Advances in Tourism, Technology and Systems: Selected Papers from ICOTTS20 , Vol. 1 9813342552, 9789813342552

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Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies 208

João Vidal de Carvalho Álvaro Rocha Pedro Liberato Alejandro Peña   Editors

Advances in Tourism, Technology and Systems Selected Papers from ICOTTS20 , Volume 1

123

Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies Volume 208

Series Editors Robert J. Howlett, Bournemouth University and KES International, Shoreham-by-sea, UK Lakhmi C. Jain, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, Centre for Artificial Intelligence, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

The Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies book series encompasses the topics of knowledge, intelligence, innovation and sustainability. The aim of the series is to make available a platform for the publication of books on all aspects of single and multi-disciplinary research on these themes in order to make the latest results available in a readily-accessible form. Volumes on interdisciplinary research combining two or more of these areas is particularly sought. The series covers systems and paradigms that employ knowledge and intelligence in a broad sense. Its scope is systems having embedded knowledge and intelligence, which may be applied to the solution of world problems in industry, the environment and the community. It also focusses on the knowledge-transfer methodologies and innovation strategies employed to make this happen effectively. The combination of intelligent systems tools and a broad range of applications introduces a need for a synergy of disciplines from science, technology, business and the humanities. The series will include conference proceedings, edited collections, monographs, handbooks, reference books, and other relevant types of book in areas of science and technology where smart systems and technologies can offer innovative solutions. High quality content is an essential feature for all book proposals accepted for the series. It is expected that editors of all accepted volumes will ensure that contributions are subjected to an appropriate level of reviewing process and adhere to KES quality principles. Indexed by SCOPUS, EI Compendex, INSPEC, WTI Frankfurt eG, zbMATH, Japanese Science and Technology Agency (JST), SCImago, DBLP. All books published in the series are submitted for consideration in Web of Science.

More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/8767

João Vidal de Carvalho Álvaro Rocha Pedro Liberato Alejandro Peña •

•

•

Editors

Advances in Tourism, Technology and Systems Selected Papers from ICOTTS20 , Volume 1

123

Editors João Vidal de Carvalho Institute of Accounting and Administration of Porto (ISCAP) Polytechnic Institute of Porto São Mamede de Infesta, Portugal Pedro Liberato School of Hospitality and Tourism Polytechnic of Porto Vila do Conde, Portugal

Álvaro Rocha ISEG University of Lisbon Lisbon, Portugal Alejandro Peña Universidad EIA Envigado, Colombia

ISSN 2190-3018 ISSN 2190-3026 (electronic) Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies ISBN 978-981-33-4255-2 ISBN 978-981-33-4256-9 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. The registered company address is: 152 Beach Road, #21-01/04 Gateway East, Singapore 189721, Singapore

Editorial

This book—Advances in Tourism, Technology and Systems Volume 1—from the SIST Series is composed of the best selected papers accepted for presentation and discussion at the 2020 International Conference on Tourism, Technology and Systems (ICOTTS’20). The ICOTTS is a multidisciplinary conference with a special focus on new technologies and systems in the tourism sector and was held between October 29 and 31, 2020. The ICOTTS’20 was supported by the University of Cartagena, in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, by the School of Hospitality and Tourism, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Portugal, and by AISTI (Iberian Association of Information Systems and Technologies). The International Conference on Tourism, Technologies and Systems is an international forum for researchers and professionals in the tourism sector, which enables the discussion of the latest innovations, trends and concerns in several areas, in the tourism sector, associated with information technologies and systems. It is an event for professionals in the sector, in search of technology solutions, where academics, IT experts and business managers meet to discuss new ideas that help them maximize the potential of tourism business through technology. The ICOTTS’20 Scientific Committee is composed of a multidisciplinary group of 137 experts who assessed some 190 papers from 28 countries, received for each of the main topics proposed for the conference: a) technology in tourism and tourism experience; b) smart destinations; c) digital marketing applied to tourism and travel; d) mobile technologies applied to sustainable tourism; e) research in the area of tourism to provide innovative solutions to social problems; f) tourism, well-being and hospitality; g) information technologies in tourism; h) digital transformation of tourism business; i) travel for health and well-being; j) information technologies in ecotourism and agrotourism; k) information technologies in food tourism; l) information technologies in education and educational tourism; m) e-tourism and tourism 2.0; n) big data and travel and tourism management; o) robotics in tourism; p) resilience and tourism; q) dark tourism; and r) military tourism.

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Editorial

The papers accepted for presentation and discussion at the conference are published by Springer and will be submitted for indexing by ISI, SCOPUS, EI-Compendex, Google Scholar and SpringerLink. We thank all those who contributed to the ICOTTS’20 conference (authors, committees, workshop organizers and sponsors). We deeply appreciate your involvement and support, which were crucial to the success of the conference. October 2020

João Vidal Álvaro Rocha Pedro Liberato Alejandro Peña

Contents

Drivers of Productivity in the Portuguese Nature Tourism Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eleonora Santos, Inês Lisboa, Jacinta Moreira, and Neuza Ribeiro Decentralized Application for the Classification of Hotels Based on IPFS and Blockchain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carlos Hernan Cardona Taborda, Julian Gonzalez Vazquez, Carlos Enrique Montenegro Marin, and Paulo Gaona Garcia Study on the Agricultural Products of the Towns Loja and Catamayo as a Historical Contribution on the Ecuadorian Gastronomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mauricio Patricio Artieda-Ponce, Johanna Katherine Macas-Mogrovejo, Patrcia Marisol Chango-Cañaveral, and Pablo Alejandro Quezada-Sarmiento Virtual Reality as Tool for Resilient Tourism Companies . . . . . . . . . . . Mario Rojas Sánchez and Pedro Palos-Sanchez

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Society 5.0 as a Contribution to the Sustainable Development Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maria da Conceição da Costa Tavares and Graça Maria do Carmo Azevedo

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The Impacts of Sport Tourism Events: The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series Case in the Azores Islands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Melissa Avelar, Áurea Sousa, and António Menezes

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Measuring Tourism in Natural Parks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Iria Dios-Murcia, Jaime Leirós-de-Velasco, and Yolanda Pena-Boquete

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Results ComOn Project: Bulgaria, Poland, Portugal and Spain . . . . . . . Maria João Castro and Paula Peres

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Activating Templar Heritage: Tourism, Narrative Strategies and Information Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Célio Gonçalo Marques, Hermínia Sol, João Pedro, Lígia Mateus, Hélder Pestana, João Pinto Coelho, and Manuela Silva

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A Roadmap for Integrated Green Health EcoTourism Infrastructures, Safe Cultural Heritage Experience and AgriTourism Destinations in the Post Covid-19 Pandemic Era . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Tilemachos K. Koliopoulos, Panagiotis Kouloumbis, Krystyna Ciarkowska, Jacek Antonkiewicz, and Florian Gambus The Relevance of Internet as an Information Source on the Accessible Tourism Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Celeste Eusébio, Leonor Teixeira, Andreia Moura, Elisabeth Kastenholz, and Maria João Carneiro The Influence of Tourist Photographic Narratives and Communication on Social Networks from the Perspective of Creative Tourism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 Annaelise Fritz Machado, Bruno Barbosa Sousa, Frederico Ferreira de Oliveira, and Alexandra Maria de Abreu Rocha Competitiveness of the Travel and Tourism Industry in Latin America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Carmen Luisa Vásquez and Carlos Llorach Analysis of the T&T Industry Competitiveness Index for Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru for the Period 2007–2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 Carmen Luisa Vásquez, Cristian Picon, and Erick Guerra Alemán Social Consciousness and Critical Thinking: Reconciling Social Entrepreneurship and Transformative Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Karla Nunes Penna and Silvana Pinto Campelo Role of the Industry 4.0 in the Wine Production and Enotourism Sectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 Jéssica Sá, Luís Pinto Ferreira, Teresa Dieguez, José Carlos Sá, and F. J. G. Silva Popular Sweets in Douro Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181 Ricardo Ferreira de Almeida and Ana Branca Carvalho Supply Diversification and Coopetition in Rural Tourism . . . . . . . . . . . 192 Hugo Machado, Laurentina Vareiro, Idalina Caldas, and Bruno Sousa Residents’ Perceived Impacts of LGBT Tourism: A Cluster Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207 Sónia Silva and Laurentina Vareiro

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Sport Tourism Event and Perceived Economic Impacts: The Case of World Bodyboard Championship 2018, Viana do Castelo, Portugal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223 A. I. Correia, A. Nunes, G. Silva, P. O. Fernandes, J. Moreira, and L. A. Soares The Potential of Nautical Tourism as a Strategic Product for Regional Tourism Development: The Case of Alto Minho and Esposende, Northwest Portugal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234 Filipe F. Taveira, Alexandra I. Correia, Goretti Silva, and Joel Pereira Analyzing Tourism Agents’ Perceptions of the Use of Artificial Intelligence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245 H. A. Sampaio, A. I. Correia, C. Melo, L. Brazão, and S. Shehada A Framework for Customer-Oriented Solution Applied to the Tourism Sector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255 Firmino Oliveira da Silva The Importance of Cycling Sports in Regional Tourism – The Case of Volta a Portugal em Bicicleta, Mondim de Basto Stage . . . . . . . . . . . . 266 André Costa, Paula Odete Fernandes, and João Paulo Teixeira Maturity Models as Instruments for the Optimization of Electronic Business in the Tourism Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278 Diogo Lopes, João Vidal Carvalho, and Célia Talma Gonçalves Positive and Negative Social-Cultural, Economic and Environmental Impacts of Tourism on Residents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288 Fernanda A. Ferreira, Conceição Castro, and Ana Sofia Gomes Using Customer Segmentation to Build a Hybrid Recommendation Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299 Pedro Camacho, Ana de Almeida, and Nuno António Senior Tourism Activities and Interests in the Azores as a Destination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309 Osvaldo Silva, Teresa Medeiros, Ana Isabel Moniz, Licínio Tomás, José Mendes, and Virgílio Vieira Senior Tourism: Concerns and Satisfaction with the Trip . . . . . . . . . . . 320 Teresa Medeiros, Osvaldo Silva, Sheila Furtado, and Carlos Santos Jellyfish Swarms and Degree of Exposure and Vulnerability of Recreational and Tourist Activities on Beaches. Methodological Approach to Their Assessment in the Lagos-Ferrara Sector (Málaga, Spain) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331 Francisco José Cantarero Prados and Alejandro Miguel Moreno Portillo

