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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

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