Search

The purpose of this paper was to clarify the potential value and effects ofoutdoor tourism using online resources during the COVID-19 pandemic and tosuggest the possibility for outdoor tourism in the future. As a conclusion, it was shown that online tours conveyed the charm of theregion and increased interest for tourists. This paper suggests that online toursmay be an effective promotion tool for sightseeing trips and outdoor tourismwhich may lead to actual tourism activities.

Područje poduzetništva u outdoor turizmu glavna je tema doktorske disertacije s ciljem proširenja znanstvenih i aplikativnih spoznaja o konkurentnosti destinacije temeljene na inoviranju operacijskih strategija istraživanja i razvoja, marketinške strategije, strategije ponude, zatim financijske i kadrovske strategije u outdoor turizmu. Znanstveno istraživanje provedeno na teorijskoj i aplikativnoj razini implicira model koncepcije razvoja outdoor turizma na razini destinacije i njenih dionika. Teorijsko istraživanje istražuje model koncepcije razvoja u outdoor turizmu i konceptualno utvrđuje trendove u outdoor turizmu te dimenzije outdoor turizma u odnosu na ostale specifične oblike turizma. Empirijsko istraživanje u kojem je prihvaćena glavna hipoteza (H1) Model koncepcije razvoja destinacije i strateško upravljanje razvojem outdoor ponude, temeljeno na sinergiji i inovativnosti dionika (poduzetnika) pozitivno utječe na konkurentnost turizma provedeno je na tri skupine ispitanika. Dionici kao nositelji razvojne ponude i promocije, promatrani su kroz sinergijsko djelovanje u funkciji razvoja poduzetništva koji replicira konkurentnost. Lokalno stanovništvo promatrano je s aspekta percepcije značajnosti dionika u razvoju konkurentskog outdoor proizvoda, a turisti su promatrani s aspekta sklonosti preporuci destinacije koja utječe na stvaranje bolje konkurentske pozicije u budućnosti. Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da uloga sinergije svih dionika u kreiranju, inoviranju i promociji outdoor turističke ponude pozitivno utječe na generiranje konkurentske prednosti destinacije. Uz to, lokalno stanovništvo pozitivno percipira utjecaj outdoor turizma na razvoj lokalne zajednice, a na sklonost preporuci destinacije od strane outdoor turista značajno utječu outdoor događaji. Rezultati znanstvenog istraživanja i njime generirane spoznaje, prezentirane u doktorskoj disertaciji, doprinose unaprjeđenju teorijskih dostignuća iz područja koncepcije i strategije ekonomske, sociokulturne i ekološke održivosti razvoja u turizmu, koji konkretiziraju učinak pozitivnog djelovanja outdoor turizma na destinaciju i pojedinačnih dionika kroz spektar poduzetništva., The field of entrepreneurship in outdoor tourism is the main subject of this dissertation with the aim of expanding the scientific and application aspects of the competitiveness of the destination based on the innovation of the outdoor offer and promotion. The scientific research carried out at the theoretical and application level implies the model of conception of the development of outdoor tourism at the level of the destination and its stakeholders. The development of entrepreneurship in outdoor tourism is presented in the dissertation in the concept and strategy of development as an integral part of the model concept, which consists of a development concept, development strategy, development system and business policy (Stipanović, 2006). In the development concept model, the dissertation connects all development agents, considers the role of tourists in outdoor product preferences and willingness to recommend the destination, examines locals when considering the benefits of outdoor tourism for their development, and explores the role of all stakeholders in management. The application research was conducted on the island of Krk, because the island of Krk can offer the entire content of the tourist map in this segment and includes the related elements of the offer to the entrepreneurial activities of outdoor tourism. The entrepreneurial activities of the stakeholders in the development of outdoor tourism on the island of Krk include the local government and self-government, the umbrella organization of destinations, the destinations of towns and municipalities, local travel agencies, specialized agencies, hoteliers and private landlords of accommodation, associations, suppliers of sports equipment, small and medium entrepreneurs accompanying facilities and activities. Under the aspect of the research problem, the objectives are defined in conceptual, empirical and application terms. On the scientific side, the conceptual part of the research includes the following:  Defining the theoretical determinants of the model concept for the development of outdoor tourism at the destination level.  Defining the theoretical characteristics of outdoor tourism, its contents and related sub-types.  Defining dimensions of outdoor tourism  Differentiation of outdoor tourism from other forms of tourism whose activities take place in outdoor spaces  Description of the main trends of outdoor tourism from the perspective of their impact on the destination competitiveness  Systematization of outdoor tourism in the role of entrepreneurial activity  Analysis of the importance of entrepreneurship in the innovation of the outdoor offer  Description of the impact of the innovation of the tourist offer and promotion on the competitiveness In the empirical and application part of the research, the research objectives consist in:  Examination of the competitiveness of outdoor tourism on the island of Krk  Research of the competitiveness of the main providers of outdoor offers  Research of entrepreneurial opportunities for the development of outdoor tourism  Analyzing natural and infrastructural resource bases of outdoor tourism  Analyzing the perception of key stakeholders abot the development of outdoor tourism  Analyzing the perception of locals about the development of outdoor tourism  Analyzing tourists' attitudes towards outdoor tourism as a destination and the ability to recommend the destination to others  Defining future goals and action strategies for the development of outdoor tourism  Elaboration of a future scenario for the development of outdoor tourism on the island of Krk  Elaboration of proposals for improving the management of the development of outdoor tourism at all levels Based on the theoretical and empirical knowledge of the research concept, the main hypothesis is formulated as follows: H1: The model concept for the development of entrepreneurship and strategic development of the outdoor offer based on synergy and innovation of stakeholders (entrepreneurs) has a positive impact on the competitiveness of tourism. Since the main hypothesis contains more relatively independent relationships between different variables, it is necessary to formulate several auxiliary hypotheses with it: H1A: The synergy of stakeholders has a positive effect on the innovation of the outdoor tourist offer. H1B: The development of outdoor tourism supply has a statistically significant impact on the perception of outdoor tourism by residents (both for the development of the destination and for the participation of the local residents in the creation of the outdoor supply, increasing the employability and benefits for the local population). H1C: Outdoor events and accompanying outdoor tourism offerings have a statistically significant impact on destination recommendation preference by outdoor tourists. Based on the established hypotheses, an empirical survey was conducted in two phases, where in the first phase the data was collected based on two focus groups with relevant stakeholders, while in the second phase it was resorted to the collection of quantitative data with three groups of respondents on the island of Krk: stakeholders, the resident population and tourists. The target