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- It is all about safety: an experience in Pico Mountain, PortugalPublication . Rebelo, Cátia Filipa Cerqueira; Ezequiel, Graça Maria Gomes; Mendes, Susana Luísa da Custódia Machado; Carvalho, Mário João Paulo de JesusMountain adventure tourism represents 20% of the current tourism flows and will continue to grow, and, consequently there is a great need to better understand this segment. Pico Mountain, a mountain destination, in Portugal has followed this growth trend; however the lack of knowledge about this phenomenon is still a reality. Therefore, our goal is to define the Pico Mountain visitor’s profile as well as to assess the importance of the mountain guides’ roles in the Pico climbing. To achieve this goal a quantitative analysis was employed based on a survey applied in the territory. Our main results indicated that visitors of Pico Mountain are mainly young, European, inexperienced, and “package” adventure tourists that undertake “soft” adventure activities. For 90% of the respondents the mountain guides played an important role in the trip as well as great influence on it. Furthermore, the feeling of safety assured by guides is the most valued characteristic of mountain guides for all the respondents and it is the main reason why they are hired.
- Os guias da montanha e sua contribuição para a sustentabilidade do territórioPublication . Carvalho, Mário João Paulo de Jesus; Ezequiel, GraçaA actividade turística é não só uma estratégia que contraria a rotina como também se assume como fonte de energia para situações de desgaste físico e mental do quotidiano. As viagens turísticas não só respondem às expectativas dos turistas que procuram lugares e experiências como contribuem para o desenvolvimento endógeno e competitivo dos destinos. A sustentabilidade desses espaços torna-se, pois, dependente de acções equilibradas, protagonizadas pelos diferentes agentes do fenómeno turístico. A redescoberta das potencialidades lúdicas e desportivas associadas à montanha impulsionam significativamente a atractividade turística daqueles espaços o que por outro lado significa a necessidade de se criar um modelo de desenvolvimento equilibrado e sustentado. Sem estratégias de auto-regulação e manutenção do equilíbrio ecológico os ambientes de montanha degradar-se-ão perdendo os valores diferenciadores que, em primeiro lugar, atraíram para aí o turismo. Por outro lado o aumento do número de clientes, mais exigentes, legitima a apropriação de novos lugares e a oferta de profissionais qualificados. Por acção dos guias de turismo, os visitantes podem assim desfrutar dos destinos numa perspectiva cultural, ambiental e social. A montanha do Pico, ponto mais alto de Portugal localizado na ilha do Pico - Açores, é um destino de montanha cuja forma dominante de visitação - ascensão ao Pico Pequeno - implica o acompanhamento de um Guia de Montanha. Os Guias de Montanha, responsáveis pela segurança dos visitantes na visita à montanha, têm que estar devidamente credenciados pelo Secretaria do Ambiente. A vulnerabilidade da Montanha do Pico acrescida da pressão exercida pelos visitantes faz do trabalho dos Guias de Montanha do Pico uma variável de excepcional importância para a sustentabilidade do território. Torna-se assim crucial conhecer a importância dos Guias de Montanha enquanto elementos interventivos no modelo onde a satisfação dos visitantes e o reforço da imagem do destino são prioridades. Nesse sentido levou-se a efeito um estudo relativamente à importância dos Guias de Montanha face à sustentabilidade do território. Para tal procedeu-se a uma revisão de literatura sobre o turismo de montanha, sustentabilidade dos territórios e turismo natureza. Com a aplicação das entrevistas semi-estruturadas aos Guias de Montanha do Pico processou-se uma análise qualitativa da oferta dos serviços prestados pelos Guias. Da aplicação das entrevistas concluiu-se que a actividade dos Guias de Montanha assume importante papel para a aquisição de competitividade e sustentabilidade dos territórios na Montanha do Pico - Açores.
- Food tourism in the touristic development pole of the western region – PortugalPublication . Oliveira, Simão; Elias-Almeida, Anabela; Ferreira, Cátia; Ezequiel, Graça; Cabral, PaulaCurrently, tourism is characterized by significant changes in its supply. These changes are motivated by the need of adjustment to the actual demand, which seek new types of experiences, different sensations and new destinations. Regarding tourist behavior, we can identify that there are profound changes, today, in comparison to previous years. Tourists travel more annually (but with shorter stays), are more knowledgeable about the destinations and products offered (playing, in this case, the internet a very important role) seeking new sensory experiences that are compelling, often to release accumulated labor stress resulting from a competitive urban society. As a result of these changes, niche tourism (also called thematic tourism), has gained an increasing interest from the tourism industry (supply) as well as by the academic community, which particularly in the mid-90s, began to turn more of its attention to this new way of supplying and practicing tourism. Food tourism in academic terms only began to receive greater attention in the beginning of this century. However, it has been relegated, to a secondary plan, in comparison with other types of niche tourism, such as wine tourism, ecotourism or even sports tourism. Therefore, it is easy to understand that all the studies about food tourism are relevant to increment the state of the art. This article results from a research project in the Western Region of Portugal, which had the duration of one year (May 2010 to May 2011) with a team of five investigators and two fulltime research fellows. This region is gastronomically rich, especially on fish, which attracts visitors to the area. Thus, among others, the following objectives were outlined for the study: Assess the potential of food tourism in the Western Touristic Pole; assess the local tourist agents’ perception on food tourism and their sensibility of the same; to profile the food tourist that travels to the Western Touristic Pole; and identify key practices of those who travel, motivated by food. In terms of methodology, the case study approach was used, with field work that resulted in 863 questionnaire surveys on the demand side and 92 questionnaire surveys on the supply side, resulting in a very interesting sample. The conclusions of the project revealed that food can actually be an important factor as a primary attraction, as well as secondary; that although the local agents are aware, the non-structure of a concrete product, results in a predominance of day visitors; there is little promotion of this tourism product; and it was possible to identify the profile of food tourists that visit the region.
- Tourism through the gaze of stakeholders: the case of Óbidos Lagoon in PortugalPublication . Rebelo, Cátia Filipa Cerqueira; Alves, Carlos Pedro Ferreira; Moiteiro, Gilberto Coralejo; Ezequiel, Graça Maria Gomes; Brasão, Inês Paulo Cordeiro; Vasconcelos, João Viljoen de; Carvalho, Mário João Paulo de JesusCoastal lagoons are valued and sensitive ecosystems often threatened by human pressure. In our study we focused on the development of local activities in the Óbidos lagoon and we aimed to understand the stakeholders’ view about the best solutions for local development. Stakeholders were divided into residents, tourists, groups of interest and surveys and interviews were applied. The results indicated that although the lagoon is considered a dynamic economical resource for the local economy communities, tourism was identified by all stakeholders as the strategic tool for development in the lagoon. These results suggest the urgency to promote sustainable guidelines for the local tourism development.
- Gastronomical Experiences in the Western Touristic Pole of PortugalPublication . Elias-Almeida, Anabela; Oliveira, Simão; Cabral, Paula; Ferreira, Cátia; Ezequiel, GraçaThe tourism concept associated to an experience is getting more prominent every day. Food Tourism is one of those expansions of tourism that focuses on the individual as opposed to the world around him. The tourist is the protagonist of an experience, apparently individual, but in reality it involves a whole range of factors, physical and psychological, that do not allow isolating him but identifying him as the one who surrenders to the sensations. According to Fields (2005), gastronomy is run by four pillars that allow tourists to move in certain areas in order to meet their needs. It is the destinations onus to attract tourists with its attributes and its capacity to distinguish itself from other destinations, aiming to provide different experiences. The Western Region through its attributes, either by food associated with the region or some events, allowed us to develop this study, individualizing its characteristics but particularizing the region in a global context. This article results from a research project in the Western Region of Portugal, which had the duration of one year (May 2010 to May 2011), with the objective to understand the role that food tourism plays for the differentiation of a destination, assess the local tourist agents’ perception on food tourism and their sensibility of the same and to profile the food tourist that travels to the Western Touristic Pole and identify key practices of those who travel, motivated by food. Regarding the method of the study, the case study approach was used, with field work that resulted in 863 questionnaire surveys on the demand side and 92 questionnaire surveys on the supply side. To conclude, we sought out to understand if gastronomy has a primary or secondary role in this coastal region, determined by particular gastronomical aspects, in order to evaluate its recognition from both views, supply and demand.
- O turismo gastronómico no Pólo Turístico do Oeste (Portugal) na perspetiva da ofertaPublication . Ezequiel, Graça; Almeida, Anabela; Ferreira, Cátia; Cabral, Paula; Oliveira, SimãoO turismo gastronómico consiste num segmento de mercado em crescimento que permite desenvolver destinos turísticos competitivos. Enquanto área abrangente, traduz-se em viagens a locais específicos com o propósito de estabelecer um sentido de pertença onde a qualidade da experiência relacionada com a gastronomia é o mais importante. Este artigo resulta de um projeto desenvolvido na região Oeste de Portugal, com a duração de um ano (maio de 2010 a maio de 2011), a fim de compreender o papel que o turismo gastronómico desempenha para a diferenciação do destino, avaliar a perceção dos agentes turísticos locais, traçar o perfil do turista gastronómico do Pólo Turístico do Oeste, e identificar as suas práticas-chave. Em termos de metodologia, foi utilizado o estudo de caso, com trabalho de campo, de onde resultaram 863 inquéritos por questionário do lado da procura e 92 inquéritos por questionário do lado da oferta. As conclusões do projeto revelaram que a gastronomia pode efetivamente ser um fator importante como atração primária, bem como secundária; e que, embora os agentes locais estejam cientes da sua importância, a inexistência de um produto organizado, resulta na predominância de visitantes e não de turistas. Este artigo pretende explorar a perceção da oferta do turismo gastronómico, sobre a preocupação em oferecer produtos regionais e do seu envolvimento em decisões estratégicas.