Tourism in Rural Areas as a development tool

“Tourism in Rural Areas as a development tool? The case of the Natural Park of Montesinho” Justina Silvano (Instituto Piaget/Nordeste) [email protected]

Elisabeth Kastenholz, Universidade de Aveiro [email protected]

I. Introduction The assumption that tourism might operate as a factor for development in rural areas has been defended by many authors, but also criticized by others. A more critical reflection on this theme reveals that tourism activities in economically fragile areas might constitute a means of complementing or an alternative to the agricultural activity, which has suffered from an accelerated decline. Nevertheless, it may not be a solution for all the problems these areas face. In recent decades, the panorama of Portuguese rural areas has been marked by processes of population exodus and economical, social and political devitalisation. These processes are actually reinforced, reflected in a vicious circle and are, in part, a consequence of the persistence on obsolete agrarian structures, with a great dependence on a sole sector of activity, namely agriculture, and the political “oblivion” cast upon these areas, deprived from local development policies and supports (Batouxas, 1998).

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II. Theoretical background Generally rural tourism may be understood as all tourist activities that take place in rural spaces (Kastenholz, 2002). Associated with rural tourism are other tourism typologies, such as nature tourism, cultural tourism, ecotourism, wine tourism, among other forms. This connection becomes clear when considering that rural areas constitute the ideal setting for these types of tourism, since they integrate a variety of significant resources, like small ethnographic museums, eco-museums, historical sites, fairs and festivals, gastronomy as well as diverse nature and landscape attractions, correspondingly permitting the development of thematic routes subordinated to a variety of themes (olive oil, wine, bread, silk, linen), but also the practice of adventure sports in attractive natural settings. Rural areas reveal therefore an interesting potential for providing an integrated supply of tourism products and services, where different typologies of tourism are reachable within the same space. Tourism in rural areas emerged partly as a way to diversify tourism supply addressed to very particular segments of tourists, who still represent a small part of the market in our country. The main characteristics of this type of tourism are linked to the fact that it is located in rural areas, being typically of a traditional character, functioning on a small scale, providing a personalized service that may permit visitors to participate in rural activities, allowing tourists to experience the rural way of living and to be in direct contact with the rural environment and with nature (Kastenholz, 2002). Tourist accommodation is understood as a pre-condition for tourism to be developed at a destination (Cunha, 2001). Lodging is generally viewed rather as a facility, i.e. as a necessary condition for enjoying the destination’s attractions and not as an attraction by itself (Mill & Morrison, 1992). However, lodging provided in rural areas is typically quite distinct from conventional forms of lodging, due to its personalized service, the possibility of enjoying the traditional gastronomy and the regional products, as well as due to a closer contact with nature generally provided (Ribeiro, 2003). This type of lodging is correspondingly closely related with

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the attractions of the rural space. The Portuguese rural tourism product designed as TER 1 appeared as a specific kind of lodging in Portugal, and might be considered a (sub-) product of a broader rural tourism product, which integrates different accommodation modalities, eventually functioning as a means of reviving rural areas. Nowadays, rural areas constitute attractive areas as a consequence of the new role they play and recent trends of leisure and tourism demand, thus justifying the conclusion that the tourism activity, with its different components (accommodation, restaurants, animation), may be a relevant complement or even alternative to agriculture, with real potentialities for inverting the present situation lived in rural areas, namely the demographic regression and the decline of agriculture (Cavaco, 1999b, Jenkins, Hall and Troughton, 1998). The change of rural areas into tourist areas is accordingly seen as a possible solution for existing problems (Joaquim, 1994). The importance of the tourist activity in generating positive impacts on the development of rural areas, has led some to the hope that tourism may represent the panacea for the solution of most problems rural areas face nowadays. On the other hand, there is evidence showing that the contribution of tourism in rural areas is still too scarce to allow a positive evaluation. (Cavaco,1999a; Figueiredo, 2003a; Moreira, 1994; Sparrer,2005; Ribeiro, 2003) However, and in spite of the potentialities tourism offers, Portugal is striving with the inexistence of a policy for rural development (Figueiredo, 2003a; Cavaco, 1999b; Lopes,