group of stakeholders for the implementation of the questionnaires are the relevant parties for outdoor tourism on the island of Krk within the Primorje and Gorski kotar County - the umbrella tourist board, the tourist boards of the municipality and towns, entrepreneurs (sports equipment rentals, excursions, carriers, etc.), specialized tourism agencies, restaurateurs and sponsors of tourist events. The realized sample consists of a total of 873 respondents, of which 238 are businesses (including tourist boards), 333 are respondents within the local community, and 302 are outdoor tourists. Potential respondents were selected by collecting business contacts and the “snowball“ method. Considering the practical needs and the relatively small number of relevant participants, the sample is worth remembering, but still the results are valid because the relevant participants were included in the sample in sufficient numbers. Following the data collection phase, statistical data processing was conducted. Statistical data processing included data descriptions, testing the statistical significance of differences, and hypothesis testing. In order to deal systematically with the aforementioned topics, the dissertation consists of 7 units. In the first, introductory part of the dissertation, the main objectives of the theoretical and applied research are defined, the hypotheses for the purpose and the expected scientific contribution are defined. In the second part of the dissertation, the theoretical structure of the development of the concept of development in outdoor tourism is described as a document consisting of an analysis of the current situation, goals and operational strategies that define the development guidelines for the future. In the third part, outdoor tourism is processed in the definition of the term and the dimensions of differentiation of outdoor tourism from other specific forms of tourism are determined. The systematic review of literature found that outdoor tourism is a broader term than nature tourism, ecotourism, recreation and adventure tourism. This chapter also describes the main trends in outdoor tourism, highlighting the use of high technologies such as VR and AR, whose influence will determine the development of outdoor tourism in the future. The fourth part of the dissertation is about the application implementation of the research, where three groups of respondents, stakeholders, tourists and resident population were used to implement empirical objectives. The results of a group of stakeholders show that the role of synergy of all stakeholders in the creation, innovation and promotion of the outdoor tourism offer has a positive effect on creating a competitive advantage of the destination. Private sector stakeholders (entrepreneurs, restaurateurs, hoteliers) are perceived as playing the greatest role in the competitiveness of outdoor tourism, in contrast to tourist boards and local authorities, whose role is considered to be less important. Tourist agencies and tourist boards work more on new offers than the others, which is consistent with the H1A hypothesis. In the fifth part, the key resources of the island of Krk are presented, which have an impact on the creation of comparative and competitive advantages, highlighting the prerequisites of nature and the characteristics of the space suitable for the development of tourism activities on land, in the water or in the air. In this chapter the analysis of the current situation was conducted and the evaluation of the offer, the SWOT analysis, and the PESTLE analysis. The outdoor events take the fundamental recognition of the destination in outdoor tourism, and the island of Krk achieves the greatest competitive advantage through outdoor water activities. In addition, local people positively perceive the impact of outdoor tourism on local community development, and preference for destination recommendation by outdoor tourists is significantly influenced by outdoor events. Locals view all stakeholders positively, but at the same time estimate that opportunities for all stakeholders are higher than their current level of engagement. Most believe that outdoor tourism can have a positive impact on local employment, but there is also some concern about the potential devastation of destinations and especially traffic problems that outdoor tourism can develop. The results of the tourist group analysis show that sports facilities and outdoor events are important aspects of outdoor offerings that significantly influence the destination recommendation preference of outdoor tourists. The importance of outdoor event offerings on tourists' propensity to recommend the destination is an important indicator of outdoor event quality. From the research findings, i.e., the testing of the hypothesis and the subsidiary hypotheses, an important role of tourism agencies and tourist board systems is evident, which in some respects is even greater than the role of outdoor entrepreneurs themselves, especially in the field of promotion and creation and innovation of outdoor offers. The role of local authorities in the development of outdoor tourism is perceived as the least of all other stakeholders, but the perceived potential of local authorities is relatively high. In the sixth part of the dissertation, strategic objectives for the development of outdoor tourism were established, defining the innovation of the offer, promotion and management of the development of outdoor tourism in the destination based on outdoor activities on land, water and air. Following the defined objectives, operational strategies are proposed as a basis for operationalizing the strategic objectives. CRM and business intelligence were identified as new strategic directions on which to base R&D. In the marketing strategy, online marketing channels with a focus on social networks through which video messages are communicated and outdoor influencers are presented as a key mix in value communication. The creation of outdoor tourist clusters defining the northern part of the island for air activities, the central part of the island for land activities and the southern part of the island for water activities are the basis for the innovation of the outdoor offer of the island of Krk. The financial strategy is included in the financial budget for the development of outdoor tourism in the destination, allocating more than 50% of revenues from external funding sources, while the human resources strategy deals with the fact that human resources should function as carriers of the development of outdoor tourism of the island of Krk through the system of planning specialized personnel in outdoor tourism, determining the quality, skills and competencies of human capital and discovering new human resources potential. In this part of the dissertation, before the conclusion, the proposal for the development management is conceived based on the sustainability indicators proposed in the literature for the management of outdoor tourism. In the seventh, concluding part, systematizers are an important consideration of the above, which include the literature, list of images, tables and diagrams with associated adverbs for a better understanding of all the results. The interpenetration of theory and practice in the dissertation is essentially separate, but each part of the empirical section is based on theoretical specifications, quantitative and qualitative indicators, and has anchorage in scientific and practical knowledge. The results of the scientific research and the knowledge gained from it, presented in the dissertation contribute to the improvement of the theoretical achievements in the field of conception and development strategy in tourism, which imply the impact of the positive effect of outdoor tourism on destinations and individual stakeholders through the spectrum of entrepreneurship.

