General Data

Bonito is located in one of the valleys of Bodoquena plateau, common “Serra da Bodoquena”, at 315 meters of sea levels, with a tropical weather of  temperatures about 32 degrees. The Soil  is rich in limestone, a sedimentary stone originated of the algae and shells, of the extinct Corumbá Sea. The extraction of this mineral is one of economic activities of city.

Because of its geological formation, the waters are rich in magnesium and limestone, that decant the particles common in suspension in the other rivers, giving a high degree of underwater visibility and different water tonalities. Some of they are considerate the most clear of the world. The main rivers are the Formoso, Prata, Perdido, Mimoso, Peixe, Anhumas, Olaria e Miranda.

The town is located about 265 miles at southwest of state capital. Main destination of ecotourism in world levels, being considered the best destiny of ecotourism your main attraction in the nature landscapes, the dives in rivers of clear waters, the waterfalls, grottoes, caves and sinkholes. This is the main activity of the region.

The city host over 100 hundred visitors per year, and accounts with a whole touristic structure, where operate 33 tourism agency, offering o 25 natural attractive and 33 activities with about  80 specialized in natural resources tourism guides work. The city hall manage two atractives, the  balneary of Formoso river and the Blue Lake grotto, fallen by the Institute of National Artistic and Historical Patrimony, the IPHAN.

The touristic attractive of Bonito got its main characteristics, the participation of public and private initiative, environmental licensing, capability of support, specialized professional monitory, and environmental monitory made by the city hall, the state public ministry, managers and professionals of the sector, beyond the own tourists.

Bonito still account with its own organ of tourism management, the municipal tourism council, the COMTUR, constituted by 14 members, being two of then members of  federal public power, Brazilian's Environment Institute (IBAMA), Institute of National Artistic and Historical Patrimony (IPHAN). 4 members of municipal executive power, and 8 members of  civil organized society:  the   Partnership of Tourism Agencies of Bonito   (ABAETUR), The Brazilian Partnership of  Bars and Restaurants (ABRASEL), The Partnership of Bonito  Hostels (ABH), The  Trade and Business Partnership of Bonito  (ACEB), The Bonito Tourism Guides Partnership (AGTB), The Bonito and Region Touristic Attractive Partnership (ATRATUR), Cooperative of Touristic Service Providers (COOPERBON), and the rural and employer  syndicate of Bonito.The COMTUR got the mission of feed and formalize the touristic activities of the city, and got the FUMTUR as a consultive organ,  Municipal Tourism Found , that is kept by resources of touristic visitation of Municipal Balneary of Formoso River and the Blue Lake Grotto.

The Organ had create in 1995  the SINGLE VOUCHER , with the objective of monetary control, the max capability and the visitation in each touristic attractive.

Got in the decade of 70 a total of  7.913 residents, being 80% of population living in the country and only 20% living in the city, because of the fact its main economy was the cattle. In 1980 there are the beginning of the migration process for the rural activities and the arrive of investors of other states, being this ones will became the owners of the first touristic attractive, at that time the population was of  11.014, 54% in the country and 46% in the urban. The accentuation of the urban population and the decline of country population by a vertiginous way until the year of 2000 is because of the fact of the tourism strong gains, and the migratory occupation, accounting in this year with a urban of 76% and only 24% country  livers.

To got a idea of the projection of the city in the national and international aspects, from 1996 until the year of 2006 there was a increase of 95%  in the touristic flux, with a soft fall of 8% in the years of 2003 until 2006. The receiving over the Taxes over Services of Every Nature (ISSQN) in 2006 was around 1 million and 895 thousand (R$), with the participation of only 38% of tourism because the flux fall of 3 previous years. The Gross Domestic Product (PIB) in 2007 was around 157 million and  384 thousand (R$). Bonito still hold the fewer criminal rates of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, according to the Police Commisary Partnership of State (ADPMS), in the other words the most secure city to live between its 78 cities, holding the 18* human developing index ( IDH) of the state.