Cultural Tourism in the Northeast of Brazil: The Influence of “forró pé de serra” on the Tourism Market of Salvador/BA

This research, an exploratory and qualitative multiple case study, sought to discover how artists/bands in Salvador-BA, who work with forró pé de serra, use marketing communication tools to manage their careers, reach their target audience and the influence which they exert on the cultural tourism market. Three artists/bands were interviewed for this purpose. The article presents the cultural tourism market in the northeast, forró, concepts of cultural production and marketing (communication and advertising) to set against the participants' insights. As a result, the range of marketing communication used by the actors of this research and their influence on the cultural tourism market was observed. Different uses were identified on account of their management styles. An awareness of marketing and communication produces better results in audience and income for the forró groups studied. Furthermore, this research helps to reveal the modus operandi of forró production in Salvador-BA.