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Accessible Tourism: Stakeholders Perspective in the City of Braga . . . . 341 Idalina Caldas, Bruno Sousa, Hugo Sampaio, Laurentina Vareiro, and Hugo Machado Is Wine Tourism a Niche Tourism? Antecedents and Consequences of Wine as a Niche Tourism, a Conceptual Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353 Vasco Ribeiro Santos, Paulo Ramos, and Bruno Barbosa Sousa Sports and Emotions in Tourism Marketing Management: A Preliminary Study in Football in Portugal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363 Ana João Peixoto and Bruno Barbosa Sousa Movie Tourism and Attracting New Tourists in the Post-pandemic Period: A Niche Marketing Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373 Bruno Sousa, Alexandra Malheiro, Dália Liberato, and Pedro Liberato The Four Dimensions of Tourist Experience: A Comparative Analysis Between Camping and Glamping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385 Diana Lopes, Filipa Brandão, Zélia Breda, and Rui Costa Blockchain Towards Supply Chain Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396 António Abreu, Ana Paula Afonso, and João Freitas Weather Variability Control in Three Colombian Airports . . . . . . . . . . 408 Karen Vargas-Daza, Giovanny Misat-Gómez, and Dionisio Neira-Rodado Usability and Accessibility of Institutional Websites in Demarcated Wine Regions: The Cases of Vinhos Verdes and Douro . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415 Eusébio Costa, Fátima Matos Silva, Isabel Borges, Agostinho Sousa Pinto, and António Abreu Gamification, Serious Games and Simulations: Experiences and Contributions of International Projects in Higher Education . . . . . 430 Paulino Silva and Anabela Mesquita The Laboratory of the Forest: Social, just and Sustainable Management of the Amazon on Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 439 Karla Nunes Penna and Camilla Miranda Figueiredo Nature-Based Tourism Travel Planning: A Generational Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450 Carla Silva, Juliana Marques, and José Luís Abrantes The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Tourism Industry: A Systematic Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458 Arnaldo Borges Pinheiro, Agostinho Sousa Pinto, António Abreu, Eusébio Costa, and Isabel Borges The Restrictions on Travel of Elderly Tourists and Their Mitigation by Facilitators and Negotiation Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 470 Maria Carlos Lopes, Dália Liberato, Elisa Alén, and Pedro Liberato

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Exploring Pilgrim’s Satisfaction and Emotions Derived from the Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage Route . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 479 Suzanne Amaro, Bruno Barbosa Sousa, and Tânia Gomes Creative Industrial Tourism in Alentejo: The Case of the Estremoz Anticlinal Marble Route’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 487 Maria do Rosário Borges, Noémi Marujo, Armando Quintas, Carlos Filipe, and Jaime Serra Wine and Food Tourism Gamification. Exploratory Study in Peso da Régua . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 497 Dália Liberato, Marta Nunes, and Pedro Liberato Crossing Borders in Cultural Heritage Management Training in Higher Education – The Case of E-Cul-Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 509 Sandra Vasconcelos, Elisabeth Kastenholz, Maria João Carneiro, and Conceição Cunha The Strategic Management Process in a Border Destination: The Eurocity Chaves-Verín . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 518 Dália Liberato, Anabela Peixoto, and Pedro Liberato A Content Analysis of Social Media in Tourism During the Covid-19 Pandemic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 532 Ana Paula Camarinha, António José Abreu, Maria José Angélico, Amélia Ferreira da Silva, and Sandrina Teixeira A Longitudinal Study About Mobile Applications in the Tourism Sector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 547 Sandrina Teixeira, Maria José Angélico, António José Abreu, and Ana Paula Camarinha Smuggling Tourism in the North of Portugal and Galicia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557 Pedro Liberato, Mariana Ferreira Torres, and Dália Liberato Resident-Tourist Relationship and Tourismphobia: The Case of Porto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 569 Laurentina Vareiro, Raquel Mendes, and Diogo Cardoso Author Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 581

About the Editors

João Vidal de Carvalho is Adjunct Professor at the Institute of Accounting and Administration of Porto, Polytechnic of Porto (Portugal). He completed postdoctorate in Technologies and Information Systems from the University of Coimbra (Portugal), PhD in Information Systems and Technology from the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain), MSc in Information Technology Management from the University of Minho (Portugal), and Bachelor in Computer Science. He is an effective member of the CEOS.PP Research Center—Center for Organizational and Social Studies of the Polytechnic of Oporto—and member of LIACC Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science Laboratory—FEUP. He is a member of the Iberian Systems and Information Technology Association (AISTI) and Conference Chair of the ICOTTS 2019—the 2019 International Conference on Tourism, Technology and Systems. He published some books in computer science/database management. He is a scientific committee member of several conferences in the area of information systems and technologies. Álvaro Rocha holds the title of Honorary Professor and holds a D.Sc. in information science, Ph.D. in information systems and technologies, M.Sc. in information management and BCS in computer science. He is Professor of Information Systems at the University of Lisbon, President of AISTI (the Iberian Association for Information Systems and Technologies), Chair of the IEEE Portugal Section Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society Chapter, and Editor-in-Chief of both JISEM (Journal of Information Systems Engineering & Management) and RISTI (Iberian Journal of Information Systems and Technologies). Moreover, he has served as Vice-Chair of Experts for the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 program and as Expert at the COST—intergovernmental framework for European Cooperation in Science and Technology, at the Government of Italy’s Ministry of Education, Universities and Research, at the Government of Latvia’s Ministry of Finance, at the Government of Mexico’s National Council of Science and Technology, and at the Government of Polish’s National Science Centre.

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About the Editors

Pedro Liberato is Professor of tourism, specializing in tourism destinations management, tourism planning and tourism marketing, at the School of Hospitality and Tourism, Polytechnic of Porto. Currently, he coordinates the Tourism and Leisure Department and the master’s degree in tourism management in the same school. His main research interests are tourism management, tourism planning, e-tourism, ICT in tourism and tourism marketing. Alejandro Peña is part of the academic staff in EIA University in the areas of management, finance and computer science. He has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, a master’s degree in systems engineering, and a Ph.D. in engineering and is Postdoctoral Researcher focused on machine learning. Mr. Peña has developed several researches and publications in advanced topics related to computational intelligence and machine learning, in fields such as financial risk, decision management, precision agriculture and other areas related to computer science.

Drivers of Productivity in the Portuguese Nature Tourism Industry Eleonora Santos(&) , Inês Lisboa , Jacinta Moreira and Neuza Ribeiro

,

School of Technology and Management, Centre of Applied Research in Management and Economics, Polytechnic of Leiria, Leiria, Portugal [email protected]

Abstract. Considering the importance of tourism to the world economy, productivity measurement has been raising increasing interest in academia and recognized as critically important for the understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the tourism sector. Thus, this paper analyses the determinants of firm-level labor productivity of Portuguese nature tourism firms. A fixed effects model was used to analyze the impact of physical capital, human capital, firm size, innovation, competition and agglomeration economies on labor productivity of Portuguese nature tourism firms, for 2014–2017. The sample comprises 369 firms, representing 55% of firms operating in nature tourism in the mainland. Results show that labor productivity is driven by physical capital, suggesting that human resources in nature tourism are more productive when helped by machinery and equipment, for example information technology. By contrast, the negative impact of the number of employees on labor productivity may be triggered by inefficiencies, due to dysfunctions in tourism services with excess of personnel. Also, and in the case of Algarve, the presence of agglomeration economies may hinder labor productivity. Indeed, the existence of many tourism firms in the region and, therefore, several employment opportunities, might dampen the incentive to increase productivity on the part of employees in nature tourism firms. These results can be of significant use to further understand the various dimensions of tourism management. Keywords: Productivity


Regional analysis
Tourism

1 Introduction Tourism involves a growingly wide range of stakeholders, activities, and types of firms [1, 2]. The spatial agglomeration of tourism activities has an impact on regional growth [3]. However, even when conducted at a regional level, the spatial issues are very often ignored in tourism studies. The tourism sector is of critical importance in the national and regional economy of Portugal. According to Travel BI, the number of guests in tourist accommodation in 2019 reached 27 million and, according to Pordata, in 2018, This paper is financed by National Funds of the FCT – Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology within the project «UIDB/04928/2020» . © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 1–11, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_1

2

E. Santos et al.

the number of guests was nearly 25.3 million, of which 22.9 million in the mainland. Yet, the distribution of guests is uneven: Lisbon and North capture a share of 51% in 2018, followed by Algarve (19%) and the Centre (15%). Madeira and Alentejo attracted 6% of guests each, and Azores captured 3% of guests. Considering the importance of tourism to the world economy, productivity measurement has been raising increasing interest in academia and recognized as critically important, since it is an important indicator for understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the tourism sector [4]. Still, to make comparisons across industries, productivity has been measured by a raw tool of ‘inputs and outputs’ (e.g., hours worked and turnover). The tourism industry has different challenges regarding productivity, and it is often reported as having low productivity when compared to other industries [5]. Significant productivity differences between firms have been reported at regional level in Portugal [6]. On the other hand, empirical evidence on the regional performance of the Portuguese firms are scarce. The analysis of determinants of labor productivity at regional level is key to understand the relationship between tourism and economic development. This paper attempts to fill the existing gap by testing the impact of several determinants on the labor productivity of nature tourism firms across regions. The remainder of the paper is organized as follows. Section 2 presents the empirical literature on the drivers of productivity. Section 3 describes the data and methodology. Results are reported in Sect. 4; and Sect. 5 concludes.

2 Literature Review Firm-specific characteristics (e.g. physical capital, human capital and size), industrial structure (e.g., innovation) and regional characteristics (e.g., competition and agglomeration economies) can explain, at least in part, firms’ performance [7, 8]. Physical Capital - A study for Greece [9], in 1995–1999, found that that investments in physical capital are related with productivity growth. Moreover, another study [10] for 45 countries, in 1980–2005, found a positive and significant role of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) investment on labor productivity growth. A third study [11] for 74 countries, in 1950–2010, found that labor productivity is stagnant with physical capital stagnation. Other study [12] for South-Eastern European countries, in 2000–2017, confirmed that changes in productivity are explained by changes in gross fixed capital formation. Human capital - Several studies, using firm-level data, found that training have a positive and significant impact on firms’ productivity [13, 14]. On study [15] examining the Asia-Pacific region, in 1980–2014, found that human capital has a significant impact on labor productivity. Another study [16], using an autoregressive-distributed lag technique, found that education has a significant positive impact on labor productivity in Iranian firms, in 1974–2014. Firm size - Efficiency advantages may arise in larger firms [17]. A study for 8 African countries [18] concluded that productivity is positively correlated with firm size. Another study [19], using data from Tunisian manufacturing firms, for the 1998– 2004, found that small firms fail to achieve economies of scale. However, another study [20] found a U-shape relationship between firm size and efficiency.

Drivers of Productivity in the Portuguese Nature Tourism Industry

3

Innovation – A study [21] suggests that regional innovation may prompt externalities that lead to agglomeration economies. A second study [20] for the hotel sector in Spain, in 1999–2007, showed that innovation impacts on the productivity, but the magnitude depends on the geographic location. Moreover, a third study [22] on Pakistani Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), in 1980–2013, found a causal relationship among innovation and firm growth. Competition - The competitive environment plays a key role on productivity growth [23, 24], by boosting innovation rates, reducing costs and improving efficiency. Cross section regression analysis for the 35 NUTS-3 regions of Austria performed by a study [24] showed that regions with high-competitive pressure display above-average productivity levels. Another study [25] for the hospitality industry in Spain, in 1996– 2004, suggested that increases in competition (measured by the touristic intensity) have a positive impact on labor productivity growth. However, using regional data for the period 1996–2004, another study [26] for Spanish hotels found that increases in the number of hotels affected negatively productivity growth. Agglomeration Economies – A study [27] for Egypt, using 342 firms in 27 regions, showed that SMEs are more likely to benefit from agglomeration than large firms.

