ESTGV - DG - Documentos de congressos (comunicações, posters, actas)
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- Can Rural Tourism Satisfy Portuguese Tourist's Needs? Examining Portuguese Tourist's PreferencesPublication . Antunes, Joaquim; Barroco, Cristina; Amaro, SuzanneTourism is considered one of the fastest growing industries, assuming a central role in the economy of many countries. Over the past years, new tourism products have been launched and existent ones have been adapted, such as rural tourism. The motivations for the demand of these services are aimed at revitalizing physical and psychic balance, under stress caused by modern lifestyles. The importance of rural tourism has been stressed in several studies. For instance, according to Dong, Wang, Morais and Brooks (2013) rural tourism has been frequently mentioned as an alternative form of economic development in rural areas. Other studies have emphasized that it significantly contributes to the gross national product, wealth creation, employment generation (Choong-Ki, Var & Blaine, 1996; Borooah, 1999) and to regional development (Dredge, 1999). In a more recent study, rural tourism is considered as a diversification strategy that serves as a catalyst for economic growth in remote communities (Rid, Ezeuduji & Pröbst-Haider, 2014). In the Portuguese case, there is a low profitability of rural tourism and, therefore, it is crucial to identify market segments to create appropriate marketing strategies in order to increase the profitability of rural tourism (Kastenholz, 2002). Despite the importance of better understanding what motivates tourists to choose rural tourism, studies focusing on rural tourism in Portugal have been limited (e.g. Kastenholz, Davis & Paul, 1999; Kastenholz, 2005; Almeida, Correia & Pimpão, 2014). Thus, the main aim of this study is to examine Portuguese tourists’ preferences when choosing rural tourism accommodation. The findings are crucial to support marketing strategies and for rural tourism development in Portugal. This study begins with a literature review of earlier studies concerning rural tourism, followed by the research methodology. In the fourth part, the results are discussed and finally, in the conclusions, some strategies are suggested as well as limitations of the study are presented.
- Equestrian tourism: an opportunity for portuguesePublication . Magalhães, Nuno; Barroco, Cristina; Antunes, JoaquimPortugal provides a large number of factors that boost the development of the national equestrian tourism. It represents an opportunity for the qualification and differentiation of the national tourism, to stimulate rural economies, to combat seasonality and asymmetries.This study want to understand the importance, for the equestrian tourist, of the critical success factors such as the Lusitano horse, the national equestrian culture, the landscape diversity, among others. Also, how they can contribute to the differentiation of the national equestrian tourism for international destinations that are already deployed in the market.For this study is crucial to know the perspective of those involved in the various equestrian tourism activities. In this sense, a group of companies were selected and exploratory interviews were conducted that contributed to important outputs in the construction of the questionnaire.The research was attended by 110 individuals, with different profiles, motivations and types of involvement. From the analysis, it is concluded that the critical success factors are significant in motivating equestrian tourists, namely the quality of equestrian infrastructures, the Lusitano horse, the hospitality, among others. It is also possible to analyze that the equestrian tourist demonstrates a strong commitment: they are knowledgeable, read a lot about riding and belong to equestrian clubs.Finally, the factor analysis highlight the agreement between participants and a significant number of statements made in the questionnaire related to motivation and involvement. It is possible to conclude that equestrian tourists look for relaxing moments and opportunities to expand their equestrian knowledge.
- Examining the information provided on websites: an application to the thermal spas from the Central Region of PortugalPublication . Barroco, Cristina; Antunes, Joaquim; Amaro, SuzanneWellness and Spa Tourism represents a leading role in the tourism industry. According to a study conducted by the Global Wellness Institute (2013) this niche tourism is growing faster than the overall tourism industry. In Portugal, health and wellness tourism has also had a significant growth and is considered one of the ten strategic products of the country. According to information available from Turismo de Portugal (2015), there are 41 spas in Portugal, 19 of them located in the Central Region. The aim of this paper is to analyze the use of Information and Communication Technologies, more specifically, websites, as an essential tool for advertising the health and wellness offer of the Spas in the Central Region. Thus, the quality of these Spa’s Websites were analyzed using various indicators. The information obtained is a basis for the implementation of strategies to make the Spas more competitive.
- Factors affecting Foreign Direct Investment in the Accommodation SectorPublication . Barroco, Cristina; Castro, Eduardo Anselmo; Costa, CarlosDespite the many theories that suggest an explanation for international trade and why certain countries attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) more than others, researchers are unanimous in affirming that FDI is influenced by pull factors (specific characteristics of the host country) and by push factors (specific characteristics of companies and of their home country). This study aims to identify the key factors influencing FDI in the Portuguese tourism sector. With this purpose, a theoretical model was developed which was validated through semi-structured exploratory interviews and questionnaire surveys applied to foreign investors exploiting accommodation units in mainland Portugal. Fifty three questionnaires were considered valid, representing 63.9% of the universe of foreign investors in Portugal (accommodation sector). The results obtained indicate that Portugal’s geographical location, its image/brand as a tourist destination and the Portuguese tourism offer are considered the key factors influencing FDI. This study also identifies that the main barriers to FDI are bureaucracy, tax burden and Portugal’s current economic situation.