Mobile technologies are evident in all sectors, and this is also a reality in tourism. Tourists are increasingly using their smartphones for different functions and purposes, from planning trips to browsing destinations. Mobile technology is also an ally in outdoor activities. Thus, this study sought to understand, through a systematic review, how mobile technologies are being approached in outdoor tourism literature. The analysis was conducted with twenty-four articles indexed in the Web of Science and published in the last five years (2018–2022). The first finding is the small number of specific articles on outdoor tourism, even when adding the terms nature-based or adventure tourism. The main reasons why outdoor tourists use mobile technology during their activities are communication, navigation, feeling safe, boredom relief, and taking photos Thus, there is a need for more research to better understand the benefits and risks of the use of mobile technology in outdoor activities and most of the analysed articles presented a quantitative approach. This project is being carried out within the scope of the TURNOUT Project Development of Outdoor Tourism of Northern Portugal, POCI-01-0145-ERDF-032289, financed by the European Investment Fund Regional Development (FEDER) through the Operational Program of Competitiveness and Innovation (POCI) and the Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P. (OE). UNIAG, R&D unit funded by the FCT—Portuguese Foundation for the Development of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education; “Project Code Reference: UIDB/04752/2020”. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The definition of tourism has undergone significant changes, and what was previously meant by tourism has been seen from a different perspective in recent decades. For example, new definitions of tourism have emerged, including the development of types of tourism associated with nature-motivated outdoor practices that constitute alternative escape strategies for everyday life. Indeed, the demand for such activities promotes healthier lifestyles and personal well-being and is a way of getting around stress and a sedentary lifestyle. Literature refers to the contact with the natural environment offers numerous benefits, including reducing and preventing hypertension, developing a more remarkable ability to concentrate, satisfying emotional needs, and reducing stress. For women, in particular. Therefore, all the present research is designed to identify the outdoor activities practised in the North of Portugal, the reasons for their practice, and the possible benefits of these outdoor activities to self-perceived health by gender. To this end, a questionnaire survey has been elaborated and applied to the resident population and those visiting the region to practice outdoor activities. The results reinforce previously published results and consolidate the existing theory regarding the type of activities practised and the inherent health benefits. The outdoor activity that respondents mostly practice is walking, and they believe it reduces stress and improves physical and psychological states. However, no statistical differences among gender were found, even if the sample descriptive statistics seemed to follow the direction of the literature results. This project is being carried out within the scope of the TURNOUT Project-Development of Outdoor Tourism of Northern Portugal, POCI-01-0145-ERDF-032289, financed by the European Investment Fund Regional Development (ERDF) through the Operational Program of Competitiveness and Innovation (POCI) and the Foundation for Science and Technology, IP (OE). The authors are also grateful to the UNIAG, R&D unit funded by the FCT—Portuguese Foundation for the Development of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education. “Project Code Reference: UIDB/04752/2020”. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Portuguese municipalities—local public authorities—face several challenges in supporting outdoor tourism. This type of tourism, associated with nature, adventure, religion, culture, health and wellness, represents an alternative to the traditional tourism supply that, together with a high potential to promote the regional economic development overcome seasonality or overtourism phenomena. The northern region of Portugal includes a vast set of municipalities rich in the supply of outdoor tourism activities, which contribute from the financial contribution to private touristic firms to the promotion of local events and traditions and the preservation of the local heritage. This research intends to understand how the northern Portugal municipalities support and manage outdoor tourism, assuming local authorities’ key role. In particular, it aims to understand the importance of this type of tourism on regional governance, how the local heritage contributes to and benefits from the development of outdoor activities, and how are promoted local public policies on this topic. A survey has been prepared and sent to all municipalities in the North of Portugal. The results allow an understanding that not all municipalities are fully aware of the importance of outdoor tourism to local development. However, local authorities have started to find that suitable outdoor tourism governance may positively impact the local economy by promoting the notoriety of the municipality, creating new jobs, fixing the population, and preserving local traditions and heritage. This project is being carried out within the scope of the TURNOUT Project-Development of Outdoor Tourism of Northern Portugal, POCI-01-0145-ERDF-032289, financed by the European Investment Fund Regional Development (ERDF) through the Operational Program of Competitiveness and Innovation (POCI) and the Foundation for Science and Technology, IP (OE). The authors are also grateful to the UNIAG, R&D unit funded by the FCT – Portuguese Foundation for the Development of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education. "Project Code Reference: UIDB/04752/2020". info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Mestrado em Turismo, Inova??o e Desenvolvimento na Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Gest?o do Instituto Polit?cnico de Viana do Castelo O Turismo ? uma das mais importantes ind?strias a n?vel mundial e em Portugal. Um dos seus principais produtos ? o Turismo de Natureza, presente na figura de um dos seus espa?os mais privilegiados, as ?reas Protegidas. Este relat?rio resulta de um est?gio integrado na conclus?o do 2? ano do Mestrado em Turismo, Inova??o e Desenvolvimento