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The Portuguese legislation (Decreto-Lei nº256/86 of August 27th) creates TER (Turismo em espaço rural) as a type of accommodation based on different types of modalities, which are specially regulated, registered and classified by the national tourism entity. TER combines heritage concerns with the ideal of personalized, high quality tourism supply. DGT distinguishes the following modalities: TH (turismo de habitação): the most “noble” form of accommodation in manor houses with high architectonic value and quality decoration and equipment, TR (turismo rural): good quality accommodation in typical rustic family houses located in a rural setting, AT (agro-turismo): accommodation in country or manor houses integrated in a functioning farm. Village Tourism (Turismo de Aldeia): accommodation provided in a set of at least five typical rustic houses, situated in the same village and explored in an integrated manner. Country houses (Casas de Campo): private rustic houses or huts, where owners may or not reside. Rural Hotels (Hotéis Rurais): small-scale hotels situated in a rural area, run by owners or managers who simultaneously use them as their residence. Providing between ten and thirty rooms, they must present typical traces of historical or rural architecture and decoration. Rural Camping Sites (Parques de Campismo Rurais): camping sites located in rural areas. TER includes also “complementary activities” th (Dec.-Reg. nº 37/97 of September 25 ) provided in the TER units, permitting e.g. the practice of sports, participating in rural life, nature excursions, cycling, walking/hiking, fishing.

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2003), which might allow the definition of a concrete orientation. The first attempt was undertaken in the context of PAC (1986) and the PDR (1993) that considered rural development as a priority to promote economic and social balance in rural areas. Yet, this attempt was reduced to the enforcement of policies in the agricultural sector. In Portugal, protected areas and rural areas share the same space, integrate inhabited areas and represent ill-favored rural areas. In turn, protected areas have become most attractive areas for the practice of sports and leisure activities, associated with the emergence of new tourism products, thus presently constituting an appealing destination for those who seek contact with nature and culture (Burnay, 1997). The here presented empirical study was undertaken in the Natural Park of Montesinho (PNM), which is integrated in the framework of Portuguese protected areas. One of its main features is the fact that it is nearly lacking residents, being practically “a little corner with no one living there” (Figueiredo, 1999). From an economic point of view, the primary sector constitutes the major activity (Rodrigues Caballero, 1998). On the other hand, the park offers a set of tourism potentialities (ecotourism, tourism in rural areas, cultural tourism, practice of sports), which dash against a number of obstacles (the need for better access and infra-structures, more training, the need to establish partnerships), which limit their development (Moura Santos, 2002). In the following, these issues will be further discussed, based on results of a survey directed at owners and managers of rural tourism accommodation units in the PNM.

III. Study of lodging units in the PNM As mentioned before, lodging constitutes the essential basis for the functioning of tourism destinations, making the study of accommodation in rural areas a particularly relevant issue. Without accommodation the overall rural tourism product cannot be developed and the specific format of rural tourism accommodation simultaneously permits the first access to the rural reality, with accommodation owners frequently serving as “cultural brokers” (Cohen, 1988) and promoters of the destination’s attractions (Ribeiro, 2003).

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The analysis of the concrete meaning and role of rural tourism accommodation within a particular destination context, here the PNM, is the aim of the empirical study presented next.

III.1. Methodology The central theme of this article is the analysis of the role of tourist lodging units located the PNM as a potential induce of rural development. For that purpose several research approaches were used in order to analyze the following propositions: 1. Tourism in rural areas has increasingly gained visibility and interest in the context of approaches related to rural or local development, being relatively consensual amongst institutions that rural tourism promotes the sustainable rural development. 2. Still, the emergence of isolated initiatives, mainly and solely connected to tourist accommodation within the PNM area, represents a rather insignificant impact on the development of the here studied destination. In order to confirm (or not) the suggested propositions and improve the understanding of the role of rural tourism accommodation within the development of a particular destination, a triangulation of several techniques was used, namely: -

Literature review revealing the most relevant constructs and issues to include in the survey instrument;

-

Analysis of important documental sources, with a particular emphasis on the legislation related to tourist accommodation, to TER, to nature tourism, to tourism in rural areas and documents related to programs and measures for rural development;

-

Analysis of statistical information related to the case in study, both concerning sociodemographic data (INE) and the data related to lodging in rural areas in Portugal and NUTS II (DGT);

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-

Collection and analysis of primary data, by means of conducting a survey, based on a structured questionnaire, directed at promoters of tourist lodging units in the area of PNM