3 Methodology 3.1

Data

The initial research of nature tourism firms in National Tourism Registry delivered 1023 touristic agents. There was a need to collect financial data from the SABI database financial reports. However, since SABI does not provide financial reports of entrepreneurs, 343 tourism agents were withdrawn. As a result, 428 firm reports were obtained. Because Quadros do Pessoal do not provide information regarding the qualification level of employees for the Islands, 14 firms located in Madeira and Azores were withdrawn. After the data cleaning procedure, the sample comprises 369 naturebased firms. Thus, the sample represents 55% of total firms operating in nature tourism in the mainland, in 2014–2017. The sample size grants the reliability of conclusions at 95% level of confidence. All nominal variables are deflated by the respective price index, obtained in the PORDATA database. The sectors with no specific deflator (e.g., some services) are deflated by the consumer price index (CPI). Missing values in the sample were filled by multiple imputation on Stata 13.0. Table 1 resumes the proxies and the expected sign as well as data sources. 3.2

Model Specification

The labor productivity is directly derived from an aggregate Cobb-Douglas type production function, where both sides are divided by labor (L). Taking logarithms and adding the control variables, the model is

4

E. Santos et al. Table 1. Proxies and expected sign

Independent Proxy variable Physical capital (K) Tangible assets - depreciation Human capital (H) Number of employees with at least a degree at sectoral level Firm size Number of employees (B) and turnover (Y) Innovation (INOV) Share of firms with innovation activities at sectoral level overnight stays per 100 Competition [touristic intensity inhabitants at regional level (TI)] Agglomeration firm density (FD) for each region Economies Source: Authors’ elaboration

Expected sign + +

Data source SABI Quadros do Pessoal

+

SABI

+ +

Community Innovation Survey (2014–2016) PORDATA

+

PORDATA

lnðPRODijrt Þ ¼ b0 þ b1 lnðKijrt Þ þ b2 lnðHjrt Þ þ ð3 lnðBijrt Þ þ ð4 lnðYijrt Þ þ b5 lnðINOVjrt Þ þ b6 lnðTIrt Þ þ b7 lnðFDrt Þ þ eijrt

ð1Þ

Where, i, j, r and t denote firm, sector, region and time. The independent variables are described in Table 1. The balanced panel data set includes 369 firms for the 4 years in a total of 1476 observations (see Table 5 in the appendix for basic statistics). The Hausman test was the criterion for choosing between fixed and random effects. Thus, the labor productivity was regressed on its drivers using the a fixed-effects model in Stata 13.0. The three-sigma rule of thumb method is applied to define outliers. Table 5 (in the appendix) shows that none of the variables log-transformed falls outside of 3 standard deviations. As the study employs panel data it is expected that the result will not be affected by multicollinearity, which was confirmed by the application of the Variance Inflation Factor.

4 Results and Discussion Table 2 shows the regression results for models 1, 2, 3 and 4. For the full model, and as expected, the contribution of physical capital is statistically and positively related to firm productivity (0.01, p < 0.001). Also, the sign of the impact of firm size on labor productivity is confirmed when measured by turnover (1.00, p < 0.001). However, when firms size is measured by the number of employees, results report a negative impact (−1.00, p < 0.001) on labor productivity, suggesting service inefficiencies when the number of employees increase in the nature tourism firms. Contrary to what was expected, models 2 and 4 suggest that agglomeration economies exert a negative (−0.09, p < 0.05) and significant impact on labor productivity. The determinants

Drivers of Productivity in the Portuguese Nature Tourism Industry

5

human capital, innovation and competition do not appear to exert a significant impact on labor productivity for 2014–2017. Table 2. Regression results for the whole sample (1) (2) (3) (4) Ln(K) 0.0125*** 0.0125*** 0.0123*** 0.0123*** (4.24) (4.26) (4.20) (4.22) Ln(H) 0.00440 0.00428 (0.78) (0.76) Ln(B) −1.000*** −1.000*** −1.000*** −1.000*** (−172.60) (−172.71) (−172.71) (−172.82) Ln(Y) 1.009*** 1.009*** 1.009*** 1.009*** (241.24) (244.68) (241.50) (244.80) Ln(INOV) −0.0236 −0.0246 −0.0141 −0.0147 (−0.33) (−0.35) (−0.20) (−0.21) Ln(TI) −0.00371 −0.00164 (−0.17) (−0.08) Ln(FD) −0.0934 −0.101* −0.0880 −0.0913* (−1.51) (−2.29) (−1.43) (−2.17) _cons 0.270 0.274 0.241 0.243 (0.83) (0.84) (0.75) (0.76) N 1082 1082 1082 1082 adj. 0.986 0.986 0.986 0.986 Notes: Statistics in parentheses * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001. k - physical capital, h - human capital, b and y - labor and turnover (proxies of firm size), INOV - innovation, ti - touristic intensity (as a proxy for competition), and fd - firm density (proxy for agglomeration economies. Source: Authors’ calculations in Stata 13.0.

Table 3 show the regression results by region, for model 1. In model 1, the physical capital only affects significantly the productivity of nature tourism firms located in the North and Alentejo (respectively 0.009 and 0.076, p < 0.01). The sign and magnitudes of the impact of firm size on productivity follow the same pattern of the sample for the entire territory, both measured by turnover and number of employees. However, disaggregating by regions, results uncover a significant impact of regional competition (0.125, p < 0.05) and a negative and significant impact of agglomeration economies (−0.137, p < 0.05) in Algarve. The results of model 2, by regions (Table 6 in the Appendix) show the same pattern of model 1, except for a non-significant impact of regional competition and agglomeration economies in all regions. Results of model 3, by regions (Table 7 in the Appendix) follow the same pattern of model 1, with a significant impact of regional competition (0.126, p < 0.05) and a negative and significant impact of agglomeration economies (−0.143, p < 0.05) in Algarve. Finally, the results of model 4 by regions

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E. Santos et al. Table 3. Regression results of model 1 by NUTS II regions North Centre Lisbon Alentejo Algarve 0.00933** 0.0139 0.00347 0.0763** −0.00180 (3.05) (1.86) (1.51) (3.36) (−0.95) Ln(H) −0.00240 0.0113 0.00651 0.0164 −0.00266 (−0.39) (0.57) (1.60) (0.41) (−0.72) Ln(B) −0.986*** −0.993*** −1.000*** −1.044*** −0.988*** (−189.05) (−69.01) (−198.71) (−21.77) (−260.00) Ln(Y) 0.996*** 1.001*** 1.000*** 1.037*** 0.996*** (226.10) (104.57) (278.50) (42.76) (312.86) Ln(INOV) −0.0133 0.0443 −0.0697 −0.0921 −0.0131 (−0.21) (0.29) (−1.03) (−0.20) (−0.23) Ln(TI) −0.112 −0.101 −0.144 0.0450 0.125* (−0.95) (−0.36) (−0.47) (0.20) (2.21) Ln(FD) 0.585 0.377 0.323 −0.329 −0.137* Ln(K) (0.91) (0.21) (0.45) (−0.31) (−2.11) _cons −1.063 −0.616 −0.433 −0.149 −0.600 (−0.82) (−0.23) (−0.29) (−0.08) (−1.42) N 230 191 271 125 265 adj. R-sq 0.997 0.986 0.997 0.953 0.998 Notes: Statistics in parentheses * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001. k - physical capital, h - human capital, b and y - labor and turnover (proxies of firm size), INOV - innovation, ti - touristic intensity (as a proxy for competition), and fd - firm density (proxy for agglomeration economies. Source: Authors’ calculations in Stata 13.0. Ln(K)

(Table 8 in the Appendix) are like those of model 2, with no influence of competition and agglomeration economies on the labor productivity of nature tourism firms in Algarve. According to a study [10], the divergence in regional productivity can be explained by resource endowment. Results show that labor productivity is driven by physical capital, suggesting that human resources in nature tourism are more productive when helped by machinery and equipment, for example information technology. By contrast the negative impact of the number of employees on labor productivity may be triggered by inefficiencies, due to dysfunctions in tourism services with excess of personnel. In Algarve, the agglomeration economies may hinder labor productivity. The existence of many tourism firms with many employment opportunities, might dampen the incentive to increase labor productivity, with implications for tourism management.

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5 Conclusions and Policy Implications Considering the importance of tourism to the world economy, productivity measurement has been raising increasing interest in academia and recognized as critically important, since it is an important indicator for understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the tourism sector. However, tourism industry has different challenges regarding productivity, and it is often reported as having low productivity when compared to other industries. The management and monitoring of productivity in the tourism sector is much more difficult than in other economic activities due to a lack of accuracy of the measurement of productivity, especially in the service sector. Indeed, substandard service productivity definition and errors in costs and price of the factors have been reported in the sector [28]. Consequently, measurement improvements can be helpful in this regard. This paper is an attempt to fill this gap, by testing the impact of physical capital, human capital, firm size, innovation, competition and agglomeration economies on labor productivity of nature tourism firms located in the mainland, for 2014–2017. Results suggest that human resources in nature tourism are more productive when assisted, for example, by information technology. Thus, capital expansion is predominantly an extensive form of raising firms’ productivity. On the other hand, labor productivity appears to be hindered in firms with excess of personnel. This result seems to corroborate the U-shaped relationship between firm size and efficiency suggested by [20]. In Algarve region, it appears that several employment opportunities, triggered by the presence of high firm density, may be dampening the incentive to increase labor productivity. Practical implications of these results, regarding tourism management, include the choice of firm location in areas under a certain level of firm density and human resources management in nature tourism firms. Indeed, in tourism, more than in other sectors, the location of the activities is crucial for firm performance and for firm internal resources and characteristics [29]. Yet, considerations on human resources management in tourism are of complex nature due to the nature of the rapidly changing business structures, evidenced in the form of partnerships, alliances and franchises, along with multi-employer sites [30]. Indeed, employment in tourism is regarded as being “low-skilled” and is often perceived as low status and limited career [30–32]. In this context, the coordination between the private and government is of key relevance for productivity growth. Government officials can co-operate to assist productivity increases, with specifically tailored measures for small firms. Hence, government officials should focus on promoting especially the acquisition of IT equipment and training for managers on organizational skills in order to avoid the inefficiencies, due to dysfunctions in tourism services with excess of personnel. This could be achieved by providing incentives for training and education, especially in hospitality industry where the lack of skilled personnel is especially notorious in Portugal. Considering the data limitations, we were only able to study the drivers of productivity in nature tourism in relation to mainland Portugal for the period 2014–2017, so it is suggested that in future investigations include the islands of Madeira and Azores in order to obtain a more complete study in the area under analysis. In turn, the fact that only a limited period of time for analysis (2014–2017) was considered does not allow us to draw conclusions in

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terms of the evolution of productivity in nature tourism, suggesting, therefore, a longitudinal study. With analysis of different periods a historical perspective of the phenomenon is also possible. An additional limitation is underlying the non-inclusion of some factors in the study, such as, for example, data on the characteristics of the regions, local government support or heterogeneous tourist resources, which should also be incorporated in future research. An interesting issue to be studied in the future is related to the negative relationship verified between labor productivity and excess staff, which contradicts some of the published works that claim, including that productivity is an effect of the agglomeration of personnel. As such, this seems to be an interesting point that must be studied.