do IPVC, cuja entidade de acolhimento foi o Instituto da Conserva??o da Natureza e das Florestas (ICNF). Pretendia-se analisar o Turismo de Natureza (Outdoor) na regi?o Norte, nomeadamente nas ?reas Protegidas existentes no topo do pa?s. Sendo o ICNF uma institui??o fulcral na din?mica ligada ao Turismo de Natureza nestes espa?os, e indo de encontro ?s necessidades do projeto TURNOUT, esta parceria constituiu-se de forma natural e positiva para todos nela envolvidos. Analisando a realidade compreendida entre 2017 e 2019, ? luz de mais de mil autoriza??es requisitadas ao ICNF, concluiu-se que, embora muita informa??o n?o esteja documentada e se acabe por perder, o Turismo Outdoor representa milhares de visitantes no que ao turismo no Norte diz respeito. A natureza da regi?o Norte constitui um espa?o de excel?ncia para a pr?tica das mais variadas atividades associadas a este nicho e deve continuar a ser aposta por parte das entidades que a gerem e das empresas que nela trabalham. O trabalho finaliza-se apresentando sugest?es e recomenda??es de melhoria, com base nas conclus?es retiradas das an?lises aos dados obtidos e na perspetiva de um estudante de Turismo que pretende melhorar e contribuir para o desenvolvimento do Turismo de Natureza na regi?o. Tourism is one of the most important industries worldwide and in Portugal. One of its main products is Nature Tourism, present in the figure of one of its most privileged spaces, the Protected Areas. This report is the result of an internship integrated into the conclusion of the 2nd year of the Master in Tourism, Innovation and Development at IPVC, whose host entity was the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF). It was intended to analyze Nature Tourism (Outdoor) in the North region, namely in the Protected Areas existing at the top of the country. As ICNF is a key institution in the dynamics linked to Nature Tourism in these spaces, and meeting the needs of the TURNOUT project, this partnership was constituted in a natural and positive way for everyone involved in it. Analyzing the reality between 2017 and 2019, in the light of more than a thousand authorizations requested from the ICNF, it was concluded that, although much information is not documented and is ultimately lost, Outdoor Tourism represents thousands of visitors in terms of tourism in the North. The nature of the North region constitutes an excellent space for the practice of the most varied activities associated with this niche and should continue to be invested by the entities that manage it and the companies that work in it. This report ends by presenting suggestions and recommendations for improvement, based on the conclusions drawn from the analysis of the data obtained and from the perspective of a Tourism student who wishes to improve and contribute to the development of Nature Tourism in the region. Projeto TURNOUT - Desenvolvimento do Turismo Outdoor da Regi?o Norte de Portugal, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-032289 financiado pelo Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER), atrav?s do Programa Operacional Competitividade e Inova??o (POCI) e pela Funda??o para a Ci?ncia e a Tecnologia, I.P. (OE)

Outdoor tourism and recreational activities strongly depend on actual meteorological conditions. Traditionally, in three studied regions, the peak of tourists’ streams concentrates in summer months. In the present study, we assess suitability of weather conditions for various forms of outdoor tourism in different regions of Serbia, Poland and Ukraine. Additionally, how the location of the station differentiates temporal patterns of weather suitability will be discussed. To analyse the suitability of weather conditions for various forms of outdoor recreation, we have chosen 23 meteorological stations of the national weather networks which represent different tourism areas and destinations. For each weather station, daily data for the period 2000–2017 of air temperature, relative humidity, total cloud cover and wind speed (at 10 m above ground) for 12 UTC as well as the daily maximum and minimum temperature, precipitation totals and snow cover depth were applied. Suitability of climate for outdoor recreation and tourism is assessed by the Weather Suitability Index (WSI) based on Błażejczyk’s bio-thermal weather classification. The results of research show that passive forms of recreation (sun and air bathing) are preferred mostly in months from May till August or September. For the active forms of recreation, weather in summer months is very oppressive, especially in the resorts located in the south (Serbia, southern Ukraine). Active forms of recreation are preferred there in autumn, winter and spring months. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00484-020-01984-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Methodological challenges are rarely discussed in depth among outdoor adventure tourism scholars. Despite the prevailing quali- tative approaches in this field, and the recognition that the fleet- ingness of the human experience and the non-linearity and unpredictability of the more-than-human world have the power to influence the research process, the messy, negotiated and often contested researcher’s role has been less considered. In addressing this, the aim here is to critically discuss the methodo- logical approach to explorations of the outdoor experiences through deconstructing the researcher’s role. Through renderings of the existentialist propositions of being in the world and a post- structuralist philosophy of fluidity and flux, the attention is granted to embodied experiences as a way of generating knowl- edges. Being situated in the research setting, space is created for interrogation of the processual dimensions of commodified out- door journeys from an emic, researcher-as-tourist perspective. Research in the outdoor scenaria is by no means a linear process but rather a messy, complex and often ruptured journey, further complicated by the ethical concerns, struggles and idiosyncrasies of the researcher. I thus discuss the nuances and complexities of doing the embodied research and the haphazard ways of data collection. In shifting attention to more existential aspects of being in the outdoors through the process of post-experiential reflections, discomfort emerged as a critical quality of the outdoor experience. I thus illuminate the significance of embodied research and epiphenomenal discoveries in the production of new knowledges, to which greater attention, both in theoretical and methodological conversations, should be paid in the future.

