Associativismo no setor turístico como vetor do comportamento de coopetição

The coopetition is the intrusion of competition in cooperation networks, so it is more visible among direct competitors. However, this behavior is intrinsic to institutional networks. This study examines the tourism associationism and its critical context that favors the coopetition behavior. The analysis is based on quantitative data but keeps the qualitative methodology of a case study. Two Brazilian cities are analyzed – Curitiba and Foz do Iguacu – according to 545 perception questionnaires to entrepreneurs and 50 interviews to tourism associations. The results indicate that the associative context of Foz do Iguacu generates horizontal coopetition networks more often than the Curitiba city, in which is accentuated the vertical networks of coopetition. Furthermore, entrepreneurial perception about benefits from Partnering and awareness of advantages from coopetition in Foz do Iguacu is greater than Curitiba. In the same way, among the entrepreneurs, there is the higher perception of the interdependence, and shared goals in Foz do Iguacu than in Curitiba. The final considerations indicate that business associations are vectors of coopetition behavior.