Appendix Table 4. Firms by NUTS II region Region # firms % Total North 79 21 Centre 64 17 Lisbon 101 27 Alentejo 45 12 Algarve 80 22 Total 369 100 Source: Authors’ elaboration

Table 5. Basic statistics (n = 1476) Variable Mean St. Dev. Min. Max Ln(PROD) 3.27 1.18 0 7.49 Ln(K) 2.83 2.06 0 9.64 Ln(H) 9.10 0.76 4.98 10.96 Ln(B) 0.78 0.90 0 4.66 Ln(Y) 3.89 1.84 0 10.61 Ln(INOV) 4.29 0.06 4.08 4.41 Ln(TI) 6.29 1.13 5.12 8.43 Ln(FD) 2.96 1.21 0.92 4.77 Prod – productivity, k - physical capital, h - human capital, b and y - labor and turnover (proxies of firm size), INOV innovation, ti - touristic intensity (as a proxy for competition), and fd - firm density (proxy for agglomeration economies. Source: Authors’ elaboration

Drivers of Productivity in the Portuguese Nature Tourism Industry Table 6. Regression results of model 2 by NUTS II regions North Ln(K)

0.00947** (3.10) Ln(H) −0.00282 (−0.46) Ln(B) −0.986*** (−189.15) Ln(Y) 0.996*** (226.67) Ln(INOV) −0.0138 (−0.22) Ln(FD) −0.0238 (−0.35) _cons 0.134 (0.41) N 230 adj. R-sq 0.997

Centre

Lisbon

Alentejo

Algarve

0.0140 (1.88) 0.0108 (0.55) −0.993*** (−69.37) 1.001*** (104.93) 0.0342 (0.23) −0.274 (−1.28) 0.305 (0.44) 191 0.987

0.00366 (1.61) 0.00649 (1.60) −1.000*** (−199.37) 1.000*** (281.36) −0.0697 (−1.03) −0.0136 (−0.38) 0.253 (0.74) 271 0.997

0.0764** (3.39) 0.0178 (0.45) −1.042*** (−22.15) 1.037*** (43.13) −0.0942 (−0.21) −0.134 (−0.31) −0.0871 (−0.05) 125 0.954

−0.00186 (−0.97) −0.00272 (−0.73) −0.988*** (−257.62) 0.996*** (309.92) −0.0235 (−0.40) −0.00335 (−0.14) 0.146 (0.57) 265 0.998

Notes: Statistics in parentheses * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001. k - physical capital, h - human capital, b and y - labor and turnover (proxies of firm size), INOV - innovation, ti - touristic intensity (as a proxy for competition), and fd - firm density (proxy for agglomeration economies. Source: Authors’ calculations in Stata 13.0.

Table 7. Regression results of model 3 by NUTS II regions North Ln(K)

0.00934** (3.06) Ln(B) −0.986*** (−189.59) Ln(Y) 0.997*** (230.68) Ln(INOV) −0.0138 (−0.22) Ln(TI) −0.115 (−0.98) Ln(FD) 0.591 (0.92) _cons −1.086 (−0.84) N 230 adj. R-sq 0.997

Centre

Lisbon

Alentejo

Algarve

0.0133 (1.80) −0.991*** (−70.65) 1.001*** (104.85) 0.0396 (0.26) −0.0895 (−0.32) 0.352 (0.19) −0.501 (−0.19) 191 0.987

0.00326 (1.41) −0.999*** (−198.68) 1.001*** (278.19) −0.0335 (−0.52) −0.138 (−0.45) 0.326 (0.45) −0.585 (−0.39) 271 0.997

0.0753** (3.35) −1.046*** (−22.16) 1.037*** (43.02) −0.0192 (−0.05) 0.0614 (0.27) −0.389 (−0.37) −0.341 (−0.19) 125 0.954

−0.00170 (−0.90) −0.988*** (−260.41) 0.996*** (315.94) −0.0188 (−0.33) 0.126* (2.21) −0.143* (−2.23) −0.589 (−1.39) 265 0.998

Notes: Statistics in parentheses * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001. k physical capital, h - human capital, b and y - labor and turnover (proxies of firm size), INOV - innovation, ti - touristic intensity (as a proxy for competition), and fd - firm density (proxy for agglomeration economies. Source: Authors’ calculations in Stata 13.0.

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E. Santos et al. Table 8. Regression results of model 4 by NUTS II regions North Centre Lisbon Alentejo Algarve 0.00949** 0.0134 0.00343 0.0753** −0.00176 (3.11) (1.82) (1.51) (3.37) (−0.93) Ln(B) −0.986*** −0.991*** −0.999*** −1.045*** −0.988*** (−189.66) (−70.98) (−199.35) (−22.46) (−258.03) Ln(Y) 0.997*** 1.001*** 1.000*** 1.038*** 0.997*** (231.05) (105.22) (281.11) (43.41) (312.98) Ln(INOV) −0.0144 0.0308 −0.0336 −0.0133 −0.0294 (−0.23) (0.21) (−0.53) (−0.03) (−0.51) Ln(FD) −0.0372 −0.226 0.00359 −0.122 −0.00899 (−0.60) (−1.16) (0.10) (−0.29) (−0.41) _cons 0.149 0.315 0.0740 −0.278 0.160 (0.46) (0.46) (0.23) (−0.16) (0.62) N 230 191 271 125 265 adj. R-sq 0.997 0.987 0.997 0.954 0.998 Notes: Statistics in parentheses * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001. k physical capital, h - human capital, b and y - labor and turnover (proxies of firm size), INOV - innovation, ti - touristic intensity (as a proxy for competition), and fd - firm density (proxy for agglomeration economies. Source: Authors’ calculations in Stata 13.0. Ln(K)

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Decentralized Application for the Classification of Hotels Based on IPFS and Blockchain Carlos Hernan Cardona Taborda(&), Julian Gonzalez Vazquez, Carlos Enrique Montenegro Marin, and Paulo Gaona Garcia Francisco Jose de Caldas District University, Bogota, Colombia {chcardonat,judgonzalezv}@correo.udistrital.edu.co, {cemontenegrom,pagaonag}@udistrital.edu.co

Abstract. This paper presents the results of the construction of a prototype that provides a web platform to classify and recommend hotels, in an unstructured format, specifically using images. The application uses the information supplied by the image repository that communicates with the platform. Using technologies such as blockchain and the Interplanetary File System (IPFS), it is intended to provide a new approach that allows users to use the benefits of these technologies to provide security on the quality of stored information and on content access. Keywords: Blockchain treatment


IPFS
Image classification
Tourism
Data

1 Introduction Blockchain is a set of interlinked nodes or blocks where records and transactions are stored. These blocks, in addition to storing their own information, also store the information of all the nodes that make up the network [9]. Each block has a unique place within the chain, because inside the information it contains are the hash data (unique key) of the previous node and itself, so it also has an exact copy of the information of the entire network, the latter is what makes blockchain so secure in all areas. To begin to understand the operation of blockchain we can see in the Fig. 1 the explanation of a transaccion. That image shows a banking transaction where the user A wants to send money to the user B. The first user send the movement data and the recipient. The transaction enter to the blockchain, how explained in the begin each one of the blocks has the total of the network information, in other words the validation of the newly entered transaction will be performed by all nodes and once these approved it, the transaction will begin to be a part of the network. A smart contract [12] is an script that self-running over blockchain enforcing the terms outline in this, and also there are unchangeable. This ensures that it is fulfilled to the letter. With the help of the smart contracts the nodes of a blockchain can perform the validations over transactions.

© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 12–24, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_2

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Fig. 1. Financial transaction using blockchain technology [5].

Ethereum is a global open source platform to decentralized applications. In Ethereum you can code that controls digital value, runs exactly as programmed, and is accessible from anywhere in the world [7]. Currently is one of the most used blockchain technology platform in the world for development of applications. InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) is a distributed system of P2P files that has as aim connect all the informatic devices with the same files system and warranty the continuous availability of the files through multiple backups in the different network nodes [1]. For it redirect the communications based on the content, rather than name as is currently happening, providing a high-performance content-based block storage model, with addressable hyperlinks by content. Specifically an identifier IPFS uses an cryptographic hash of the content [13]. Through criptogrhapy that hash warranty that it always represents the content of that file, because if some modification was made the hash will be totally change. Simultaneously this protect the tampering and degradation of the files, also makes that objects will be unchangeable. Based on the above it can be understood that the blockchain application is just for banking transaction, but it does not, we can apply it to almost everything, for example, in the health sector where the management of medical records has been somewhat tedious [10] because there are susceptible to loss or wrong information, blockchain would allow more security, control and easy access to these data from each medical entity. So as to that the prototype to classify hotels based in IPFS and blockchain, each user will be a node and each interaction will be a transaction.

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2 Theoretical Background Tourism promotes economic growth such as can be seen in latin american countries where there is a directly proportional relationship between the growth of the economy and the growth of tourism per capita conditioned by macroeconomic variables from 1985 to 1998 [8]. Based in this behavior, the tourist industry strives to offer products and services to try to meet the preferences and needs of tourists. In Colombia between 2015 and 2018, the tourism industry contributed to the colombian PIB more than 125 billions of colombian pesos [3] (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2. Growth in the contribution of tourism to Colombia’s GDP [3].

Big Data (BD) are considered by many an incredible opportunity for its supposed capacity to provide answers to practically any question that could be asked about people’s behaviours, views and feelings. Big Data provide a wealth of valuable and unquestionable insights into many aspects of the modern life of individuals, organisations and markets [2]. Blockchain is another technology that can offer tourism solutions. Among the research topics, it is found that the biggest impact of blockchain on the travel industry will be an increasing level of disintermediation [11], added the impact of online travel agency, which have increased disintermediation since the beginning of the first decade of the 21st century. In that vein, there are already cases of countries like Malta [4] and United Arab Emirates [6] who are currently basing their tourism and general economy on blockchain based transactions.

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3 Application Modules The prototype has four modules: Log in and sign in, hotels load, hotels classification and hotels visualization. For the log in and sign in module, in HTML environment with bootstrap design, the textFields for entering each user’s password and security phrase are displayed, this with an option to enter to the platform, where the credentials of the client are verified through javascript to get the data. Ajax is used as a link to Python and the last one makes the respective validation with the database. For the sign in a link to create an account can be found on the login page, this redirect to a form where the password and the confirmation of this is requested, automatically the system create an account for the user in Ethereum and gives the customer a security phrase generated from markov chain in a text. Once the user login into the account will find a navigation bar that allows the user to move between home and the other three modules. About the hotels load module, the user is given the option to upload an image of a hotel from their device, this through an input file type in HTML and a Python function that allows to save the image locally. The user will be able to enter the image’s metadata if the user has this information. Otherwise the system generate it automatically to save it along with the image. Finally the image and its metadata will be charge into a repository IPFS and the transaction of each user will be register over blockchain. About hotels classification module, the hotel images will be bring from the repository and present randomly with their respective descriptions to the user, who can classify them if it likes or dislikes them, those preferences will be save in the database MongoDB and will be use on the hotels visualizations. Finally the hotels visualizations module shows what the system recognizes such as hotel’s image user likes based in their preferences, this through collaborative filter, which takes the user’s preferences and compares them with others to find commonalities, so the user receives hotels recommended by people with similar likes.

