Objectives | Tourism has increasingly attracted the attention of many countries' as it is wid... more Objectives | Tourism has increasingly attracted the attention of many countries' as it is widely recognized today as one of the most important and largest industries of the global economy. However, and despite its development, businesses, particularly small and medium-sized ones (SME's), still have to face great challenges when it comes to attracting, transporting, hosting and managing tourists.According to Pesämma et al. (2007) SME's have to face difficulties in meeting by themselves tourists' needs and in surviving alone in an increasingly competitive business environment with rapid economic, technological, and social changes. It is still recognized by other authors such as Fyall and Garrod (2005) that if businesses are to achieve their objectives, attain a stronger position, and offer attractive and competitive products/services, they need to cooperate with each other, rather than working in isolation. Despite the interest in the literature on cooperation shown by...
New Governance and Management in Touristic Destinations, 2022
Increasing awareness of the relevance of natural resources for the practice of outdoor leisure an... more Increasing awareness of the relevance of natural resources for the practice of outdoor leisure and recreation purposes has contributed to the increasing attention upon the assessment and monitoring of the quality of sports spots. As such, evaluating the existing natural conditions and leisure-related infrastructures is crucial, helping public and private stakeholders in decision-making processes. This chapter aims at examining the conditions for surf tourism in the north of Portugal, enabling the monitoring and positioning as an international flagship destination for surf practitioners. This is done through a mixed-methods approach comprising the demand and supply perspectives and supported by an assessment tool developed to evaluate the conditions for the practice of surfing activities within a framework of sustainable tourism development. The relevance of assessing the potential and monitoring of the existing conditions for sport and outdoor activities, namely surf tourism, accord...
When I look back to what this journey was, I understand it was very much alike the creative exper... more When I look back to what this journey was, I understand it was very much alike the creative experiences I was researching about. It was definitely a new and innovative experience for me, truly engaging and rewarding. But most of all, it made clear the importance of the social cornerstones of my life, without which this research would not have been possible. In this sense, I would truly like to thank them, for co-creating this research with me and for making this an amazing journey. First of all, the person who was for sure my biggest inspiration, and made it possible for me to carry out this research, I would like to thank my supervisor, Professor Goretti Silva. I would like to thank her not only because she taught me a great deal, but also because she always encouraged me, and challenged me to always do better and go a step further. At the same time she did this, she also helped making it a great experience with her kindness and support. Thank you very, very much! I also want to ex...
This research aimed to segment the market of visitors who practise outdoor activities in the Nort... more This research aimed to segment the market of visitors who practise outdoor activities in the North region of Portugal based on their motivations. An online survey was conducted between June to September of 2021, with a sample of 200 tourists who realised the region's outdoor activities during this period. The data collected allowed determining factor analysis and the clusters. Two factors: services/hospitality and nature experiences, and three clusters: soft practitioners, radicals, and enthusiasts were delimited. The results show that these groups differ in motivations and practised activities. Segmentation of outdoor tourism demand in North of Portugal should set out marketing and promotion strategies in different destinations, attracting demand from outside the region, and according to their preferences.
To evaluate the conditions for Outdoor Tourism development in the northern region of Portugal, an... more To evaluate the conditions for Outdoor Tourism development in the northern region of Portugal, and to contribute to the enhancement of the associated resources and equipment, providing best conditions for the sustainable development of competitive tourism products and activities.N/
New Governance and Management in Touristic Destinations, 2022
Increasing awareness of the relevance of natural resources for the practice of outdoor leisure an... more Increasing awareness of the relevance of natural resources for the practice of outdoor leisure and recreation purposes has contributed to the increasing attention upon the assessment and monitoring of the quality of sports spots. As such, evaluating the existing natural conditions and leisure-related infrastructures is crucial, helping public and private stakeholders in decision-making processes. This chapter aims at examining the conditions for surf tourism in the north of Portugal, enabling the monitoring and positioning as an international flagship destination for surf practitioners. This is done through a mixed-methods approach comprising the demand and supply perspectives and supported by an assessment tool developed to evaluate the conditions for the practice of surfing activities within a framework of sustainable tourism development. The relevance of assessing the potential and monitoring of the existing conditions for sport and outdoor activities, namely surf tourism, accord...
Tourism has an important role in the former socialist East European Countries, with ideologists b... more Tourism has an important role in the former socialist East European Countries, with ideologists believing that travel and tourism have a positive feedback by diminishing the monotony and routine of employment. Romania has long been as important tourist destination, but interest in rural tourism has only developed strongly in recent years in the context of economic restructuring and land restitution. This paper examines the perceptions the potential Portuguese visitors might have about Romanis, as a rural tourist destination. A set of a preliminary findings based on the OPTOUR Project are presented.