- Foreign direct investment in the accommodation sector in PortugalPublication . Barroco, Cristina; Castro, Eduardo Anselmo; Costa, CarlosSurprisingly, even though the number of studies addressing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is large, a very limited number of them are applied to the tourism industry. Furthermore, none of them examines FDI in the Portuguese tourism industry. However, as important as identifying and analyzing the reasons for travelling and the reasons that influence tourists visiting Portugal, is to identify the pull factors that influence foreign investors to choose the Portuguese accommodation sector. Although much has been written to date on the attractiveness of Portugal as a tourist destination, there were no studies on the attractiveness of Portugal in attracting foreign investment to the tourism sector. The current study intends to fill this gap by identifying the key factors influencing FDI in the Portuguese accommodation sector. With this purpose, a theoretical model was developed which was validated through semi-structured exploratory interviews and questionnaire surveys applied to foreign investors exploiting accommodation units in mainland Portugal. Fifty three questionnaires were considered valid, representing 63.9% of the universe of foreign investors in Portuguese accommodation sector and that account for the exploitation of 20.999 beds. The results obtained indicate that Portugal’s geographical location, its image/brand as a tourist destination and the Portuguese tourism offer are considered the key factors influencing FDI. This study also identifies that the main barriers to FDI are bureaucracy, tax burden and Portugal’s current economic situation.
- Guided Tours: a performance, from script to interpretationPublication . Mendonça, Sofia; Barroco, CristinaThe ease with which tourists travel these days, sometimes without any need for intermediaries, awakens the longing and curiosity to know more and better destinations, maximizing the time available. The market has adapted itself to this new reality, diversifying the supply of services in tourist sites, especially in cities, as in the case of companies which offer guided tours. These visits may become an attractive, innovative, original and creative product. The aim of this conceptual paper is to analyze the studies already carried out on the subject of the guided tours in order to get to the concept of guided tour as a performative art, in which the tour guide is the actor who follows a predefined script, always with opening for minor adjustments in order to best fit in each group. The tourists are regarded as the staging co-producers, since the script is created having them as its basis. The various aspects to take into account when scheduling a visit (duration, group size, age, etc.) as well as the main problems with which the guides are faced when programming and implementing the guided tours will be reviewed. Some strategies to overcome the problems that may happen in the course of the visit will also be presented.
- Os media digitais, a gastronomia e a marca do destino: o caso da Região Dão Lafões e Alto-PaivaPublication . Augusto, Luísa; Barroco, CristinaA gastronomia é um elemento poderoso na construção da marca das regiões e dos destinos. Os novos meios de comunicação podem reforçar a imagem destes através da disseminação regular de conteúdos e mensagens consistentes e coerentes, dos produtos endógenos, que definem a identidade gastronómica de uma região, desempenhando, assim, um papel crucial na promoção e valorização desses mesmos produtos e da marca do destino. Este estudo exploratório tem como objetivo analisar o papel dos media digitais (websites, facebook e blogues) na disseminação de informação sobre a marca do destino Dão Lafões e Alto Paiva (RDLAP), através da comunicação e divulgação da gastronomia e dos produtos endógenos desta região. São analisados os websites da Entidade Regional de Turismo do Centro de Portugal e das cinco Câmaras Municipais que integram a RDLAP. Analisaram-se, também, os websites, facebook e blogues das Entidades Produtoras e das Confrarias Gastronómicas desta região. A metodologia assenta na análise de conteúdo de caráter quantitativo dos dados recolhidos nos meios de comunicação referidos. Os resultados obtidos confirmam que nos media digitais dos Produtores e das Câmaras Municipais são privilegiados os conteúdos relacionados com a descrição dos produtos endógenos, o que é relevante para a afirmação da identidade gastronómica da RDLAP. Os meios de comunicação utilizados pelas Confrarias disseminam conteúdos mais associados aos eventos confrádicos. Este estudo traz um contributo científico, na medida em que aprofunda o conhecimento sobre marcas de regiões e prático, sugerindo pistas orientadoras para os diferentes intervenientes responsáveis pela comunicação da identidade gastronómica do destino.