4 Database Model The Fig. 3 represents the used database documental model, in this case MongoDB. There is a collection users, which has the fields in its JSON structure: address, password, phrase, keystore, like_images y dislike_images. Each of these fields is described below: • address: This is a ‘‘string’’ type. It store the string that describes the Ethereum account created for the user. • password: This is a “string” type. It store the encrypted password of each user. • phrase: This is a “string” type. It store the encrypted the security phrase generated for this user. • keystore: This is a dictionary type. It store the encrypted the public key associated with the Ethereum account.

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• like_images_ This is a array type. It store the hash of the hotel images that the user has classified as ‘‘like’’. • dislike_images_ This is a array type. It store the hash of the hotel images that the user has classified as “dislike”.

Fig. 3. Database documental model.

5 General System Requirements The system must have the following features and functionalities (Table 1):

Table 1. Definition of general system requirements. ID Requirement RF-001 User log in

Description Users registered in the application can access into their account using their password and security phrase RF-002 User sign in A user not registered in the application, can do the register process, where request a password and its confirmation. Additionally, a security phrase is presented RF-003 Ethereum During the user registration process, the application account creation creates an Ethereum account for that user RF-004 Generation of During the Ethereum account creation process, the security phrase application must be able to generate a security phrase for the user RF-005 Uploading The user could select an hotel image, this will be images upload into the application

Type Functional Functional

Functional Functional

Functional (continued)

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Table 1. (continued) ID Requirement RF-006 Establishment of metadata

Type Functional

RF-007

Functional

RF-008

RF-009 RF-010

RF-011

RNF001 RNF002 RNF003 RNF004

Description The application must be able to request the metadata associated with a hotel image that has been previously uploaded. If the user does not provide any of the data, the application must generate it automatically IPFS repository The application must store the image of the uploaded storage hotel in the IPFS repository, using a unique identifier, in this case by the nature of the repository it must be a hash Transaction log The application makes a record of each transaction (image upload) in its Ethereum blockchain. This, through smart contracts Image The user can classify the hotel images presented by the classification application, in the categories “like” and “dislike” Preferences The application should store the preferences, or result storage of the image classification in a database. According to this, the hash that identifies that image must be registered Displaying Based on preferences of users and their matching, the images application should present the images of hotels listed in the “like” category Platform log in All access to the decentralized application must be made from a graphical interface accessible from Internet User interface The graphical user interface will be able to provide windows and options that allow users to perform the process of loading and sorting images Persistent data Database should be created or modified through conventional database manager. Additionally, must be use a non-relational database Security for The user data security must be managed directly by users the database, preferably through encryption techniques

Functional

Functional Functional

Functional

NonFunctional NonFunctional NonFunctional NonFunctional

6 Functional Model Based on Use Cases Figure 4 and Fig. 5 present the actors and use case diagrams, based on UML 2.0, identified for the purpose of understanding how users interact with the application and the actions that they can execute.

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Fig. 4. Interaction among the anonymous user and the decentralized application.

Fig. 5. Interaction among the registered user and the decentralized application.

7 Architecture The Fig. 6 presents the established architecture for decentralized application, which evidences a defined and clear framework for interacting with the software’s source code. From this, you can see a Front-end dedicated to the interaction with the user, making use of technologies such as HTML, JavaScript and CSS. Then, the Back-end is defined, where Python is used as the main programming language. The above, framed

Decentralized Application for the Classification of Hotels

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in the FLASK development micro-framework, which allows the connection between these two components through AJAX, interacting through JavaScript (JSON) object notations. Additionally, there are three components: the repository, blockchain and database, where each one of these communicates bi-directionally with the back-end. As a first instance, the blockchain component uses Ethereum as the base platform for blockchain technology, Solidity for smart contracts and Infura as the Ethereum node provider, this module communicates through the Web3 library with Python. On the other hand, there is a repository which uses the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS), making communications through the ipfsapi library. Finally, as database MongoDB is used because it is document oriented and communicates through the Python library, Pymongo.

Fig. 6. Decentralized application architecture.

8 Component Diagram The Fig. 7 shows the structure of the application through a centralized architecture, where the decentralized application component is responsible for managing the other components. The GestorUsuario component is the responsible for all the functionalities associated with users. The GestorRepositorio component manages the processes related to the IPFS repository. The GestorBlockchain component manages Ethereum, Solidity and Infura. The GestorBD is responsible for the structures related to the database connection and establishes the connections with the necessary components through the main component. Finally, the GUI component is responsible for the creation and administration of the different views available, including the login for users.

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Fig. 7. Component diagram of the decentralized application.

9 Deployment Diagram Figure 8 presents the interaction through a web navigator, which communicates with a Flask web server through HTTP protocol, where the different components defined for the application are implemented. This server communicates via the TCP/IP protocol to the database server, which is defined in MongoDB. It also communicates through HTTP to the blockchain using Ethereum and Infura. Finally, it communicates via the TCP/IP protocol with the IPFS repository.

Fig. 8. Deployment diagram of the decentralized application.

10 Results During the development of the prototype, different strategies and processes are implemented that give way to the realization of an application that results in immediate interaction with a specific context such as tourism. In this way the results are built around the viability that it offers in terms of its implementation and functionality for users who wish to find a hotel according to their needs and interests.

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When a user is register in the application receives an account that allows the interaction on Ethereum blockchain. In addition, it must fulfill the requirements set in the smart contract for the best performance of the application. IPFS allows a controlled handling of the images and data of each hotel, which are protected from modifications or loss. First, when the user passes the process of sign in and log in in the decentralized application, will find the homepage with a welcome message and can see their Ethereum account and the navigation bar (Fig. 9).

Fig. 9. Homepage.

In the next step, the user can upload a hotel image where has stayed and had an unique experience that wants to share with the other people. If the user wants, can add a description (Fig. 10).

Fig. 10. Upload image.

The images are stored in an IPFS repository and along with it their description is stored in a JSON file, this process results in a hash. If the user wants to know all the available hotels, should enter to the classification module where can select the hotels their like the most, this process can be repeated several times, so the application can learn the way of thinking and the preferences of the users (Fig. 11).

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Fig. 11. Hotel classification.

Through a collaborative user based filter process, the platform looking for the similarities between preferences of users, in order to present recommendations that can be matched to their likes and are also the preference of other users (Fig. 12).

Fig. 12. Preference viewing.

Decentralized Application for the Classification of Hotels

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11 Conclusions The security of blockchain provides many benefits to any development through the management of information in its structure of interconnected blocks, which make the validations to all new data or transactions that enter to the network. Smart contracts become a key tool, because fully enforce what the application requires the user to do, makes the service provided much better and avoids failures that could affect the expected result. IPFS allows the application to store any type of file, which provides security and order through the generation of the unique access key (hash), this giving the application the facility to manipulate the information needed and when required. The collaborative filters based on users allow the application to find similarities between the users’ selections, and also to be able to recommend, in this case, hotels, according to the liking of each one of them. Implementing a dynamic cognitive system, the application allows the user to make the classification of hotels several times, this in order to recognize their likes in spite of the emotional changes that may have in each of these selections. The implementation of blockchain provides security and order to the application to manage the data of the hotels, without affecting their integrity.

References 1. Ali, M.S., Dolui, K., Antonelli, F.: IoT data privacy via blockchains and IPFS. In: Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on the Internet of Things (IoT 2017), pp. 1–7. Association for Computing Machinery, New York (2017) 2. Baggio, R.: Big data, business intelligence and tourism: a brief analysis of the literature. In: IFITT workshop on Big Data & Business Intelligence in the Travel & Tourism Domain, pp. 9–17. European Tourism Research Institute (ETOUR), Östersund (2016) 3. Tourism information center of Colombia. http://www.citur.gov.co/estadisticas/df_pib/all/45? t=1#gsc.tab=0. Accessed 01 June 2020 4. Ćirić, Z., Ivanišević, S.: Blockchain and tourism development: case of Malta. In: 3rd International Thematic Monograph – Thematic Proceedings. Software Engineering, pp. 565– 576. Association of Economists and Managers of the Balkans in cooperation with the Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality, Ohrid (2018) 5. Crosby, M., Pattanayak, P., Verma, S., Kalyanaraman, V.: Blockchain technology: beyond bitcoin. Appl. Innov. Rev. 2(6–10), 99–110 (2016) 6. Dubai blockchain strategy 2020. https://www.smartdubai.ae/knowledge-hub/publications/ dubai-blockchain-strategy-2020-achievements-report. Accessed 10 June 2020 7. Ethereum. https://ethereum.org/. Accessed 28 May 2020 8. Eugenio-Martín, J.L., Marín Morales, N., Scarpa, R.: Tourism and economic growth in Latin American countries: a panel data approach. FEEM Note di lavoro 26(1), 1–28 (2016) 9. Li, Y.: Emerging blockchain-based applications and techniques. SOCA 13(4), 279–285 (2019) 10. Linn, L.A., Koo, M.B.: Blockchain for health data and its potential use in health IT and health care related research. In: ONC/NIST Use of Blockchain for Healthcare and Research Workshop, pp. 1–9. ONC/NIST, Gaithersburg (2016)

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11. Onder, I., Treiblmaier, H.: Blockchain and tourism: three research propositions. Ann. Tourism Res. 78(16), 180–182 (2018) 12. Papadodimas, G., Palaiokrasas, G., Litke A., Varvarigou, T.: Implementation of smart contracts for blockchain based IoT applications. In: Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on the Network of the Future (NOF 2018), pp. 60–67. IEEE, Poznan (2018) 13. Zheng, Q., Li, Y., Chen, P., Dong, X.: An innovative IPFS-based storage model for blockchain. In: IEEE/WIC/ACM International Conference on Web Intelligence (WI), pp. 704–708. IEEE/WIC/ACM, Santiago (2018)

Study on the Agricultural Products of the Towns Loja and Catamayo as a Historical Contribution on the Ecuadorian Gastronomy Mauricio Patricio Artieda-Ponce1(&) , Johanna Katherine Macas-Mogrovejo1, Patrcia Marisol Chango-Cañaveral1 , and Pablo Alejandro Quezada-Sarmiento2 1

Departamento de Ciencia Empresariales, Grupo de Investigación en Observación Turística, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Loja 11-01-608, Ecuador {mpartida,jkmacas,pmchango}@utpl.edu.ec 2 Universidad de Valencia -Facultad de Filosofía y Ciencias de la Educación -Programa de Doctorado en Educación, Valencia, Spain [email protected] Abstract. This article has the aim to promote and assess the typical-traditional gastronomy of the province of Loja and the southern region of Ecuador, through the bibliographic survey of gastronomic resources, based on the agricultural production of the area, generating a cultural value added, in gastronomic preparation and innovation, which will cause an impact on the consumption of agricultural products; boosting development, socio-economic development of the cantons of Loja and Catamayo and improving the quality of people life of these localities. The cantons of Loja and Catamayo located in the province of Loja have a legacy of culinary cultural identity that has remained through time. The purpose of this article it was identify each canton with certain agricultural products, which are part of the preparation of typical traditional dishes, in order to preserve the food heritage of Ecuador. This article proposed the development of a web platform for the rescue and promotion of tourism and gastronomy of the towns Loja and Catamayo, in the context of the Cloud Computing project and teaching computational paradigms on computer engineering curricula. Keywords: Food