Productivity measurement has been raising increasing interest in academia and recognized as criti... more Productivity measurement has been raising increasing interest in academia and recognized as critically important, since it is an important indicator for understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the tourism sector. This paper constructs two measures of productivity of nature tourism firms, i.e., labour productivity and total factor productivity, and compares firms’ performance across NUTS II regions in mainland Portugal, during 2014-2017. Using data from SABI, Quadros do Pessoal, INE and the National Tourism Registry, the sample comprises 369 firms, representing 55% of firms operating in nature tourism in the mainland. Results show that the levels of TFP, contrary to labour productivity, are very uneven over time and space. In 2015, all regions experienced a negative increase in the TFP, except the Metropolitan Region of Lisbon, which seem to indicate that nature tourism firms in this region are more productive and resilient to external shocks.
Handbook of Research on the Impacts, Challenges, and Policy Responses to Overtourism, 2020
This chapter reflects upon the reality associated with running sports events in protected areas, ... more This chapter reflects upon the reality associated with running sports events in protected areas, in particular at the Peneda Gerês National Park (PNPG), with a particular focus on the Trans Peneda-Gerês (TPG), and understands its impacts within a sustainable tourism development perspective. With the diversity of landscapes and natural resources, and its characteristic villages, PNPG, as many other protected areas in Portugal, has a strong potential for Outdoor Sports/Tourism, offering some of Portugal's best running trails. As such, a considerable number of running events are currently being hosted. Based on a research process which includes both questionnaires and interviews, the authors propose to identify the profile and behavior of 2019 TPG edition's participants, and to assess local stakeholders' perception of economic, environmental, and social impacts, and to contribute to the discussion from a sustainable development perspective of the creation and management of ...
The growing demand for natural areas and outdoor activities in the last decade, even more noticea... more The growing demand for natural areas and outdoor activities in the last decade, even more noticeable in the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic situation, has led to the intensification and diversification of nature-based tourism supply in many regions, including the provision of adventure recreation activities, such as canyoning. However, and despite the increasing interest of companies, destinations, and academia in this specific type of activity, there is limited information on resources, practice conditions, and assessments based on specific, objective criteria. This information is critical for a more competitive development and positioning of regions for this activity, and to meet tourists’ increasingly demanding expectations. Therefore, this paper aims at building upon the identified research gap, by characterizing and evaluating the existing conditions for canyoning activity in the North Region of Portugal, This evaluation of twenty-seven canyoning spots. was done based on an assess...
In the previous decade, tourism planning and destination management efforts have focused on susta... more In the previous decade, tourism planning and destination management efforts have focused on sustainability, particularly in its environmental pillar. In the last years though (and especially in destinations with high growth rates and risks of over-tourism) the social dimension has gained importance, also as a consequence of increasing awareness about the need and relevance of governance for the sector. The aim of this paper is thus to address the phenomenon of (over)tourism in the Porto area, and more recently, the zero tourism: how is tourism affecting residents´ life from their own perspective? ETIS -European toolkit for sustainable destination management was the indicator system used to develop this exercise, once it has already been adapted to the country's reality by the national tourism authority (Turismo de Portugal). Results concerning residents´ and local authority representatives’ feelings about tourism and implications to the local community, both from an economic ...
Based on the perception of those responsible for Tourist Entertainment Companies (TEC), the objec... more Based on the perception of those responsible for Tourist Entertainment Companies (TEC), the objective of the research is to contribute to the characterization of Outdoor Tourism (OT). Exploratory qualitative research was carried out through 38 in-depth individual interviews. The territory geography, the experiences, and the internal market were considered relevant aspects. In addition, seasonality and climate were identified as significant factors in defining the offer, which can favour the preservation of the environment. Moreover, the risk of the activities was considered low. The interviewees suggested integrating everyone involved in a network to explore the region's potential, as well as to support activities and promote the region. The radical experience, adventure, and getting out of the routine were identified as motivations for the search, as well as contact with nature and the landscape. The research is limited to the North Region of Portugal, and it brings together th...
Tourism is increasingly offering a range of cultural products, from visiting monuments and tradit... more Tourism is increasingly offering a range of cultural products, from visiting monuments and traditional arts and crafts centres, to participating in historical events and discovering unique lifestyles. Tourism creates an interest in these particular forms of culture, often encouraging the preservation of cultural and historical traditions, contributing to the protection of cultural heritage and to a renaissance of local cultures, cultural arts and crafts. The relationship between tourism and the cultural sector is potentially highly complementary. The cultural sector creates attractions for the tourist while tourism supplies extra audiences for cultural events and activities. Market segmentation coupled with target marketing is on the increase and cultural tourism could prove a worthwhile sector (Tighe, 1985). Because culture is the key and many times the primary reason for visiting certain tourist destinations, since 1992 the Association for Tourism and Leisure Education (ATLAS) has...