The first approach to the study theme and area (PNM) was undertaken based on documental analysis, a preliminary and essential step at the beginning of each research (Moreira, 1994), using bibliographic references and statistical data available and resulting in a starting point for the survey development. Subsequently, in an exploratory approach, owners of tourist lodging units in the PNM and some inhabitants of different places within the PNM area were approached through informal conversation leading to the register of important issues to include into the questionnaire. Finally, the main research instrument, a structured questionnaire, was elaborated, considering the most important issues discussed in the literature review and also the particular reality of the study area (PNM). Responses were collected from a population defined as “all owners/ promoters of tourist lodging units in the PNM.” Unfortunately no statistical data was available on the sampling framework, i.e. about the number, profile and geographical dispersion of these entities within the area of the PNM. The Direcção Geral de Turismo (DGT) and the Região de Turismo do Nordeste Transmontano (RTNT) dispose of some data related to the features and geographical location of TER accommodation units in the area. However, 2nd class tourist residences are not considered as part of the rural tourism lodging supply, although they also provide accommodation in rural areas. On the other hand, there are those suppliers of accommodation services that consider their offering as rural tourist houses, in spite of not fitting into any lodging format officially defined, houses that are additionally not registered anywhere. It was also considered interesting to analyze the role of unofficial supply within the general context of tourist lodging in the PNM area. This kind of supply doesn’t conform to the legislation, is not officially registered nor contemplated by statistics (Cunha, 2001). Algarve is the most paradigmatic example of the phenomenon in Portugal, where the “existence of more than 300 thousand beds [is estimated], that is, more than the triple of the counted hotel

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capacity” (Cunha, 2001:218). Some problems are generally associated with unofficial accommodation, such as tax evasion, the lack of supervision and quality of control concerning construction and functioning requirements, as well as considering the sanitary and safety conditions, leading, in the end to a situation of unfair competition. The inclusion of unofficial supply was thus considered relevant for a complete understanding of the role and dynamics of accommodation supply in the studied area. In these conditions, and considering the lack of information available on all kind of lodging units in the PNM area, it was necessary to specifically identify all lodging units by field research for establishing a valid sampling frame in the context of this study. The universe was thus determined as including all identifiable lodging units located in the area of Montesinho Natural Park, which integrates the districts of Vinhais and Bragança, with a total of 35 parishes and 92 seats. This approach led to the identification of a universe of 21 promoters of accommodation units, all of which were approached in this study. Of these 18 promoters answered the questionnaire, corresponding to a considerable amount of 85% of the considered universe, implying however 15% of non-responses.

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III.2. Profile of the sample Based on the survey conducted in the PNM area, the following lodging units were identified. Graphic 1. Distribution of the lodging capacity in the PNM, by modality, in 2003-2004.

35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

RT

CH

2º CTR

VT

AT

TH

Unofficial

Number of rooms

13

8

31

9

0

0

16

Number of beds

20

12

35

15

0

0

28

Number of units

3

3

6

1

0

0

5

Source: own data collection. Legend: RT (rural tourism); CH (country houses); 2ºCTR (2º Class Tourist residences); VT (village tourism); AT (Agro-turismo); TH (Turismo de Habitação); Unofficial supply.

As mentioned before, also unofficial supply was integrated in the sample, corresponding to 5 units, with 16 rooms and 28 beds. Concluding from the field study, one reason for the existing unofficial supply is the perception of difficulty and slowness of the bureaucratic process associated with the attribution of communitarian funds, making suppliers rather proceed on their own risk. Another reason might be related to the fact that at first these country-house owners had improved their houses’ conditions for their personal use, to spend there the weekends, and have only afterwards become aware of the increasing demand for tourist lodging in the area, and consequently decided to profit from the existing infrastructure. In any case, unofficial lodging units fill a gap existing on the supply side, reacting to an increasing market interest in an uncomplicated way.

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One may conclude that the PNM disposes of a reasonable supply of tourist accommodation, although being spatially distributed in an asymmetric and irregular way, i.e., with a major concentration in the district of Bragança and its surroundings. The profile of the promoter/ owner of the tourist lodging units within the PNM is defined as: 1)

average age between 45 and 55 years;

2)

medium / high qualifications, although there are also two cases with inferior qualifications and even two cases of illiterate accommodation suppliers.

3)

main occupation not related to the tourist activity.

4)

most of them are male.

