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- Tourism environmental attitudes in Berlengas Biosphere Reserve, PortugalPublication . Santos, Nelson; Vasconcelos, João; Lopes, Maria Sofia; Mouga, TeresaBerlengas archipelago is located in the Atlantic Ocean, on the Portuguese continental shelf, on the western side of Iberian Peninsula. Berlengas is a marine reserve since 1981, a marine protected area since 1998 and, in 2011, it was included into the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR). As Berlengas is a relatively accessible archipelago from the west coast, it attracts all sorts of visitors during summer period. As a consequence, Berlengas has been facing a stronger demand for tourism activities each year that, in some cases, may conflict with the sustainable tourism principles desired for this kind of natural areas. The afflux of tourists is regulated by the management plan of the protected area, which defines a carrying capacity of 350 people daily but it is believed that this threshold is widely exceeded, by a factor of 2 or 3 during summer months. The delicate balance between the conservancy and human visitation can be obtained if tourism respects the natural values in Berlengas. Therefore, it is expected that the visitors of a biosphere reserve should demonstrate a high level of environmental concern and pro-ecological attitudes, especially those tourists who chose to visit such a location motivated by Berlengas’ worldwide recognized natural resources. In this work, the pro-ecological behavior and attitudes of tourists visiting Berlengas biosphere reserve are studied. A questionnaire was developed, using the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) survey, and responded by 309 tourists visiting the islands in July and August 2014. The main results show that only 38% of the visitors are pro-ecological and most have mid-ecological views and 9% of the respondents showed anti-ecological views. These results suggest that a higher level of concern should be considered for the tourism industry in Berlengas, and that increasing the environmental awareness of visitors through education and information programs could contribute to a better environmental experience in this UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
- Modelling integrated multi-trophic aquaculture: Optimizing a three trophic level systemPublication . Granada, Luana; Lopes, Sofia; Novais, Sara C.; Lemos, Marco F. L.As a fast-growing food production industry, aquaculture is dealing with the need for intensification due to the global increasing demand for fish products. However, this also implies the use of more sustainable practices to reduce negative environmental impacts currently associated with this industry, including the use of wild resources, destruction of natural ecosystems, eutrophication of effluent receiving bodies, impacts due to inadequate medication practices, among others. Using multi-species systems, such as integrated multi-trophic aquaculture, allows to produce economically important species while reducing some of these aquaculture concerns, through biomitigation of aquaculture wastes and reduction of diseases outbreaks, for example. Applying mathematical models to these systems is crucial to control and understand the interactions between species, maximizing productivity, with important environmental and economic benefits. Here, the application of some equations and models available in the literature, regarding basic parameters, is discussed – population dynamics, growth, waste production, and filtering rate – when considering the description and optimization of a theoretical integrated multi-trophic aquaculture operation composed by three trophic levels.
- Is integrated multitrophic aquaculture the solution to the sectors’ major challenges? – a reviewPublication . Granada, Luana; Sousa, Nádia; Lopes, Sofia; Lemos, Marco F. L.The growing demand for fish products and the dwindling productivity of marine fish stocks due to the overexploitation of fisheries place the aquaculture industry as a key contributor to the global fish supply. The intensive development of aquaculture has raised a range of environmental concerns such as effluent discharge, excessive use of resources and dependence on commercial feed. In this context, the development of sustainable aquaculture systems is becoming the cornerstone for long-term aquaculture expansion, and to achieve environmental sustainability. Integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA) is regarded as a suitable approach to limit aquaculture nutrients and organic matter outputs through biomitigation. The cocultured species are used as biofilters, and each level has its own independent commercial value, providing both economic and environmental sustainability. Here, environmental issues of aquaculture and the current status of IMTA are reviewed and its future prospects discussed. Also, the opportunities to expand this systems’ complexity with increased added-value and trophic levels are introduced.
- As expectativas de carreira dos estudantes de hospitalidade e turismo: explorando diferenças de géneroPublication . Gomes, Conceição; Ferradosa, Ana Sofia; Lopes, SofiaThe recent growth in Portuguese tourism has been reflected by the increase in the hospitality and tourist industry, emphasizing the importance of competent professional training in this sector. The high rotation rates of personnel in this sector has been acknowledged in previous studies. Several authors have questioned whether students applying for tourism related degrees recognize the characteristics of a career in this sector. Previous studies concluded that there were barriers to gender equality. In general, men received higher wages and held higher hierarchical positions compared to women. In contrast, women were typically higher academic achievers than men. Women were also distinguished as being more concerned with social and environmental issues, while men were more entrepreneurial with a greater interest in starting their own business. This study aimed to understand undergraduate students’ expectations regarding the hospitality industry, analyzing the relative differences between gender. A survey questionnaire was conducted on students of a Portuguese higher education institution with 1st-cycle degrees related to hospitality and tourism (n=329). According to the majority of career expectations considered, there were no differences between male and female students. However, gender differences were apparent with respect to “mobility – finding job anywhere” and the ambition to “become a supervisor/manager/director”, with men revealing higher levels compared to women.
- Are alternative accommodations a threat to hotels in Portugal?Publication . Elias-Almeida, Anabela; Ferreira, Cátia Malheiros; Lopes, Maria SofiaThe possibility to book unique accommodations around the world is growing. Since 2005 an alternative segment of accommodation is becoming a strong phenomenon in Portugal, progressively increasing in demand. There are many different types of alternative accommodations, from cheap to luxury, each operating in its own niche. In Portugal, the rise of luxury accommodations has brought new attention to the lodging sector. Traditional accommodations are also benefitting from recent travel trends. More travelers want to live and feel as a local, and less like a tourist. Today, it´s becoming more about experiencing a destination for what it is and meeting other travelers who are interested in meeting new people. Therefore, this study aims to understand the growth of tourism and alternative accommodations in Portugal, and their impact on the Hotel industry. Are alternative accommodations a threat for hotels? And what about hotel operational performance? To answer these two questions the present study examines the effects of alternative accommodations supply on two key hotel performance metrics: occupancy rate and RevPar in all Portuguese hotels for the period between 2014 and 2018.