Objectives | Tourism has increasingly attracted the attention of many countries' as it is wid... more Objectives | Tourism has increasingly attracted the attention of many countries' as it is widely recognized today as one of the most important and largest industries of the global economy. However, and despite its development, businesses, particularly small and medium-sized ones (SME's), still have to face great challenges when it comes to attracting, transporting, hosting and managing tourists.According to Pesämma et al. (2007) SME's have to face difficulties in meeting by themselves tourists' needs and in surviving alone in an increasingly competitive business environment with rapid economic, technological, and social changes. It is still recognized by other authors such as Fyall and Garrod (2005) that if businesses are to achieve their objectives, attain a stronger position, and offer attractive and competitive products/services, they need to cooperate with each other, rather than working in isolation. Despite the interest in the literature on cooperation shown by...
New Governance and Management in Touristic Destinations, 2022
Increasing awareness of the relevance of natural resources for the practice of outdoor leisure an... more Increasing awareness of the relevance of natural resources for the practice of outdoor leisure and recreation purposes has contributed to the increasing attention upon the assessment and monitoring of the quality of sports spots. As such, evaluating the existing natural conditions and leisure-related infrastructures is crucial, helping public and private stakeholders in decision-making processes. This chapter aims at examining the conditions for surf tourism in the north of Portugal, enabling the monitoring and positioning as an international flagship destination for surf practitioners. This is done through a mixed-methods approach comprising the demand and supply perspectives and supported by an assessment tool developed to evaluate the conditions for the practice of surfing activities within a framework of sustainable tourism development. The relevance of assessing the potential and monitoring of the existing conditions for sport and outdoor activities, namely surf tourism, accord...
When I look back to what this journey was, I understand it was very much alike the creative exper... more When I look back to what this journey was, I understand it was very much alike the creative experiences I was researching about. It was definitely a new and innovative experience for me, truly engaging and rewarding. But most of all, it made clear the importance of the social cornerstones of my life, without which this research would not have been possible. In this sense, I would truly like to thank them, for co-creating this research with me and for making this an amazing journey. First of all, the person who was for sure my biggest inspiration, and made it possible for me to carry out this research, I would like to thank my supervisor, Professor Goretti Silva. I would like to thank her not only because she taught me a great deal, but also because she always encouraged me, and challenged me to always do better and go a step further. At the same time she did this, she also helped making it a great experience with her kindness and support. Thank you very, very much! I also want to ex...
This research aimed to segment the market of visitors who practise outdoor activities in the Nort... more This research aimed to segment the market of visitors who practise outdoor activities in the North region of Portugal based on their motivations. An online survey was conducted between June to September of 2021, with a sample of 200 tourists who realised the region's outdoor activities during this period. The data collected allowed determining factor analysis and the clusters. Two factors: services/hospitality and nature experiences, and three clusters: soft practitioners, radicals, and enthusiasts were delimited. The results show that these groups differ in motivations and practised activities. Segmentation of outdoor tourism demand in North of Portugal should set out marketing and promotion strategies in different destinations, attracting demand from outside the region, and according to their preferences.
To evaluate the conditions for Outdoor Tourism development in the northern region of Portugal, an... more To evaluate the conditions for Outdoor Tourism development in the northern region of Portugal, and to contribute to the enhancement of the associated resources and equipment, providing best conditions for the sustainable development of competitive tourism products and activities.N/
New Governance and Management in Touristic Destinations, 2022
Increasing awareness of the relevance of natural resources for the practice of outdoor leisure an... more Increasing awareness of the relevance of natural resources for the practice of outdoor leisure and recreation purposes has contributed to the increasing attention upon the assessment and monitoring of the quality of sports spots. As such, evaluating the existing natural conditions and leisure-related infrastructures is crucial, helping public and private stakeholders in decision-making processes. This chapter aims at examining the conditions for surf tourism in the north of Portugal, enabling the monitoring and positioning as an international flagship destination for surf practitioners. This is done through a mixed-methods approach comprising the demand and supply perspectives and supported by an assessment tool developed to evaluate the conditions for the practice of surfing activities within a framework of sustainable tourism development. The relevance of assessing the potential and monitoring of the existing conditions for sport and outdoor activities, namely surf tourism, accord...
Tourism has an important role in the former socialist East European Countries, with ideologists b... more Tourism has an important role in the former socialist East European Countries, with ideologists believing that travel and tourism have a positive feedback by diminishing the monotony and routine of employment. Romania has long been as important tourist destination, but interest in rural tourism has only developed strongly in recent years in the context of economic restructuring and land restitution. This paper examines the perceptions the potential Portuguese visitors might have about Romanis, as a rural tourist destination. A set of a preliminary findings based on the OPTOUR Project are presented.