Firms working in the outdoor recreational activities supply are influenced by internal and external economic, financial and social aspects, and other external factors, like climate change that affect their financial performance. Although recognising the importance of this emergent tourism type, there is not much research on the factors that affect financial performance in turnout tourism companies, namely, the ones related to corporate governance. Therefore, this study aims to analyse the impact of ownership and management of outdoor tourism companies on their performance, using a set of control variables as the size of firms, their location and their financial leverage. The study focuses on Portuguese firms from which was collect data from 2010 to 2019. The application of an OLS regression shows an inverted-U shaped relationship between the size of a firm’s board and the firm performance and that firms with the largest ownership percentage have higher performance. This situation seems to better control agency problems. This project is being carried out within the scope of the TURNOUT Project- Development ofOutdoor Tourism ofNorthern Portugal, POCI-01-0145-ERDF-032289, financed by the European Investment Fund Regional Development (ERDF) through the Operational Program of Competitiveness and Innovation (POCI) and the Foundation for Science and Technology, IP (OE). The authors are also grateful to the UNIAG, R&Dunit funded by the FCT—Portuguese Foundation for the Development of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education. “Project Code Reference: UIDB/04752/2020”. The SABI database was made available by the Applied Management Research Unit (UNIAG), according to the protocol between UNIAG and COFACE. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Tourism is a vital industry in south European countries, like Portugal, where outdoor tourism is growing. Understanding the macroeconomic importance of outdoor tourism in the Portuguese economy, it is also noticeable there are fewer studies regarding the profitability of outdoor companies. Therefore, this paper investigates the financial determinants influencing the profitability of Portuguese outdoor tourism companies for the period 2010 to 2020. The results from an OLS regression allow finding evidence that companies working capital and financial autonomy are positively related to company performance. Moreover, size is negatively associated with the companies' performance in this industry. Leverage and sales growth seem not relevant to ensuring outdoor companies' profitability. The results also show that companies' location is not important in explaining the performance of outdoor tourism companies. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Purpose: Outdoor tourism is a growing segment that still requires data for planning and management. Aimed to present the potential of the Geographic Information System (GIS) to improve outdoor tourism in the North of Portugal. To achieve this purpose, a case study was conducted on developing a Web-GIS in Northern Portugal. Methodology: Four steps were followed to develop the GIS tool with information about outdoor tourism in the North of Portugal. In the first step, municipalities in the North of Portugal sent information about outdoor activities. In the second step, the data were georeferenced and associated. In the last step, a Web-GIS was developed. Findings: The development of tools is an important source of support for tourism. This study identified that a tool such as the GIS could support a destination's decision-making and promotional processes, besides providing detailed information to the tourist and facilitating travel planning. Practical implications: GIS provides effective planning of outdoor tourism, once this tool allows an effective search of the tourist offer and, from the tourist's perspective, relevant suggestions of visits according to their location are presented, facilitating their experience in the region. Originality: Several studies relate to GIS and tourism, but there is still a gap in specific studies on outdoor activities. So, this study presents the importance of GIS to improve outdoor tourism in the North region of Portugal. Understanding this importance is essential in planning and managing tourism, helping further policymaking and marketing strategies. B913-0565-0908 | Elvira Vieira N/A

Purpose: Outdoor tourism is a growing segment that still requires data for planning and management. Aimed to present the potential of the Geographic Information System (GIS) to improve outdoor tourism in the North of Portugal. To achieve this purpose, a case study was conducted on developing a Web-GIS in Northern Portugal. Methodology: Four steps were followed to develop the GIS tool with information about outdoor tourism in the North of Portugal. In the first step, municipalities in the North of Portugal sent information about outdoor activities. In the second step, the data were georeferenced and associated. In the last step, a Web-GIS was developed. Findings: The development of tools is an important source of support for tourism. This study identified that a tool such as the GIS could support a destination's decision-making and promotional processes, besides providing detailed information to the tourist and facilitating travel planning. Practical implications: GIS provides effective planning of outdoor tourism, once this tool allows an effective search of the tourist offer and, from the tourist's perspective, relevant suggestions of visits according to their location are presented, facilitating their experience in the region. Originality: Several studies relate to GIS and tourism, but there is still a gap in specific studies on outdoor activities. So, this study presents the importance of GIS to improve outdoor tourism in the North region of Portugal. Understanding this importance is essential in planning and managing tourism, helping further policymaking and marketing strategies. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Dissertação de mestrado Submitted by Anabela Novais (anabelanovais@eseig.ipp.pt) on 2021-12-13T11:04:18Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DM_AndreReis_2021.pdf: 20285755 bytes, checksum: 678f50643577f2bbe42cc05ce7aa1889 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2021-12-13T11:04:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DM_AndreReis_2021.pdf: 20285755 bytes, checksum: 678f50643577f2bbe42cc05ce7aa1889 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2021-11-29

Outdoor activities, and in particular hiking activities, are amongst most significant tourism offer in many destinations, becoming even more relevant as COVID-19 pandemic hits Europe. Tourists are increasingly keen to travel to natural, rural and undertourism destinations, with a particular interest on Protected Areas (PAs). In order to provide extraordinary outdoor experiences, as hiking, a diversity of trails with certain infrastructure and general conditions, is critical. Yet, little research has focused on evaluating the existing conditions on a systematic approach, and based on specific assessment instruments. This paper aims at building upon this research gap, by proposing the assessment of the trails and the potential for hiking activities, in Northern Portugal, a tourism destination increasingly known for its natural and green landscape, especially vacacioned for outdoor activities. Given their well preserved landscapes, and natural and cultural resources, protected areas lend themselves as preferred settings for outdoor activities. Therefore, a comparison of existing conditions, inside and outside PAs will be performed. The assessment matrix employed in this study is original and innovative, constructed based on the analysis of related literature, but mostly with contributions from various professionals of outdoor tourism activities. The results of the assessment process are discussed and opportunities for improvement are identified. 