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The First Seminar “The Political Economy of Tourism” – I Ecopoltur was conceived by two professors from the Geography Department of the Faculty of Philosophy, Letters and Human Sciences at the University of São Paulo, Rita de Cássia Ariza da Cruz and Ana Fani Alessandri Carlos.
The main objective of this event was to create a forum for critical debate on tourism from a geographical perspective. In this sense, our proposal was to unveil the meanings of tourism through an approach based on political economy as an analytical path that is necessary when seeking to understand the ins and outs of its insertion in the contemporary world, considering the processes of globalization of markets, the advance of neoliberal policies, the concentration and centralization of capital, the financialization of the economy, and the production of urbanization, with which tourism coexists in a dialectical relationship. 
In terms of social practice, with its cultural meanings, tourism has an impact on everyday life through the appropriation of culture and space as merchandise. On an economic level, it is one of the activities most likely to have a positive impact on GDPs as a way of overcoming the crisis of the Fordist regime. On a political level, it is presented as a strategy for achieving accumulation. Finally, in its development process in the 21st century, tourism brings together different geographical scales in a contradictory way, through the movement of people and capital.
In addition to the Round Tables, which brought together researchers from Brazil and different countries, such as the United States, Sweden, South Africa, Mozambique, France, among others, the 1st Ecopoltur also brought together researchers and students in Thematic Sessions, aimed at deepening discussions around issues such as work in tourism, the financialization of the economy as it relates to tourism, public policies and tourism, and the commodification of culture and nature, for example.
The academic success achieved with the 1st Ecopoltur motivated us to continue with this event, which in its second edition is coming to the Amazon, with the aim of promoting remarkable moments for tourism scholars and researchers from Brazil and around the world.