Productivity measurement has been raising increasing interest in academia and recognized as criti... more Productivity measurement has been raising increasing interest in academia and recognized as critically important, since it is an important indicator for understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the tourism sector. This paper constructs two measures of productivity of nature tourism firms, i.e., labour productivity and total factor productivity, and compares firms’ performance across NUTS II regions in mainland Portugal, during 2014-2017. Using data from SABI, Quadros do Pessoal, INE and the National Tourism Registry, the sample comprises 369 firms, representing 55% of firms operating in nature tourism in the mainland. Results show that the levels of TFP, contrary to labour productivity, are very uneven over time and space. In 2015, all regions experienced a negative increase in the TFP, except the Metropolitan Region of Lisbon, which seem to indicate that nature tourism firms in this region are more productive and resilient to external shocks.
Handbook of Research on the Impacts, Challenges, and Policy Responses to Overtourism, 2020
This chapter reflects upon the reality associated with running sports events in protected areas, ... more This chapter reflects upon the reality associated with running sports events in protected areas, in particular at the Peneda Gerês National Park (PNPG), with a particular focus on the Trans Peneda-Gerês (TPG), and understands its impacts within a sustainable tourism development perspective. With the diversity of landscapes and natural resources, and its characteristic villages, PNPG, as many other protected areas in Portugal, has a strong potential for Outdoor Sports/Tourism, offering some of Portugal's best running trails. As such, a considerable number of running events are currently being hosted. Based on a research process which includes both questionnaires and interviews, the authors propose to identify the profile and behavior of 2019 TPG edition's participants, and to assess local stakeholders' perception of economic, environmental, and social impacts, and to contribute to the discussion from a sustainable development perspective of the creation and management of ...
The growing demand for natural areas and outdoor activities in the last decade, even more noticea... more The growing demand for natural areas and outdoor activities in the last decade, even more noticeable in the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic situation, has led to the intensification and diversification of nature-based tourism supply in many regions, including the provision of adventure recreation activities, such as canyoning. However, and despite the increasing interest of companies, destinations, and academia in this specific type of activity, there is limited information on resources, practice conditions, and assessments based on specific, objective criteria. This information is critical for a more competitive development and positioning of regions for this activity, and to meet tourists’ increasingly demanding expectations. Therefore, this paper aims at building upon the identified research gap, by characterizing and evaluating the existing conditions for canyoning activity in the North Region of Portugal, This evaluation of twenty-seven canyoning spots. was done based on an assess...
In the previous decade, tourism planning and destination management efforts have focused on susta... more In the previous decade, tourism planning and destination management efforts have focused on sustainability, particularly in its environmental pillar. In the last years though (and especially in destinations with high growth rates and risks of over-tourism) the social dimension has gained importance, also as a consequence of increasing awareness about the need and relevance of governance for the sector. The aim of this paper is thus to address the phenomenon of (over)tourism in the Porto area, and more recently, the zero tourism: how is tourism affecting residents´ life from their own perspective? ETIS -European toolkit for sustainable destination management was the indicator system used to develop this exercise, once it has already been adapted to the country's reality by the national tourism authority (Turismo de Portugal). Results concerning residents´ and local authority representatives’ feelings about tourism and implications to the local community, both from an economic ...
Based on the perception of those responsible for Tourist Entertainment Companies (TEC), the objec... more Based on the perception of those responsible for Tourist Entertainment Companies (TEC), the objective of the research is to contribute to the characterization of Outdoor Tourism (OT). Exploratory qualitative research was carried out through 38 in-depth individual interviews. The territory geography, the experiences, and the internal market were considered relevant aspects. In addition, seasonality and climate were identified as significant factors in defining the offer, which can favour the preservation of the environment. Moreover, the risk of the activities was considered low. The interviewees suggested integrating everyone involved in a network to explore the region's potential, as well as to support activities and promote the region. The radical experience, adventure, and getting out of the routine were identified as motivations for the search, as well as contact with nature and the landscape. The research is limited to the North Region of Portugal, and it brings together th...
Tourism is increasingly offering a range of cultural products, from visiting monuments and tradit... more Tourism is increasingly offering a range of cultural products, from visiting monuments and traditional arts and crafts centres, to participating in historical events and discovering unique lifestyles. Tourism creates an interest in these particular forms of culture, often encouraging the preservation of cultural and historical traditions, contributing to the protection of cultural heritage and to a renaissance of local cultures, cultural arts and crafts. The relationship between tourism and the cultural sector is potentially highly complementary. The cultural sector creates attractions for the tourist while tourism supplies extra audiences for cultural events and activities. Market segmentation coupled with target marketing is on the increase and cultural tourism could prove a worthwhile sector (Tighe, 1985). Because culture is the key and many times the primary reason for visiting certain tourist destinations, since 1992 the Association for Tourism and Leisure Education (ATLAS) has...
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