Bearing in mind the profile of the promoters of tourist lodging in rural areas identified by other areas (Moreira, 1994; Figueira, 1998; Ribeiro, 2003) and comparing the results obtained in this work, one can see there are slight differences concerning qualification due to the existence of a group of illiterate people, contrasting with the general pattern of a high professional and academic qualification found for TER owners (Moreira, 1994). However, in the present sample the extreme cases refer to 2nd class tourist residences and unofficial units of accommodation.

III.3. Tourism supply The existing tourism supply basically presents the following characteristics: 1)

the modality 2nd Class Tourist Residencies is the most represented and the one with largest lodging capacity;

2)

the official supply (N=13) exceeds significantly the unofficial supply (N=5) in number of units and in lodging capacity (number of beds)

3)

the district of Bragança centralizes a larger number of units when compared to the district of Vinhais;

4)

the capacity of lodging varies from 2 to 13 bedrooms;

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5)

the tourist demand for lodging units varies from 20 to 320 people a year, per unit;

6)

units don’t have many supplementary services;

7)

they are usually open all year long;

8)

they usually have a person at the reception with no qualification in the field of tourism;

9)

“home-made” pamphlets distributed through the tourism office and the internet are the main means of market communication.

In a broader analysis, tourism supply is still very residual, fragmented and poorly integrated, dynamic and professional, in spite of the demand for the region and this sort of lodging. On the other hand, it became clear that rural tourism product was viewed in a restricted perspective, based mainly on lodgment. The scarce investment in supplementary services also limits the average stay of tourists that typically lasts no more than 2, 3 days, while a good supply of supplementary services might motivate an increase of the average duration of stay, simultaneously making better use of existing resources and increasing the appeal of the rural tourism experience (Ribeiro, 2003; Sparrer, 2005). According to the promoters’ perception, their involvement with tourism is largely beneficial. They perceive their individual economic benefits as significant, although inferior to the expected, and also some economic benefits for the destination are acknowledged, but with a minor impact. Apart from this, the tourism activity is perceived as contributing to the suppliers’ well-being, enhancing their material comfort and quality of life and providing particular benefits related to their sense of realization and satisfaction with life. As far as partnerships are concerned, suppliers do not recognize their potential to increase both economic and socio-cultural benefits nor to improve the development of their activity, showing little intention in taking someone as a partner. This aspect contradicts the strong will in forming partnerships identified by some authors amongst suppliers of TER accommodation (Moreira, 1994; Sparrer, 2005), revealing a particular rather individualist attitude amongst tourist accommodation suppliers in the PNM.

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On the one hand, this attitude may reflect a lack of professionalism. On the other hand, the scarce cooperation amongst the different agents of tourism supply in the PNM jeopardizes the development opportunities associated with network approaches achievable through joint efforts (Rocha-Trindade, 1986). Results still express a rather competitive attitude amongst accommodation units, thus making cooperation and partnerships harder to establish and fulfil. These difficulties result from a lack of understanding of destination and global tourism product management, from a shortage of resources, a lack of experience with interaction amongst the different agents and also from a conservative and close-minded mentality, which refuses to accept cooperation (Middleton and Hawkins,1998; Moutinho, 1991). Suppliers were found to view the destination as a global product, in so far as the PNM is acknowledged to act as a symbol of the region and as a main factor of visitor attraction, and to correspondingly recognize the importance of the fact that the unit is located in a protected area. However, overall results rather demonstrate an attitude of refusal towards cooperation between the destination agents and a lack in comprehension of the requirements of such a “global destination product” (Middleton and Hawkins, 1998). This lack of vision is also confirmed by the weak supply of supplementary activities by the promoters (Sparrer, 2005). Nowadays, protected areas represent an important tourism potentiality associated to rural tourism, which may further be combined with other tourism forms and activities, such as nature tourism or cultural tourism, given the interesting ethnographic heritage of those areas. Marked by a context of population exodus and non-existence of activities, the PNM represents one of the most attractive rural areas to visit in Portugal for some time already (Figueirdo, 2003c). Consequently, the PNM functions like an anchor product within the region, where the initiatives identified for tourist lodging supply reveal the importance and the potentiality tourism has been assuming. Nevertheless, the existing supply is presented in a fragmented and unarticulated manner. A lack of cooperation and integration of single efforts is noticeable, limiting the multiplier and dynamizing capacities and the synergetic potential from the different agents. Even though accommodation suppliers recognize the importance of the location of their unit within the PNM, they show a passive attitude, only reacting to demand, relying on the PNM