Culture
Nutrition
Gastronomy
Ecuadorian food

1 Introduction Ecuador is a country with immense natural and cultural wealth [1]. It has four regions and for this reason it is considered one of the 17 countries where the largest concentration of biodiversity on the planet is, being the largest country with biodiversity per km2 worldwide. In addition, it has an abundant, rich and varied gastronomic culture [2]. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 25–34, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_3

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It has a legitimate and mestizo cuisine alike, in clay casseroles and in old and smoky Castilian coppers, it is a kitchen with centuries-old tradition since substances, condiments and experiences of the own and distant continents have been cooked. The province of Loja is located to the south of the Ecuadorian highlands, it is called “Centinela del Sur”, because of its cultural traditions, it is full of valleys, mountains, rivers, lagoons and hospital people. The Catamayo towns is located towards the northeastern part of the province of Loja, the Garrochamba valley (La Toma); it is characterized by wonderful natural landscapes in which lush flora and fauna stands out, it has the most fertile valleys in the region and is bathed by two rivers such as Boquerón and Guayabal, it has several attractions that show tourism as an alternative of sustainable economic development for the town. The purpose of carrying out this research in the Loja and Catamayo towns is to encourage the consumption and production of agricultural products and traditional local cuisine. For these reasons, several stages were proposed, among them, the situation of the Loja and Catamayo cantons is analyzed, in which the physical, social and cultural, ecological-territorial, economic, productive and political-administrative conditions will be analyzed; in the second stage the traditional agricultural products of the regions will be identified as determination of the methodology, determination of the sample and analysis of the sample; and finally it seeks to establish and design an inventory of the ancestral products of the delimited area. The execution of this plan is intended to commit the local authorities together with the population, encouraging farmers to continue cultivating agricultural products in order to increase tourism activity through traditional cuisine, raising the quality of life of its inhabitants through the improvement of the service. For the fulfillment of the objectives of the investigation, a diagnosis was made of the situation of the Loja and SENPLANDES, Illustrious Municipality of Loja, statistical information of the INEC and internet sources; to fulfill the first objective. For the second objective, to identify the traditional agricultural products, information was collected from on-site visits to the parishes of the Loja and Catamayo cantons and a survey was carried out on the sample taken. In the development of the research, support and collaboration it was obtained from the inhabitants of both cantons, who provided information about the subject under study.

2 State of Art 2.1

Food Heritage

According to [3], the Ecuadorian food heritage, has its historical value and a diversity of agricultural products, which represent a cultural legacy built over time, mainly for sharing knowledge, adapted to a great natural diversity that grants, each of the regions of the country, the food culture is the sum of the practices and knowledge in the preparation of food, preparation of own recipes of each region and the consumption of them.

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The Food Heritage is not only related to the development of traditional dishes or drinks, but also to the products used as ingredients; therefore, we talk about Natural and Cultural Heritage [4]. 2.2

Food as a Cultural Social Fact

According to [5], food or nutritional fact constitutes one of the multiple activities of daily life in any social group and, due to its specificity and versatility, acquires a central place in the characterization and biological, social, psychological interpretation, symbolic, economic, religious and cultural of the human species. 2.3

Food Products

The word nutritional according to [6] states “character of a product by which its components can be incorporated into the organism that ingests and assimilates it, totally or partially, becoming part of it or its energy metabolism, without altering the physiology of this one” (p. 13). 2.4

Ancestral Food Products

Ecuador has a diversity of food products; the bad thing is that there is currently a food crisis due to poor food and junk food. Among the native products are corn, chocho, quinoa, potatoes, cassava, peanuts, carrots, melloco, squash, among others [7]. 2.5

Traditional Food Products

Traditional foods are integrated into the collective memory of our America, and the way they are produced, cooked and consumed are shared cultural expressions and bearers of collective identities [8]. There is no more loving ritual than the one that gathers us around a table to celebrate the meals with pleasure to us, with endearing memory, with certainty of belonging to a place where there is history with roots [9].

3 Methodology According to [10]; “The methodology is the theory of the method, that is, it is the scientific study that teaches us to discover new knowledge, using various procedures or paths”. To carry out this research, the field study was used to collect information in situ, the collection of information was essential to maintain a deep reflection on the concepts, techniques and motivations for the development of the topic [11]. The research it was based on a qualitative study, which according to [12]; defines it as a type of holistic research, since it encompasses the phenomenon as a whole and recursive, since the research design is emergent, it is being developed as the investigation progresses.

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Likewise, it was developed in an exploratory-explanatory study because the reason for the food cultural loss of the Saraguro ethnic group was addressed, for which surveys, bibliographic compilation, which forms an initial knowledge base for development, were applied of this investigation, the explanatory nature allows to analyze in a real way, the results obtained through surveys and technical visits in situ, carried out; to establish the relationships and causes on the cultural factors linked to the food part of the locality [13]. Among the methods and techniques that were used are the following: 1. Historical Method: with this method it was possible to write background and general research, through historical and geographical data of the Loja-Catamayo cantons. 2. Quantitative Method: with this method it was possible to interpret and quantify the data collected in each of the cantons regarding the gastronomic resources identified. Surveys: Through this research technique, information was obtained on indicators of the identified demand and quantitative results to know the opinion and assessment of the subject of study, also served for data collection, where the survey was used as an instrument issued by the Ministry of Heritage and Culture, in its document “Atlas Methodology”. 3. Qualitative Method: This method was used in the present investigation to refer to the descriptive data of the behavior of the inhabitants of the Loja and Catamayo cantons; as for the culinary cultural part and its eating habits. Observation: This technique helped to conduct a quick survey of the place of study to obtain basic information on the agricultural and socio-cultural system, as well as identify the actors directly involved in the tourist activity. 4. Interviews: the interview allowed to obtain information through a system of questions through verbal interrelation with the actors involved. 5. Bibliographic Method: this method helped in the collection of information through books, guides, files, multimedia elements and the internet; It depended on the type of planning that it was done. Therefore, the methods and techniques allowed to fill in a daily document, used as a reference for planning, and a schedule of activities with the fundamental objectives of the research through which information could be collected in the field of study with the objective of preparing cards indicating the main characteristics of each product. 6. Sampling: consists of a series of operations aimed at taking a part of the population universe that will be studied, in order to facilitate research, for which actors who were involved in the activities of agriculture, livestock, food preparation were chosen peasants, housewives, merchants, seniors, who have knowledge on the subject under investigation. 7. Sample determination For the calculation of the sample design, data were taken from the universe of both the Loja canton and the Catamayo canton of the elderly; therefore, the calculation of the sample size was performed by applying the infinite population formula. To determine the sample of research applied in surveys, stratified sampling with proportional affixation is used, which is performed in cases where the universe is not homogeneous, so we have:

Study on the Agricultural Products of the Towns Loja and Catamayo

n¼ n¼

29

Z 2 Npq e2 ðN  1Þ þ Z 2 pq

ð1; 96Þ2 ð14808Þð0; 5Þð0; 5Þ ð0; 07Þ2 ð14808  1Þ þ ð1; 96Þ2 ð0; 05Þð0; 05Þ 14221; 6032 73; 5147

n¼

n ¼ 194 n¼ n¼

e2 ð N

Z 2 Npq  1Þ þ Z 2 pq

ð1; 96Þ2 ð2738Þð0; 5Þð0; 5Þ ð0; 07Þ2 ð2738  1Þ þ ð1; 96Þ2 ð0; 05Þð0; 05Þ n¼

2629; 5752 14; 3717

n ¼ 183

4 Results 1. Once the analysis of the cultural factors linked to the food part of people of the Loja and Catamayo towns is concluded, the most important aspects of the investigation are considered appropriate. 2. Within the food habits of the community we can affirm that their diet is based on green grains, dried beans and tubers, foods such as corn, beans, beans, peas, wheat, barley, cassava, carrots and potatoes stand out. In the Fig. 1 some traditional products are shown. 3. Regarding the loss of food habits, the majority of respondents agreed that if several food habits have been lost, this is due to factors such as: imposition of new products based on chemicals, migration of people from rural areas to Urban area and another important factor is that the land no longer produces as before. 4. To recover these customs, the interviewees propose: to re-cultivate the ancestral products, train people to know about the nutritional values of these foods and raise awareness in youth to value the ancestral cuisine. 5. The families of the community of the Loja people, have as production unit the farm, place where they grow food for family consumption but also for the supply of some local markets, in addition to the land preparation process the yunta and Plowing machine is already owned or rented and fertilizer uses natural and chemical fertilizer.

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Fig. 1. Traditional gastronomy products of Loja and Catamayo

6. When talking about the food recipes made in the community, it can be seen that corn, potatoes, zambo and wheat are the main products used to prepare the typical dishes of the community, such as: mote con cuy, potato with guinea pig, tamales, potato locro accompanied by club pepper, vegetable soup and wheat soup. 7. Regarding medicinal foods, the inhabitants of the communities’ mention: that some ancestral plants have healing properties, herbs such as melasa, chamomile, lemongrass, begonia, plantain, etc. stand out. 8. In relation to the information collected from the surveys, it can be mentioned that the person in charge of food purchases in the family is the mother, that the main characteristic that influences when making purchases is the price, market purchases are usually made weekly in a neighborhood store; The main products that make up the family basket are dairy products: milk, yogurt and cheese; meat guinea pig and green and dried beans; Beans, corn and peas. For cooking food, families use domestic gas. 9. Other results obtained from the investigation are detailed in Table 1.

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31

Table 1. Gastronomy Products Common name Peanut

Scientific name

Bean Ball Bean firiguelo Yuca

Phaseolus Poroto x Vigna Poroto unguiculata Manihot x esculenta

Sweet potato Guineo

Ipomoea batatas x

Coriander Cilantro Oregano

Tomato

Papaya Luma Jicama

Arachis hypogaea

Common Musa Acuminata Coriandrum sativum Origanum vulgare Lycopersicum kidney Esculetum Carica papaya Pouteria lucuma

Pachyrhizus erosus Loquat Mespilus Germanica Sugarcane Saccharum officinarum

Other names x

Gastronomy use It is used in some dishes such as guatita, molloco, aucha, peanut chicha, etc. It also serves to prepare the sandwich It is prepared in stews, soups and salads It is consumed in stews and soups It is used to prepare cassava locro with beans, sancocho, empanadas, it is also served as a side dish in the jerky, etc. It is prepared fried or cooked; It is also served to accompany with meals such as fries It is used in the preparation of the white Repe It is spread in soups and salads as a condiment It is used in the preparation of broths, and when it is dry it is consumed in meats, (mainly as a condiment) It is consumed in salads, sauces, creams; It serves to prepare some dishes such as meat, chicken, fish etc. It is used to prepare juices, fruit salad, desserts It is a fruit that can be used to make desserts, ice cream, cocktails, etc. It can be consumed as fruit or juice

It is consumed as fruit and has a pleasant sweet and sour taste Sugarcane It is used to make panela, sugar, it becomes guarapo and when it is fermented it becomes liquor, it is taken in juice, it is consumed as fruit for thirst Mango Mangifera indira It is a fruit that is consumed in juices, desserts, fruit salad, etc. Orange Citrus aurantium It is used to make juices, even as an ingredient in sour some broths such as chicken, sancocho, etc. Passion Passiflora edulis This fruit is consumed in juices and other fruit beverages, ice cream, jellies and a variety of desserts, in addition to casting Cherimoya Annona It is used for its sweet taste in the preparation of Cherimola desserts, ice cream and drink Borage Borago It is consumed in aromatic waters officinalis

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A web platform for the rescue and promotion of tourism and gastronomy of the towns Loja and Catamayo were developed. In Fig. 2 shows the web platform.

