The growing interest of tourists in a new way of discovering different cultures has led to discussions about creative tourism and its possibilities of influencing localities. Such reflections revolve around highlighting the protagonism of the local population through genuine experiences, revering their heritage. In this context, Santo Antônio do Leite, a rural district of Ouro Preto, has potential that revolves around crafts, gastronomy, and silver, a traditional local element. The aforementioned district has been gaining visibility among tourists and public authorities, who seek to discuss actions in favor of organizing a local development strategy, with a view to enhancing its singularities, working within the aspects of creative tourism. Given this context, the present work aims to analyze how creative tourism activity in Santo Antônio do Leite contributes to the economic and social insertion of the community, through actions developed in these locations. The aforementioned district of Ouro Preto was intentionally chosen because it already had work on this topic, with the community initiating actions and dialogues to promote the theme of creative tourism in the locality, together with the work of the Municipality of Ouro Preto. Methodologically, the work is characterized as qualitative, descriptive-exploratory, involving bibliographical and documentary research and the application of semi-structured interviews with key actors involved in the district’s creative economy. It was possible to identify that it is necessary to structure tourist attractions, expand the job offer outside hotel establishments, explore strategic partnerships, and strengthen the actions of public authorities in an integrated and effective way to boost local tourist and economic development. The present study, therefore, advances the understanding of the cultural elements related to creative tourism as a sociocultural practice, expanding the knowledge regarding the meanings that permeate and guide creative tourism activities. The growing interest in innovative ways to explore local cultures has placed creative tourism at the forefront of discussions on sustainable development. These reflections revolve around highlighting the protagonism of local populations through genuine experiences that honor their heritage. In Santo Antônio do Leite, a rural district of Ouro Preto/MG, this approach stands out for its ability to enhance handicrafts, gastronomy, and silver jewelry production, which are central elements of the local identity. This study aims to analyze how creative tourism contributes to the economic and social inclusion of the community through collaborative actions between residents and local authorities. The district was intentionally chosen due to ongoing initiatives in this field, with the community already engaging in actions and dialogues to foster this theme in the territory. The qualitative and descriptive research employed bibliographic review, document analysis, and semi-structured interviews with local stakeholders and public sector representatives. The results reveal the district’s potential to promote creative and immersive tourist experiences while identifying challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, informality in the labor market, and lack of integration among local agents. By structuring tourist attractions, expanding job opportunities beyond the hospitality sector, and strengthening strategic partnerships, Santo Antônio do Leite has the potential to establish itself as a model of sustainable creative tourism. This study advances the understanding of cultural and social elements related to this modality, proposing strategies to overcome challenges and promote the district as a creative hub integrated into the regional dynamics.