PlanetaEXO has officially released its new short film, “Lençóis Maranhenses: Far From The Crowds, Close To What Matters.” Premiering this week on YouTube, the film explores the profound socioeconomic impact of a low-volume, multi-day trekking model in Brazil's Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, contrasting the reality of remote communities with the growing wave of mass tourism in the region.
The park is currently facing a moment of unprecedented tourist exposure. In 2025, propelled by its new title as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the destination welcomed 656,388 visitors—a 41% leap from the previous year, according to the ICMBio. Understanding the best time to visit Lençóis Maranhenses has become crucial for travelers aiming to avoid massive crowds, but the documentary shifts the focus even further away from the easily accessible lagoons.
However, the documentary shifts the focus away from the easily accessible lagoons. Instead, it highlights the 45 communities located in and around the reserve that are betting on overnight stays in local homes.
“We intentionally keep the smallest share,” explains Lucas Ribeiro, founder of PlanetaEXO and director of the short film. “If the majority of the money doesn't stay with the people who host the traveler, cook for them, and walk alongside them, it’s not community-based tourism; it’s just a pretty landscape being sold.”
Hard Data Backing the Narrative
The operational data from PlanetaEXO, which connects travelers directly with native partners, proves the viability of the format showcased in the film. Over the last two seasons, the company facilitated the dune crossing for a restricted group of just 583 travelers. By keeping 80% of the gross revenue at the destination, the operation directly injected over 1.4 million BRL (roughly $250,000 USD) into the region. This amount was distributed without intermediaries to pay guides, drivers, and host families.
Trading Fishing Nets for Hospitality
The documentary illustrates these figures through the daily lives of residents in the Baixa Grande oasis, located hours away from the nearest road. After dedicating himself to subsistence fishing, Seu Moacir saw his income transform. "Twenty years in fishing. We used to catch fish to sell and it yielded almost nothing, you know? Tourism provides a bit more," he shares in the film.
"Everything used to be very difficult," adds Dona Dete, his wife and co-host. "Then tourism arrived and things improved, thank God. Our place was smaller, we had few little houses. Now it’s better. I have the means to host more people."
For travelers seeking authentic Lençóis Maranhenses tours, stepping away from mass tourism is a key factor. "We wanted to visit in a non-touristy way. We didn't want to be in huge groups," explains French traveler Morgane Meyer in a testimonial captured during the trek.
Portuguese tourist Diogo Melo agrees: "The positive impact it has on the communities is very obvious. When we stay [in their homes], you can tell that this helps families achieve a more stable standard of living."
The film is part of PlanetaEXO’s corporate strategy to prove that tourism in Brazil's natural areas must decentralize income, transforming conservation and local development into a profitable business model for native partners.
The short documentary “Lençóis Maranhenses: Far From The Crowds, Close To What Matters” is available on PlanetaEXO’s YouTube channel.
Fact Sheet | “Lençóis Maranhenses: Far From The Crowds, Close To What Matters”
Format: Short Documentary
Duration: 5 min 30 sec
Director: Lucas Ribeiro
Director of Photography: Isadora Sá and Marcelo Bonifácio
Editing: Marcelo Bonifácio
Interviews: Lucas Ribeiro and Isadora Sá
Cast: Seu Moacir and Dona Dete (Baixa Grande - Lençóis Maranhenses), Bruno Lamas (Brazil), Carol Costa (Brazil), Diogo Melo (Portugal), Franck Nicolas (France), Guillaume Poupin (France), Magali Liprandi (France), Marcelo Zelarayán (Barreirinhas - Brazil), and Morgane Meyer (France).
Special Thanks: Paraíso do Caju Team