Fig. 2. Web Platform.

Web applications applied in tourism, currently have become a marketing strategy, for tourist destinations and generate through technological resources an increase in economics for entities or people that are linked to the field and tourism. Tourism to gastronomic in ICT is presented to it, as a dynamizing element of the economy, by offering the opportunity for its development, through the generation of employment and the transversal multiplier effect that originates in other sectors of the social economy.

5 Conclusions In the gastronomic field as in other activities, gastronomy in recent years has become a key element of the tourism sector, since it allows tourists to know products and resources that are native to the area that aim to promote gastronomy healthy and sustainable from food, allowing to know the culture and customs of the localities. Tourism constitutes the engine of economic and social development for the localities and gives place for visitors to experience and enjoy other ways of living and knowing tourism; among these activities’ gastronomy as a cultural factor, through food they can learn about the traditions and culture customs of these localities in such a way that experiential tourism is encouraged that allows tourists to get involved with communities, this type of tourism also fosters respect by nature. The geographical area of Loja and Catamayo, is rich in flora and fauna, which helps agriculture and therefore boosts the cuisine of the area.

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51% of the population surveyed is dedicated to agriculture, consuming mainly beans (97%), peas (83%), bananas (75%), cassava (72%), sweet orange (62%), coriander (56%), lettuce (43%). The most consumed meats are pork with 80% and Creole chicken with 70%. The typical dishes that are mostly prepared are: peas with bananas (88%), white rep (46%) and mote with grain or scrambled with eggs (34%). From the research carried out, the factors that affect the loss of the food culture in the ethnic groups that inhabit the canton are estimated: the introduction of new food trends, the lack of cultivation of the elderly to new generations and the reproach of their indigenous roots on the part of the youngest they are the main causes that affect this cultural phenomenon. The gastronomic sector in Ecuador is gradually losing identity since many of the culinary knowledge and knowledge are transmitted from generation to generation verbally, there is in many cases no bibliography that underpins the sociocultural significance around the typical traditional dishes of the sector. Thus, the provocation that revolves around the cultivation of agricultural products has been a limiting factor in this research that to determine the origin and its cultural value that exists within the gastronomy of these cantons. Moreover, this research has as food the heritage food and its forms of food purpose. Subsequent studies identify the future food evolution of the in the most appropriate productive, culinary, and nutritional logics for our people.

References 1. Quezada-Sarmiento, P.A., Macas-Romero, J.D.C., Roman, C., Martin, J.C.: A body of knowledge representation model of ecotourism products in southeastern Ecuador. Heliyon 4 (12) (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2018.e01063 2. Quezada-Sarmiento, P.A., Suasnavas-Rodriguez, M.G., Chango-Canaveral, P.M., GonzagaVallejo, C., Calderon-Cordova, C.A.: Used of social networks and web application to design and promote the ecotourism route in the southern amazon of Ecuador. In: Paper presented at the Iberian Conference on Information Systems and Technologies, CISTI, 1–7 June 2018 (2018). https://doi.org/10.23919/cisti.2018.8399399 3. Artieda, M.: Diseño de la ruta gastronómica de la mancomunidad del bosque seco, a través de la valoración cultural de los principales productos nativos que son cultivados en la zona (tesis de maestría). Universidad de Vigo, España (2016) 4. Cultura y Patrimonio. Cultura y Patrimonio. Obtenido de. http://www.culturaypatrimonio. gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2013/11/1-Patrimonio-Alimentario-LUNES-21.pdf. 10 de 12 de 2018 5. Contreras, J., Garcia, M.: Alimentacion y Cultura, Perspectivas antropologicas. Arial, España (2005) 6. Ballarin, J.: Estudios de Derecho alimentario en homenaje del Dr. Carlos Barros Santos, Arazadi, p. 221 (2017) 7. Contreras, J.: Antropologia de la Alimentacion. Eudema, Madrid (1993) 8. Macas, K. (2015) Catálogo de los productos agrícolas de los cantones Loja - Catamayo como aporte histórico de la provincia de Loja (tesis de pregrado). Universidad Particular de Loja, Loja- Ecuador

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9. Rodríguez-Fernández, M.M., Artieda-Ponce, P.M., Chango-Cañaveral, P.M., Gaibor-Monar, F.M.: Gastronomy as a part of the Ecuadorian identity: positioning on the internet and social networks (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46068-0_44 10. Chalán, Z.M., Chalan, C.V., Japon, D.Y.: Universidad de Cuenca. Obtenido de Universidad de Cuenca (2015). http://dspace.ucuenca.edu.ec/bitstream/123456789/23052/1/Tesis.pdf 11. Chango-Cañaveral, P.M., Artieda-Ponce, M.P., Alvarez, W.T.S., Quezada-Sarmiento, P.A.: Used of digital marketing for tourism and gastronomic route “mancomunidad bosque seco sabores y tradiciones del sur”. In: Iberian Conference on Information Systems and Technologies, CISTI, June 2019 (2019). https://doi.org/10.23919/cisti.2019.8760868 12. Chango-Cañaveral, P. M., Armijos-Nanchi, K.M., Frais-Breas, J.A., Quezada-Sarmiento, P. A., Barnuevo-Solís, X.A.: Cultural factors linked to the food part of the yacuambi country. In: Iberian Conference on Information Systems and Technologies, CISTI, June 2019 (2019). https://doi.org/10.23919/cisti.2019.8760754 13. Quezada-Sarmiento, P.A., Chango-Cañaveral, P.M., Fraiz-Brea, J.A., Armijos-Lanchi, K. M., Artieda Ponce, M.A.: Tourism and gastronomy management through an educational web platform on Yacuambi of the province of Zamora Chinchipe – Ecuador. In: Proceedings of 2020 the 10th International Workshop on Computer Science and Engineering (WCSE 2020), Shanghai, China, 19–21 June 2020, pp. 233–238 (2020)

Virtual Reality as Tool for Resilient Tourism Companies Mario Rojas Sánchez1 1

and Pedro Palos-Sanchez2(&)

Technological Institute of Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica 2 University of Sevilla, Seville, Spain [email protected]

Abstract. The present document has the objective to identify whether virtual reality can become a disruptive technology for the promotion of small touristic companies in times of pandemic or financial crisis by implementing the concept of organizational resilience in order to explain the success or failure of touristic Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s) in La Fortuna, located around and within Arenal Volcano National park in the northern region of Costa Rica by exploring the application of virtual reality as disruptive tool for activities that promote SME’s in times of crisis, as the one we are experiencing due to the pandemic. We are taking into consideration literature related to the term resilience and compile information from local tour operators in order to demonstrate the crisis, the promotion means used, and the option to implement virtual reality in such promotion. Results show that the closure of borders directly affect this area since foreign visitors represent 95% of tourists, so meeting the 80 activities being offered, as well as the specialized culinary services, and the variety of hotels from big and small businesspeople, is affected. Confinement represents a barrier for the national tourist, but it becomes an opportunity for a personalized promotion. Going from the use of social networks, e-commerce, emails, the dependence on big companies operating online, to providing immersive and telepresence experiences, consolidates their brands from a closer relationship to the customer, impacts on emotional aspects, and leans the balance for future visitation intentions. Keywords: Ecotourism reality


National parks
Resilience
Tourism
Virtual

1 Introduction Touristic companies, no matter how big or small, are making their way into a highly competitive market. They are not exempt from facing situations that are common or uncommon to the market and to the business model itself, such as financial crisis or the recent pandemic we are now living, which impose behaviors that are not perceivable on our economy. We even must make decisions that may seem detrimental to the economic development and wellbeing of the families that benefit from tourism. The closing of borders and other protection measurements become a paradox for touristic companies, especially the small ones which offer jobs to their collaborators and support to the communities that host the development of activities, which searches for success. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 35–48, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_4

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These efforts are related to resilience, meaning the ability of a system to maintain its identity and adapt its essential structure and functioning to disruption [1]. Companies shall take advantage of the marketing opportunities and be aware of technological changes in order to improve performance [2]. According to Tognazzo, Gubitta and Favaron [3] SME’s are not used to gather resources to face crisis. This is the case of small touristic companies, which react differently to crisis. Thus, good development depends not only on preparation but also on the capacities that evolve within a task environment [4]. It is important to understand the concept of resilience. To Yilmaz-Börekçi, İşeri Say and Rofcanin [5] is “the ability to recover and reinvent yourself” (p. 64). Other authors such as Ortiz - de - Mandojana and Bansal [6] define it as “the ability of the organization to anticipate, avoid and adapt to those shocks in their environment” (p. 1615). We can mention financial crisis and contingencies here, such as those effects from the pandemic. We must take into consideration, before adverse situations, the intangible strengths plus tangible resources at hand, such as networks and the support from others [7].. Knowing all the ways a touristic company faces an adverse situation, it is interesting to wonder what Vogus and Sutcliffe [8] planted: “Why do some organizations crumble in the face of high levels of ongoing strain while others thrive and grow more resourceful and poised to tackle future challenges?” (p. 3418), It is important to mention that changes happen constantly in organizations. The ideal scenario would be to determine ahead of time how to handle a crisis [9] (p. 483). Many SME’s do not survive. The dynamics of the market becomes a limitation regarding its capacity and performance [10]. While others manage to adapt. According to Varela and BEDOYA ARTURO [11] some technical abilities from the staff are required. And so, each company shall provide for the knowledge and skills demanded by their organization, along with the participation of owners, partners, and collaborators, taking advantage of their expertise and specialization which has provided a great know-how in the touristic sector. Also, it is necessary to analyze other aspects, such as the availability of resources or intangible strengths that are as important in strategic decisions. According to Holburn and Zeiner [12] managers develop mental models, and this allows for them to portray their environment and make decisions that are appropriate for times of uncertainty. Other authors state that if management is dynamic, it allows for the businesspeople to obtain the necessary skills to create, broaden, and modify the ways companies operate, which allows to explore options that lead to reinvention [13]. Companies should count, besides expertise in times of crisis, with the motivation required in times of stress and difficulty, without ignoring important aspects of business risk management systems which allow for a coverage against the effects of an economic crisis on the company [14]. The objective of the present document is to identify if virtual reality may be a disruptive technology for the promotion of small touristic companies in times of pandemic or financial crisis by implementing the concept of organizational resilience in order to explain the success of touristic SME’s, and how virtual reality may become a disruptive tool for a related market in these companies. For such purpose, we ask the following research question (RQ):

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RQ 1. Can virtual reality become a disruptive tool for the promotion of touristic destinations in Arenal Volcano National Park and on small touristic companies in La Fortuna community, which are located around the park? We look to answer to this research question through the concept of organizational resilience. For such purpose, we implement a literature review and a semi structured interview tour operator from small touristic businesspeople in the area. This chapter is organized as follows: a first part including the introduction, which includes the objective of this document. As a second section, a theoretical framework. Thirdly, the methodology used. Fourthly, Virtual Reality and Resilience in touristic Companies in La Fortuna, near the Arenal Volcano National Park. The fifth section presents the conclusions.