8014-1B5A-933A | Goretti Silva info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) was used in order to understand the tourism competitiveness of the different sub-regions that make up the North Region of Portugal. This index is a measure which helps to analyse market concentration and at the same time determines the competitiveness of the market. Uniag, IPB, IPP, IPVC, Porto e Norte, FCT, Compete 2020, Portugal 2020, União Europeia info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Numa altura em que o Mundo é afetado por uma pandemia e as medidas de proteção passam pelo distanciamento social, higienização e desinfeção de espaços e equipamentos, o setor do turismo está exposto a inúmeros obstáculos. A insegurança causada pela pandemia afetou os indicadores do turismo um pouco por todo o Mundo, tornando, portanto, premente a necessidade de aferir o impacto efetivo da COVID-19 no setor do turismo bem como no turismo outdoor, especificamente no Parque Nacional da Peneda Gerês (PNPG), na região da Serra do Gerês. Foi elaborado um estudo de natureza exploratória constituído por análise documental e entrevistas a agentes conhecedores das dinâmicas do PNPG, relativamente à prática de turismo outdoor. Os resultados provenientes do presente estudo apontam para um aumento do número de visitantes do Parque nos meses de verão, sobretudo portugueses, fator este justificável pelas limitações em viajar para o estrangeiro. Devido ao cancelamento de eventos de atividades outdoor, o número de visitantes diminuiu significativamente, sobretudo nos meses de época baixa, contribuindo para o aumento da sazonalidade. Por outro lado, nos meses de época alta, verificou-se que o número de participantes em atividades de turismo outdoor operadas pelas empresas de animação turística aumentou relativamente ao período homólogo do ano anterior., At a time when the world is a ected by a pandemic and protection measures include social distance, sanitation and disinfection of spaces and equipment, the tourism sector is exposed to numerous obstacles. Insecurity caused by the pandemic has a ected tourism indicators all over the world, thus making the need to assess the e ective impact of COVID-19 in the tourism sector as well as in outdoor tourism, speci cally in the Peneda Gerês National Park (PGNP), in Gerês mountain range. An exploratory study was carried out, consisting of documentary analysis and interviews to agents who know the dynamics of the PGNP, in relation to the practice of outdoor tourism. The results from the present study point to an increase in the number of visitors to the Park in the summer months, especially Portuguese, which was to be expected in view of the limitations in traveling abroad. Due to the cancellation of outdoor activities events, the number of visitors decreased signi cantly, especially in the low season months, contributing to the increase in seasonality. On the other hand, in the high season months, it was found that the number of participants in outdoor tourism activities operated by tourist entertainment companies increased compared to the same period of the previous year

Submitted by Anabela Novais (anabelanovais@eseig.ipp.pt) on 2021-07-22T13:45:23Z No. of bitstreams: 1 ART_FernandaFerreira_2021.pdf: 308575 bytes, checksum: 5c64483e0a711a45a5034f386465d426 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2021-07-22T13:45:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ART_FernandaFerreira_2021.pdf: 308575 bytes, checksum: 5c64483e0a711a45a5034f386465d426 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2021 info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Nowadays, the tourism sector presents many opportunities and challenges. Outdoor Tourism (OT), due to the unusual situation experienced by the pandemic caused by COVID-19, maybe one of the main opportunities to promote the local development of tourist destinations. Most of the literature developed in this context has focused the demand side. Therefore, the investigation intended to fill this gap, considering the perspective of the supply side, taking into account a vision of sustainable development. To meet this gap, the main objective is to contribute to the characterization of Outdoor Tourism (OT) in the North of Portugal, and understand the potential of OT in the perspective of supply., thirty-eight tourist entertainment companies (TEC) were interviewed to assess supply and perceived customers’ motivations. Of the seven Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistical Purposes (NUTS), the Northern region was considered to be an area with enormous potential for Nature-related tourist). For the supply side, seasonality and climate were identified as important factors supporting environment preservation. Radical experiences, adventure and getting out of the routine were identified as motivating demand factors, as well as the contact with Nature and the landscape. We have also observed that if we consider the stimulation of the local economy by OT, there is still a lot to do. The evidence pointed to some social imbalance, namely related to employability. Employees were hired according to the evolution of demand, which favours unemployment and social instability. Also, the tourists/costumers are the main channels of communication of the activities; the word-ofmouth (WOM) of costumers’ experiences, personally or through online social media, takes on a prominent role. In this sense, tourists’ online reviews, testimonies, and word-of-mouth can be optimized through social networks and digital marketing. Finally, to evaluate the region's potential for the OT, the interviewees suggested integrating the players involved with the OT into a single network, supporting the activities and promoting the region. The authors would like to thanks the Project “TURNOUT: Desenvolvimento do Turismo Outdoor da Região Norte de Portugal”, with the reference POCI-01-0145-FEDER-032289, and funded by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) (through the Operational Programme ‘Innovation and competitiveness’) and by the Portuguese Foundation for the Development of Science (FCT), of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education. This work is, also, funded by National Funds through the Foundation for Science and Technology under the project UIDB/04752/2020 info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Based on the perception of those responsible for Tourist Entertainment Companies (TEC), the objective of the research is to contribute to the characterization of Outdoor Tourism (OT). Exploratory qualitative research was carried out through 38 in-depth individual interviews. The territory geography, the experiences, and the internal market were considered relevant aspects. In addition, seasonality and climate were identified as significant factors in defining the offer, which can favour the preservation of the environment. Moreover, the risk of the activities was considered low. The interviewees suggested integrating everyone involved in a network to explore the region's potential, as well as to support activities and promote the region. The radical experience, adventure, and getting out of the routine were identified as motivations for the search, as well as contact with nature and the landscape. The research is limited to the North Region of Portugal, and it brings together the most different needs, desires, and expectations for tourism demand. Strengthening OT can favour employability and, consequently, economic and social balance while promotion of the activity can be explored through the customers' previous experience. The evaluations, testimonials, and word of mouth (WOM) being added value that can be optimized through social networks and digital marketing. This project is being carried out within the scope of the TURNOUT Project-Development of Outdoor Tourism of Northern Portugal, POCI-01-0145-ERDF-032289, financed by the European Investment Fund Regional Development (ERDF) through the Operational Program of Competitiveness and Innovation (POCI) and the Foundation for Science and Technology, IP (OE). UNIAG, R&D unit funded by the FCT-Portuguese Foundation for the Development of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education. “Project Code Reference: UIDB/04752/2020”. This project also thanks to the reviewers of the ICTR21 conference for their improvement inputs to the paper. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Purpose: Based on the perception of those responsible for Tourist Entertainment Companies (TEC), the objective of the research is to contribute to the characterization of Outdoor Tourism (OT). Methodology: Through 38 individual in-depth interviews, qualitative research was developed with managers of tourist entertainment companies. The interviews were analyzed according to the supply perspective. Demand motivation, nature, climate, seasonality, experiences, and risk were considered relevant aspects. Findings: The interviewees suggested integrating everyone involved in a network to explore the region's potential, support activities and promote the region. The radical experience, adventure, and getting out of the routine, as well as the contact with nature and the landscape, were identified as motivations for the search. Research limitations: Qualitative research through in-depth interviews is suitable for exploring new knowledge and identifying factors and their respective influences. Although this research work, the results showed that demand is mainly from the domestic market and is focused on the period between May and September (school vacations), making it essential to develop an offer suitable for the domestic market. However, the research is limited to the North Region of Portugal, and it brings together the most different needs, desires, and expectations for tourism demand. Practical Implications: The promotion of the activity can be explored through the customers' previous experience. Therefore, the evaluations, testimonials, and word of mouth (WOM), should be added value that can be optimised through social networks and digital marketing. Originality/value: The supply of complementary services can favour the creation of an integrated network and reinforce the supply chain's competitiveness. Besides, since nature is central to the continuity of activities, economic sustainability can be supported by balancing supply and demand, which results in social harmony without damaging the environment. B913-0565-0908 | Elvira Vieira info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Tourists’ demand for outdoor sport-related activities has been growing in the last decade, leading to the recognition of the outdoor tourism potential of the development of rural and urban areas where the activities could take place. While the literature has recognized this potential, its features and the existing conditions for its practice are often not fully comprehended, mainly due to the lack of measurement systems and performance indicators. This study addresses this gap by proposing a wide-ranging assessment matrix of nine outdoor-related activities, employing northern Portugal as a study area. Based on an exploratory qualitative analysis employing semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders (public, private and third sector), the main contribution of this study lies in the development of the outdoor tourism assessment matrix (OTAM) to collect data. The OTAM matrix aims to identify and assess the conditions, namely the infrastructure and resources, for the practice of outdoor and sport tourism-related activities within the sustainable development pillars. The nine matrices comprising the OTAM allow the identification of the places where the outdoor activities can be practiced, and the conditions under which they can contribute to the definition of the development strategies of outdoor tourism. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Purpose: Based on the perception of those responsible for Tourist Entertainment Companies (TEC), the objective of the research is to contribute to the characterization of Outdoor Tourism (OT). Methodology: Through 38 individual in-depth interviews, qualitative research was developed with managers of tourist entertainment companies. The interviews were analyzed according to the supply perspective. Demand motivation, nature, climate, seasonality, experiences, and risk were considered relevant aspects. Findings: The interviewees suggested integrating everyone involved in a network to explore the region's potential, support activities and promote the region. The radical experience, adventure, and getting out of the routine, as well as the contact with nature and the landscape, were identified as motivations for the search. Research limitations: Qualitative research through in-depth interviews is suitable for exploring new knowledge and identifying factors and their respective influences. Although this research work, the results showed that demand is mainly from the domestic market and is focused on the period between May and September (school vacations), making it essential to develop an offer suitable for the domestic market. However, the research is limited to the North Region of Portugal, and it brings together the most different needs, desires, and expectations for tourism demand. Practical Implications: The promotion of the activity can be explored through the customers' previous experience. Therefore, the evaluations, testimonials, and word of mouth (WOM), should be added value that can be optimised through social networks and digital marketing. Originality/value: The supply of complementary services can favour the creation of an integrated network and reinforce the supply chain's competitiveness. Besides, since nature is central to the continuity of activities, economic sustainability can be supported by balancing supply and demand, which results in social harmony without damaging the environment. 691D-6753-BE59 | Manuel José Serra da Fonseca info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Nowadays, the tourism sector presents many opportunities and challenges. Outdoor Tourism (OT), due to the unusual situation experienced by the pandemic caused by COVID-19, maybe one of the main opportunities to promote the local development of tourist destinations. Most of the literature developed in this context has focused the demand side. Therefore, the investigation intended to fill this gap, considering the perspective of the supply side, taking into account a vision of sustainable development. To meet this gap, the main objective is to contribute to the characterization of Outdoor Tourism (OT) in the North of Portugal, and understand the potential of OT in the perspective of supply., thirty-eight tourist entertainment companies (TEC) were interviewed to assess supply and perceived customers? motivations. Of the seven Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistical Purposes (NUTS), the Northern region was considered to be an area with enormous potential for Nature-related tourist). For the supply side, seasonality and climate were identified as important factors supporting environment preservation. Radical experiences, adventure and getting out of the routine were identified as motivating demand factors, as well as the contact with Nature and the landscape. We have also observed that if we consider the stimulation of the local economy by OT, there is still a lot to do. The evidence pointed to some social imbalance, namely related to employability. Employees were hired according to the evolution of demand, which favours unemployment and social instability. Also, the tourists/costumers are the main channels of communication of the activities; the word-ofmouth (WOM) of costumers? experiences, personally or through online social media, takes on a prominent role. In this sense, tourists? online reviews, testimonies and word-of-mouth can be optimized through social networks and digital marketing. Finally, to evaluate the region's potential for the OT, the interviewees suggested integrating the players involved with the OT into a single network, supporting the activities and promoting the region. 691D-6753-BE59 | Manuel Jos? Serra da Fonseca info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