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label as major attraction, simultaneously ignoring the importance of supplementary activities (animation, other attractions, thematic routes, gastronomy, among others), which reveals a perception of the global product in a disintegrated way and also some ignorance of the functioning of the tourism system. As far as sustainable development is concerned, suppliers show some degree of sensibility towards the need to protect the environment, as would be expected when acknowledging the relevance of the natural park as an “anchor product” of tourism development. There is, however, with a tendency observable of subscribing to a rather utilitarian, materialistic and anthropocentric perspective of development, mainly showing a major concern with the satisfaction of their basic needs. They express concern about environmental values, as far as they may be useful in economic terms, where nature is seen as a source of income, as a good serving and being integrated into their lives (Figueiredo, 2003a). According to Figueiredo (2003c), this vision is associated to the levels of socio-economic development of the park’s community, reflected in their daily life experience.

III.4. Tourist demand The tourist demand registered by suppliers presents the following characteristics: 1)

Average age of tourists between 25 and 50;

2)

Most are domestic tourists, especially from Oporto and Lisbon;

3)

The most representative foreign tourist markets are the Dutch, German and Spanish;

4)

The average duration of stay is 2- 3 nights;

5)

The months with more demand are June, July and August;

6)

The occupation rate in the high season varies from 50% to 75%;

7)

The reasons for seeking lodging in rural areas are, according to the perception of suppliers, peace and quiet, fresh air, rest and the landscape;

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8) The reasons for seeking this particular region are, according to the promoters, fresh air and rest, peace and quiet, contact with nature and the landscape, i.e. quite the same reasons invoked for choosing the rural tourism accommodation confirming the before discussed relevance attributed to the PNM as a main cause of attraction. The reactions of local people to the presence of tourists were also analyzed and according to the promoters’ point of view proved to be positive. They consider that the tourist activity is beneficial to the locality and for the there existing small businesses (café, restaurant, supermarket, shops). On the other hand, the reactions of visitors towards the local population, according to the suppliers’ point of view, are also positive, since they generally refer to local population as being hospitable, kind and warm.

IV. Conclusions The main conclusion is the reduced impact on development caused by the tourism activity in the Natural Park of Montesinho, mainly based on fragmented supply of accommodation units, with no real efforts visible of creating a more complex, integrated destination product, making the best use of existing resources. It seems that in the studied, markedly rural context, shaped by demographic, economic and social constraints, tourism initiatives hardly contribute to the development of the destination. This conclusion contradicts the assumption defended by some authors and politicians who believe tourism is the panacea for development and the solution for the problems rural areas are facing (Ribeiro, 2003). The existent myth around the role of tourism as a lever for development is well described by Balabanian (1999), suggesting that, when all possibilities of “recovering” a fragile rural area are run out, tourism always appears as an easy resort. To a certain degree, rural development strategies elaborated by the European Union and also by the Portuguese Government are based on this assumption, which translates into the “creation of juridical and financial instruments so to qualify the supply and to establish a framework for the creation and exploitation of rural tourism units” (Cavaco, 1999a). I

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Generally the impacts of the classified and financially supported rural tourism accommodation, designed as “TER” (see footnote nº1), have proven to be poor, though (Cavaco, 1999a), which demonstrates that this modality has not accomplished its expected role in enhancing economic and social development. This situation might be due to the fact that TER has been understood and used as a strategy for the restoration and conservation of the TER promoters’ personal property (Joaquim, 1999; Ribeiro, 2003; Sparrer, 2005), which corroborates the idea that private benefits exceed community benefits. The perspective that tourism in rural areas is seen as a business for some and that the main beneficiaries are individual suppliers is related to the fact that there is no involvement and participation of the population (Sparrer, 2005). There is further no integration of the diverse productive sectors within the tourism activity. Therefore, the accommodation units function practically in isolation. The existing subventions are exclusively directed at the restoration of houses, aiming at the creation of a network of comfortable and attractive accommodation supply. However, the provision of supplementary supply and investment in commercialization of the product are marginalized throughout this whole process, resulting in an isolated political instrument, producing poor overall results (Moreira, 1994; Sparrer, 2005). Consequently, the evolution and present reality of rural tourism in Portugal does not correspond to the broader goals that underlay its implementation, with promoters typically revealing a medium/ high socio-cultural profile, not dedicating themselves exclusively to the tourist activity and being primarily moved by the interest in restoring their private property (Joaquim, 1999). As far as the PNM is concerned, development impacts are poor, maybe due to the socioeconomic characteristics of the promoters, associated with a set of circumstances that might be connected with the fact that promoters manifest a “yet to explore tourist vocation”, i.e., an incipient vision of the role they might play as agents of the rural development. On the other hand, the poor overall outcome may be connected to the fact that suppliers face this activity in an unprofessional way and with little interest, since the income is scarce (according to the promoters) and because they carry out other occupations simultaneously. The scare business

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spirit shown also restrains the economic effects of the tourist activity, essentially due to the fragmented organization of supply, and finally a series of other external factors must be considered

as

negative

determinants

(insufficient

accessibility

and

infra-structures,

unsubstantial economic tissue) (Ribeiro, 2003). Independently of these difficulties identified on the supply side to successfully plan and develop an appealing and integrated rural tourist destination, there is a clear movement visible on the demand side, making people seek the “rural”, eventually associated with some nostalgia of the “good, old times”, pure and simple lifestyle, intact nature and perfect integration of Man in his natural environment (Clary, 1993). This movement is linked to a changing meaning of the “rural space”, characterized by a change “from a repulsive space to an attractive space, from the predominantly agricultural space to the predominantly symbolic space” (de Barros, 1990, quoted by Joaquim, 1999:331). This originated a kind of “neoruralist” movement, attracting urban residents to rural areas (Joaquim, 1999; Sparrer, 2005), based on strategies of a kind of re-creation of the rural image. The phenomenon, associated with tourist consumption of this “new rural”, may reflect the frequently invoked search for “authenticity” of tourists (MacCannel, 1976), hardly met by the so re-constructed reality. There is thus evidence pointing at an increasing interest of the tourist market in rural areas. These may be valued and developed, basically through a diversification of their tourism and recreational supply, which may also allow a larger involvement of the local population and of other economic sectors, with tourism ideally functioning as a complement and catalyst of other activities (Sparrer, 2005). Also Kappert (2000) defends that tourism should be a complementary activity in the least favored areas, suggesting that financial aid should be restricted exclusively to the families of poor farmers and not distributed to the tourism industry. On the other hand, the present policies do not encourage a coordinated type of planning that integrates economic and social aspects, as well as the existing resources. Planning still occurs for each sector, agriculture and tourism, separately. One may thus conclude that, despite the potential of tourism to contribute to development in rural areas, given the increasing market interest as well as considering typically existing

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natural and cultural resources, success should ultimately depend on a well articulated and coordinated overall destination planning and management effort, making the best of existing resources within these areas to create a global, diversified and attractive rural tourism product, where all stakeholders should be involved, both on the supply as well as on the demand side (Kastenholz, 2004). As any piece of research, also this project has its limitations. The theoretical background discussion is limited due to the lack of consensus about the meaning and scope of “rural tourism”, as well as to the inexistence of a general and well consolidated tourism theory (Tribe, 1999). The empirical approach might also be revised and/ or refined. For example, an in-depth interviewing approach would permit greater detail and a more profound understanding of the position, attitudes and constraints of rural tourist lodging providers, bearing in mind the small number of respondents. The development of complementary research approaches would also be of interest, in the sense of enriching this analysis and possibly enlarging the domain of research, additionally considering tourists that visit the region and look for this kind of tourism product, with the purpose of identifying their motivations, characteristics, behaviors and impacts. The understanding of the market is very important, since it is the basis for developing the product directed to a well-defined target market and adapting all efforts to attract and satisfy this target market. It would also permit, apart from a more successful management of supply, a simultaneous management of demand, attracting those market segments that best fit the destination, as well as overall development goals, carefully defined for each particular locality and region (Kastenholz, 2004; Jenkins & McArthur, S. 1996) It is also relevant to explore the role of the entities involved in the planning and promotion of the destination (PNM, Região de Turismo, Câmara Municipal, Juntas de Freguesia, Associações). On the other hand, it would be most important to explore the opinion of the residents in relation to the impacts caused by tourism, especially concerning the potential of this activity to induce development, in which they would participate actively and from which they would simultaneously profit (Keane, 1992).

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The understanding of the several perspectives of all the stakeholders involved may thereby permit the consideration and integration of various interests, this way producing a real “global rural tourism product” in a particular tourist destination (Kastenholz, 2004).

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