- Potential of Equestrian Tourism in PortugalPublication . Magalhães, Nuno; Barroco, Cristina; Antunes, JoaquimPortugal offers a vast number of factors that boost the development of the national equestrian tourism. Equestrian tourism represents an important opportunity for the qualification and differentiation of the national tourism, as well as stimulating rural economies, helping to combat seasonality and asymmetries. The aim of this study is to understand how critical success factors such as the Lusitano horse, the national equestrian culture, the landscape diversity, among others, are important for the equestrian tourist. Also, to understand how they can contribute to the differentiation of the national equestrian tourism for international destinations that are already deployed in the market. For the purpose of this study is crucial to understand the perspective of those involved in the various equestrian tourism activities. In this sense, a group of companies were selected and exploratory interviews were conducted that contributed to a number of important outputs in the construction of the questionnaire, only applied to equestrian tourists. A total of 110 individuals participated in the research, with different profiles, motivations and types of involvement. From the analysis, it is concluded that the critical success factors are significant in motivating equestrian tourists, namely the quality of equestrian infrastructures, the Lusitano horse, the hospitality, among others. It is also possible to analyze that the equestrian tourist demonstrates a strong commitment: they are knowledgeable, since they read a lot about riding, belong to equestrian clubs and often face the possibility of having an occupation linked to the equestrian sector. Finally, the results highlight the agreement between participants and a significant number of statements made in the questionnaire related to motivation and involvement. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that equestrian tourists look for relaxing moments and opportunities to expand their equestrian knowledge in these type of activities.
- Pull Factors affecting entry choice: the internationalization of the Accommodation SectorPublication . Barroco, Cristina; Castro, Eduardo Anselmo; Costa, CarlosMany theories have been used to explain international trade and why certain countries attract hotel chains more than others. Throughout the centuries, literature has witnessed a number of attempts to explain international trade. Successive research in this area has led to a group of theories proposed by several authors who have been crucial to understand the choice of a destination to enter. These theories provide some insight into the complexity of internationalization flows. However, an integrated theory that combines these elements in an analytical manner has yet to be developed. Although these theories appear in an isolated manner, they should be understood as complementary and not dissociated or regarded as alternatives. Even though there are many theories, researchers are unanimous in affirming that hotel chains' internationalization is influenced by pull factors, related to specific characteristics of the host country, contextual environment (common to all companies) and the transactional environment (specific to each sector) and by push factors, related to specific characteristics of the companies and of their home country. Though both factors are important, this research gives special emphasis to the pull factors. Accordingly, the main aim of this paper is to identify which pull factors influence hotel chains willingness to enter a destination (Portugal). With this purpose, a theoretical model was developed. The model included 11 pull factors (characteristics of host country): - 6 Specific Factors of the Contextual Environment (SFCE): Country risk; Level of development; Regulation; Integration in international organizations; Cultural and historical affinities; Geographical location. - 5 Specific Factors of the Tourism Sector (SFTS): Competitiveness of the sector; Government policies for the sector; Image/brand of the sector; Tourism offer; Tourism demand. This model also seeks to discover if the main barriers to foreign investment are related to the SFCE or the SFTS. All factors were explored in the construction of logical relations that underpin the enunciation of the hypothesis.
- Religious Tourism in Portugal: the Case of Nossa Senhora da Lapa ShrinePublication . Dias, Hermínio; Antunes, Joaquim; Barroco, Cristina; Amaro, SuzanneSince the Portuguese are predominately Roman Catholic, religious tourism has a great potential to contribute to tourism development in several regions of the country. Religious tourism in Portugal is extremely rich and diverse and integrates several organized and well known routes (e.g. The Way of St. James and Ways of Fátima), a variety of religious festivities, sacred heritage, Jewish legacy and famous religious shrines. Among them, the Nossa Senhora da Lapa Shrine should be distinguished since it is one of the oldest in Europe. In fact, during the Medieval Period, the Lapa Shrine and the Santiago Shrine (in Spain) were the most important pilgrimage sites on the Iberian Peninsula. However, over time the Lapa shrine has been forgotten and its development has been far below expectations. The aim of this study is to examine the importance of religious tourism in the economic development of a small community (Lapa) and identify the most important aspects when visiting a shrine. For this purpose, a questionnaire was developed and applied between October and November of 2014 to the visitors of the Lapa Shrine. A total of 250 responses were obtained. The results reveal that the majority of the respondents consider religious tourism very important to local development. The most important factors when visiting a Shrine are the existent monuments, cleanliness, the existence of museums and exhibition rooms, the religious festivities that occur there and having restaurants in the surroundings. It should also be noted that over 94% of the respondents consider the Lapa Shrine an attractive religious tourism site. Thus, religious tourism could be a great opportunity to strengthen local economy. Accordingly, the Lapa Shrine should be considered as an anchor for the region’s tourism development.