This paper focuses on the North of Portugal, as a diversified region with unique natural resources, to create information regarding both resources and equipment and business dynamics; the evolution of tourism supply and demand. This research is a part of a project title “TURNOUT: Desenvolvimento do Turismo Outdoor da Região Norte de Portugal”, with the reference POCI-01-0145-FEDER-032289; funded by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) (through the Operational Programme ‘Innovation and competitiveness’) and by the Portuguese Foundation for the Development of Science and Technology (FCT), of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education. This work is, also, funded by National Funds through the Foundation for Science and Technology under the project UIDB/04752/2020. The SABI database was made available by the Applied Management Research Unit (UNIAG), according to the protocol between UNIAG and COFACE. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The northern region of Portugal, in the last years, has experienced the enhancement of tourism demand, which may induce the emergence of an over tourism phenomenon in some particular subregions of the North of Portugal. This phenomenon may cause significant destruction of the living conditions of residents, landscapes, seascapes, air and water quality, causing economic inequalities and social exclusion. The aim of this research paper is to understand if the phenomena of over tourism is present in the North of Portugal and if it changed overtime. The concentration of tourism activity in different municipality subregions can be measured with the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index a well know economic concentration measure. Using as variables the number guest and their expenditure in accommodation, to measure the demand, and the number of establishments, bedrooms and lodging capacity to measure the supply was possible to follow the concentration of tourism demand and supply in the 8 NUTIII regions located in the North of Portugal. The results showed that a specific subregion–Area Metropolitan do Porto–concentrates both the tourism demand and supply in the years 2014 and 2017, despite the increasing values found for all the variables in the 8 subregions. When it is observed a decrease in the levels of concentration are the subregions near by the most concentrate one that increase the share of tourism demand and supply. More rural and less populated areas need more targeted and specific policies measures to attract even more visitors Project “TURNOUT: Desenvolvimento do Turismo Outdoor da Região Norte de Portugal”, with the reference POCI-01-0145-FEDER-032289, and funded by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) (through the Operational Programme ‘Innovation and competitiveness’) and by the Portuguese Foundation for the Development of Science and Technology (FCT), of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education. This work is, also, funded by National Funds through the Foundation for Science and Technology under the project UID/GES/04752/2019. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Outdoor tourism is a form of outdoor holiday that is growing rapidly today, and that stands out from other forms of tourism for its immediate relationship with the landscape which becomes for the tourist the main attraction of the holiday intended as a break from ordinary urban life. Outdoor tourism today represents a growing percentage in the tourism sector, in which mobile homes are the real players. Despite the considerable use of this product in open-air accommodations located in relevant landscapes, there is still no sensitivity in the constructive approach and in the choice of materials in terms of sustainability. In the open-air tourism sector, the lack of ecological sensitivity results from two levels of application: one regarding the whole settlement and the public spaces of outdoor accommodations and one regarding the mobile unit from the design to the production process. This paper will provide some practical strategies to introduce the ecological theme in the mobile home for the tourism sector. The research aims to analyze the production system of mobile homes in order to introduce alternative materials within the existing assembly line. The research demonstrates the possibility of a product being sustainable both economically and environmentally, healthy, and well-integrated with landscape by adopting an approach that makes it possible to use the same assembly line currently in use.

Highlights • Camping—an accommodation and form of recreation—is an understudied tourism sector. • The influence of COVID-19 on future camping consideration was explored. • Recent United States-based leisure travelers were surveyed about COVID-19 (n = 2685). • Camping experience and social distance are related to tent camping and glamping. • Scale of COVID-19 influences tent camping and glamping consideration.

The northern region of Portugal, in the last years, has experienced a growing number of visitors from different countries, which may indicate the emergence of an overtourism phenomenon in some particular municipalities or specific spaces. This phenomenon may cause significant destruction of the living conditions of residents, landscapes, seascapes, air and water quality, causing economic inequalities and social exclusion. The concentration of tourism activity in different municipality regions can be measured with a well know concentration measured, the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index. Using as variables the number and nationality of visitors and their expenditures it is possible to follow the concentration of tourism visitors and expenditure, all over the 8 NUTIII regions located in the Northen of Portugal, and describe the routes of distribution of the tourism indicators from urban to rural areas following a more nature-oriented tourism. The results serve as a dipping compass for more oriented and well-targeted tourism policies. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Having made the transition from a life-time acquired skill to something acquired by the casual tourist through a professional operator, outdoor ‘adventure’ tourism is now one of the fastest growing sectors. After having experienced the initial stages of the development of mass tourism, the tourism market in China is undergoing a period of significant diversification in which outdoor adventure tourism in the form of hiking is also a key growth area. In China the hikers, known as ‘donkey friends’, are growing in numbers and exploring new destinations to engage in short and long distance treks. As a result, whilst outdoor adventure tourism presents itself as a valuable opportunity, its development is constrained by the lack of adequate planning, management and infrastructure, and by the potential negative impacts of overcapacity on fragile ecosystems. In this paper we argue that the Ancient Tea Horse Road (ATHR) – a series of ancient trade and administrative networks criss-crossing Southwest China – could prove to be an excellent foundation for creating a world class hiking infrastructure and a hiking trail that as a brand could attract many domestic and international hikers. It is also a tool for ‘thinking out loud’ the challenges and opportunities that such a proposal presents in the Chinese context thereby giving insights into broader trends in outdoor tourism.

In an era of globalization, the growing number of leisure trips led to mass tourism in a scale prone to generate economic growth. However, and despite the economic impacts, mass tourism can also generate negative impacts on ecological, social and economic terms and a need for a sustainable tourism development has been envisioned. Sustainable tourism is related to a more environmentally friendly tourism, while ensuring viable, long-term economic operations, through providing fairly distributed socio-economic benefits to all stakeholders, including employment and income-earning opportunities. Understanding how sustainable tourism can be developed is important for destinations, to identify regional policies and to potentiate its attractiveness to tourists, who are increasingly looking for cultural and nautical activities and experiences in close contact with nature. The nature activities are appealing to firms, not only because of its potential economic profit, but also because they may require less infrastructures and, thus, less costs. Hence, this paper analyses the financial data of tourism firms operating in nature/adventure, cultural or nautical activities in Northern Portugal. Traditional sustainability measurement tools include non-integrated, regional and integrated indicators/indices. This paper draws the conceptual analysis on measurement of economic sustainability. In particular, here economic sustainability encompasses mainly financial costs and benefits and, thus, a financial analysis is performed. Data on touristic firms in the Northern Portugal, by tourism typology, are collected from the National Tourism Registry and financial data are collected from SABI database. Firms operating in more than one tourism typology were withdrawn. From the registered 732 firms, 9% operate exclusively in nature/adventure tourism; 74% in cultural tourism, and 17% in nautical tourism. A set of indicators of profitability and financial structure and leverage are applied to a sample of 386 firms. However, results show that firms operating in nature tourism do not exhibit the highest levels of profitability 8014-1B5A-933A | Goretti Silva info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion