential reproducer of their capital, investing and reinvesting capital in the form of money in order to profit from the image created of the place that, historically and through the actions of the State, landowners and real estate developers,   has gained attractive aspects for the tourism and real estate sector, it has gained attractive aspects for the tourism and real estate sectors, becoming a receiving center for internationalized capital.