Maria João Carneiro

Host–guest relationships in rural tourism: evidence from two Portuguese villages

Rural tourism is receiving increasing interest, but not all areas have the same tourism potential, whereas evidence also reveals negative impacts on tourism. It is therefore important to analyse the tourism phenomenon at the local scale and understand a most important dimension of the rural tourism experience – social interaction. This is sought and appreciated, for distinct reasons, by both tourists and local communities, but little is still known about concrete interactions taking place, how these are interpreted, and may become more satisfactory for all involved. These questions are discussed based on results of an in-depth, qualitative approach on rural tourism in two Portuguese villages, comparing perspectives of hosts and guests, as well as of two distinct destination realities.

Determinants of Tourist–Host Interactions: An Analysis of the University Student Market

This study identifies the determinants related to university student tourists that influence the tourist–host interaction. A stratified sample of university students was surveyed and 436 completed questionnaires were obtained. Several linear regression models were used to identify determinants of tourist–host interaction in various contexts of interaction. The results suggest that the socio-demographic profile, motivations, cultural familiarity and similarity, travel behavior and tourist perceptions of tourism impacts influence the tourist–host interaction. Motivations and perceptions of tourism impacts are the most important determinants of this interaction. Theoretical and managerial implications of these findings are also discussed.

Studying factors influencing repeat visitation of cultural tourists.

This study identifies factors determining repeat visitation of cultural tourists, a market particularly motivated by novelty and thus theoretically less loyal to positively experienced destinations. After a conceptual discussion of the potential role of repeat visitation in the cultural tourism context, binary regression analysis, applied to the data collected in a European research project, identifies factors explaining repeat visitation. Differences between domestic and international tourists are also discussed. Results should contribute to a better understanding of the cultural tourist market and to the development of differentiated marketing strategies enhancing repeat visitation within this market.

Social tourism programmes for the senior market: a benefit segmentation analysis

The senior market has gained increasing interest from the tourism industry, mainly because of its considerable size and time flexibility. However, seniors are also a group facing many constraints to participating in tourism, which has led some countries to promote social tourism programmes for this market. However, little is known about the success of these programmes, while research showing the benefits derived by participants would be useful to continuously improve these initiatives. This paper presents a segmentation analysis of senior participants in a Portuguese social tourism programme, based on benefits derived. A questionnaire-based survey was undertaken, yielding a total of 848 valid responses, which were subjected to a hierarchical cluster analysis. Three clusters emerged: the least benefitted, the most benefitted and active and the highly benefitted and locally socializing seniors. The clusters were compared regarding socio-demographic profile, travel behaviour, satisfaction and loyalty. Several statistically significant differences among the clusters were observable, providing relevant inputs for managing social tourism programmes for this market.

Landscape and the rural tourism experience: identifying key elements, addressing potential, and implications for the future

Rural tourism is an important development strategy for some rural areas. Landscape is central to the visitors tourism experience. While the literature suggests that some rural landscape features are likely to attract visitors, research on the impact of landscape on the rural tourism experience is rather limited, and often confined to studies supported by visual stimuli (e.g. photos), ignoring the impact of the direct contact of visitors with the territory. This study overcomes some of these limitations by assessing visitors’ perceptions of the rural landscapes based on two villages in Portugal, while visitors were still in the villages. Vegetation type and colour, and built heritage, emerge as key experience elements for tourists, but they were followed by a complex group of largely non-visual stimuli, including sounds, smells, tastes, people contact, “nature” in its wider sense, and the past. The potential for sustainable tourism development based on this rich array of key elements is addressed, along with the need for action at all levels to bring together tourism and landscape management in an integrated way for marketing, product development and conservation purposes. Differences among groups of visitors are noted, suggesting that different groups of visitors require different approaches.

Diverse socializing patterns in rural tourist experiences – a segmentation analysis

Tourism is a social phenomenon and host–guest interaction has been identified as particularly relevant in the rural tourism experience. This paper extends previous research on social interaction, rural tourism and experience marketing, by analysing, via visitor survey (N = 819), the contacts that visitors of three Portuguese villages establish with (a) residents and (b) other visitors during their stay. A cluster analysis based on interaction patterns identifies three distinct visitor groups: those showing little interest in interaction with others, those mainly interacting with other visitors and those intensely interacting with residents. Significant differences between segments reveal distinctly lived rural tourism experiences and a positive impact of socializing on these experiences. Destination management and marketing implications as well as suggestions for future research are also presented.

Determinants of tourism impact on tourists' quality of life

Despite the growing importance of the quality of life (QOL), research on QOL in the area of tourism is very limited. Additionally, the majority of this research focuses on the impact of tourism on QOL of destinations? hosts. This paper analyses the impact of tourism on several dimensions of tourists? QOL (physical health, psychological features, social relationships and environment). Additionally, a model of determinants of the tourism impact on QOL is proposed and tested. Multivariate regression analyses are undertaken to identify the factors that influence the impact of tourism on tourist?s QOL. Travel motivations, the travel group, type of destinations and activities are the factors with more influence on tourism impacts on QOL. However, results highlight that the influence of each factor on the tourism impact on QOL varies according to the dimension of the QOL. Important implications for improving the tourism impact on tourists? QOL are discussed.

The influence of service quality on the positioning of five star hotels - the case of the Lisbon area.

Abstract Tourism in Portugal has expanded very rapidly over the last decades. At present, it accounts for about 8% of the GDP and directly employs more than 300,000 people. The growing numbers of arrivals in Portugal have also led to a rapid expansion of the hotel industry. However, this expansion has been followed by some worrying drops in the occupancy rates of five star hotels. Fierce competition has then become one of the cornerstones of the Portuguese hotel industry. Research conducted in the field of market positioning has highlighted the importance of understanding the preferences attributed by consumers to a given product (“perception”) and how and why products and services are evaluated and purchased. Based on research conducted recently among tour operators and business companies, this paper will look at the way in which service quality influences the positioning of five star hotels. The analysis and conclusions presented in the paper offer grounds for discussion about the way in which five star hotels located in the Portuguese capital and in the surrounding area may improve their image, attract larger numbers of tourists and, as a result of this, prepare themselves for growing competition that has developed in Lisbon and its outskirts. Some of the findings are applicable to other European capitals.

Purchase of local products within the rural tourist experience context

Rural tourism is frequently considered a development tool for rural areas. In particular, demand for local products may stimulate local economy and is simultaneously an important part of the tourist experience. Little is known, however, of the role of local product purchase within and as a result of the rural tourist experience. The present article addresses this gap by analysing the impact of the tourist experience on (a) the decision to purchase local products and (b) the amount of respective expenditures made, based on survey data on rural tourists in Portugal. Results reveal a positive impact of the knowledge, sensorial and interaction dimensions of the tourist experience in both models, and length of stay, age, place attachment and nationality also play a role.

The dimensions of rural tourism experience: impacts on arousal, memory, and satisfaction

ABSTRACT Rural tourism is driven by the search for unique and memorable experiences in particular settings, but knowledge on visitors’ experiences in rural destinations is still scarce. This paper analyzes the rural tourism experience of Portuguese tourists who answered an online survey (N = 252). The paper aims at validating, in the rural tourism context, a previously proposed tourist experience scale, and analyzing the relationships between the experience, arousal, memory, and satisfaction. Results reveal that the rural tourism experience dimensions of education and esthetics positively predict rural tourists’ arousal, whereas escapism and esthetics determine memorability. Finally, implications for rural tourism marketing are discussed.