2 Theoretical Framework We are looking to explain our research objective by taking into consideration the Resource-Based View Theory (RBV), which states that actions taken by a company should depend on their characteristics, focusing on those which have an advantage over their resources and avoiding those they lack [15]. Some authors agree that companies work better by following certain practices, such as cost reduction and quality improvement. However, this may not be true if companies interact as competitors or in a collaborative economy. In these cases, the best decisions make a company differ from others [16]. This theory comes in the strategic direction due to the heterogeneity of companies regarding the availability of resources and capacities. It also links to the management of knowledge, which generates distinctive capacities based on resources and intangible capacities [17]. In the constant search of business rentability sources, there are two major perspectives: those coming from the competitive environment [18], and those corresponding to the organization itself, the resources, and capacities on which the accomplishment of sustainable long-term competitive advantages is based on. This is also known as the theory of company vision [19]. It is important to consider the tangible and intangible resources, especially on difficult times as those being faced by touristic companies and many other sectors. According to Barney, Ketchen & Wright [20] (RBV) and the resource-based theory (RBT) they provide a framework that explains the performance and competitive advantages of the company. RBT is important in marketing since it provides “guidance and instruction in coming uses for marketing research, suggestions on theoretical extensions to adapt theory to marketing and identification of ideas of domains and unique marketing resources” [21] (p. 1). Previous research has analyzed the concept of resilience from multiple views. However, there is a common element, which is trying to explain what makes small or big companies successfully face financial crisis. Meyer [22] identified culture and ideology as main strategic engines. Others state this does not on a previous preparation but on the capacities of the environment [23]. According to Gittell, Cameron, Lim and Rivas [24] a feasible business model allowed airlines to recover from the terrorist attack to the Twin Towers in 2001. There are many possibilities found on resilience. Some authors analyze the impact of natural phenomena and the difficulty to preview these impacts at an organizational level [25]. Other areas explored are the measurement of

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innovation and management of knowledge, which do not pose an effect on organizational resilience [26]. It is important to mention that there are previous and posterior studies to the crisis. However, for the present analysis, we shall focus on the moments of crisis where touristic companies make decisions that translate into success. We investigate knowing those decisions in terms of promotion and management of the company, which help gaining endurance to face future events. Venkataramany [27] considers we can center our attention on intangible strengths of managers or owners, besides promotion. Studies related to resilience have focused on tangible resources such as clearance resources the company counts with at the time of the crisis like the one we are experiencing right now due to the pandemic. Most of the companies which count with clearance resources correspond to big companies, and authors such as Minichilli, Brogi and Calabrò [28] analyze financial performances in family companies. This is particularly valuable since many touristic small companies are assumed to be in disadvantage regarding tangible resources to face the crisis due to the closing of borders and reduced visitation compared to previous years. For this purpose, we are interested in the opinion of tour operators, hotel and restaurant owners, tour guides, and others, in order to focus on intangible strengths that have worked in the past on overcoming interruptions due to a financial crisis or due to a pandemic, as we can see today. Resilience within strategic management is defined as the capacity of a company to recover from an adverse situation and to maximize the resources and capacities at hand to transform them into successful strategic decisions. Our reference framework are the vulnerabilities touristic companies face and how most of them overcome the pandemic and its measurements or financial crisis as terms of time in the economy of a country or worldwide, as it could happen on a later term due to the effects of COVID-19. These turbulence within the environments are known as a change that cannot be perceived in the complex environment of an organization [29]. Most of the concepts found show a clear definition and are a little ambiguous. Table 1 shows a summary of the most recent literature, which highlights the subjects researched in order to better understand the conceptual framework.

3 Methodology 3.1

Source Identification

The documentation is identified through Scopus, which is the bibliographic and citation database from Elsevier. This is considered to be the largest citation and summary database of peer-reviewed literature. It also offers the most complete collection in fields such as science, technology, medicine, social sciences, art, and humanities [39]. It counts with a classification system known as the All Science Journal Classification (ASJC), which has two levels: an upper level with 27 categories and a lower level with 304 categories [40]. This is considered as one of the largest multidisciplinary peerreviewed literature databases in social sciences research [41]. This database has over 22.800 titles, 5.000 international publications and 1.400 million of cited references

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Table 1. Studies on company resilience. Author (year) [30]

[31] [32]

[33] [34] [35] [36]

[37]

[38]

Subject researched They research the formation of organizational resilience dimensions also known as dynamic capacities and social capital shown by minority businesspeople facing natural disasters They examine the assumption on nature of resilience and looks to select the most appropriate one for a business context They empirically explore the processes of the organization in the beginning of the interruptions, as well as the factors that determine different answer configurations. They examine answer responses both before and after an interruption Examines the structural collaboration effects of inter-organizations regarding their networking capacity to efficiently manage disasters They look to understand the organizational culture and resilience effects on the categorization of risks versus no-risks of subcontractors Presents the intellectual capital as a valuable resource that leads to a competitive advantage Adopts a vulnerability perspective in order to analyze some key development problems that have been planted in discussions after the world financial and economic crisis of 2008–2009 Research, on a company level, the labor of restoring routines, practices, and structures when there is interruption, as well as the strengthening of the organizational functioning through relationships State that the capacity of resilience of a company can be developed through the strategic management of human resources. This allows the companies to acquire the capacity of response in a resistant manner when they are facing great shocks

since 1970 [42]. It also includes all SJR magazines (Scientific Journal Rankins), JCR magazines (Journal Citation Reports) and their impact factors [43]. 3.2

Data Collection

Some documents published in English are identified taking into consideration published chapters and available revisions until June 30th, 2020, regardless of their knowledge field. Also, books, editorials, notes, and letters are excluded from the selection process. We have outlined the search by taking into consideration the “title, summary or keywords,” and search terms as keywords, which are included in quotation marks in order to cover all documents including this combination of words. Also, the Boolean operator “And” and “Or” are used to include the concepts and definitions which may appear in the title, summary or keywords, so it uses a search string which includes words such as: “organizational resilience*”, “Financial Crisis”, “Resource-based view”, “Transaction cost*”. The identification of documents includes the asterisk at the end to obtain the

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maximum amount combinations and terminations possible for that word. The resulting search string is shown on Table 2. The search result is 783 documents, 53 documents selected manually. 13 documents are identified which are read to rule out those that are not related with the study subject and it also includes documents compiled which are related with the research objective. Table 2. Data collection strategy.

Search string TITLE-ABS-KEY (“organizational resilience*” OR “Financial Crisis”) AND (ALL ("Resource-based view" OR "Transaction cost*")). Refined by: Document type: (Article, Book Chapters, Review and Conference paper), Language: (English).

4 Virtual Reality and Resilience in Touristic Companies in La Fortuna Around Arenal Volcano National Parks Talking about La Fortuna in Costa Rica means talking about great attractions for visitors in the country. This area is a hub visitor coming from both coasts and from the Great Metropolitan Area, welcoming 85% of the tourists who enter the country. The site specializes in providing high-quality touristic services. It is difficult to think a visitor will not come to this area, which counts with a majestic volcano in the National Park of the same name. This community is located at the bottom of this active volcano, which provides a unique show at night. From the town to the volcano itself, we find many attractions, fancy hotels, hot springs, a great dam, hanging bridges, and multiple sports, recreational, and nature related activities, where it is easy to forget about daily life and the troubles we face each day. However, things have changed due to the crisis the world is going through in order to contain the pandemic. This makes it particularly interesting for the purposes of the present document. The globalized, agitated world we are used to has suddenly paused. Countries are attentive for recommendations from world organizations which are fighting to protect people from this condition and are adopting desperate but responsible measurements, such as confinement and sanitary restrictions, closing of borders to visitors, restraining productive activities, and quickly implementing technological tools at hand, which allows such technology to take a starring role which motivates us to be updated in their use to adapt our jobs to confinement. These tools help telework take a breather to keep on working in a remote manner and to ensure food for the homes of collaborators. For the touristic sector we mentioned, it is a reflection of what happens in many places around the world when it comes to one of the most experienced areas regarding promotion and specialization of touristic services, where there is a scenario that tests big and small companies by closing the borders for tourists and where sanitary measurements limit the access to the areas with transit restrictions, measurements which do

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not allow the opening of certain businesses on weekends and the limitation for national visitors, who need to be clever on how to respect the confinement measurements and to try to work when their presence is required. This thin line between what is right to contain the virus that threatens the world and the resilience of companies to endure the financial impact of inactivity, where financial leverage puts on constant pressure, make those special skills emerge, such as soft skills, the wits of entrepreneurs, adjustments to costs and provisioning to maintain the unquestionable quality of collaborators with a know-how of many years of love and loyalty to the company and to the sector. Resilience and virtual reality technology are important to take into consideration in general tourism since solutions may be expressed and be useful for other contexts. We are sure once borders are open and we are free to travel, enjoy nature, peace, and the beauty of our country, we will be happy to welcome tourists who visit us and make areas as beautiful as La Fortuna grow. However, the question we raise is “Will it be time to change the way we see promotion and adapt?” We believe that the strategies to be implemented before a problem affecting everyone in our planet should be more empathetical, the y should take into consideration a related market rather than the presence visitation, and that no matter what the efforts are, it is impossible and that it is important to be present in the minds of our customers and to share the nostalgy of not being able to visit a national park, or a good massage at the spa. Of course, we all miss this, but things have changed and now technology is on our side. It keeps us close to our customers, both their minds and hearts. Thus, virtual reality plays an important role in the process of changing the way we see things. All informational technologies take a starring role, but VR has important characteristics that keep our businesses present in future vocational plans. We are talking about immersion and telepresence, as well as inactivity in an artificial environment and the feeling of presence and the possibility of exchanging an email or poster for a relaxing experience at a national park, a butterfly farm, to enjoy the volcano on its night eruptions, the peaceful appreciation of biodiversity, listening to the sounds of animals, remembering the adrenaline of zip lining, rappel or rapids. VR takes you and makes you feel there. It involves your senses, which is disruptive for the times we are living in, although it is not the case of technology, that has been around for decades, but to move on from passive promotions that do not comply with the objectives of tourists who want to visit us and cannot. How can these resilient companies recover having been through difficult times in the past? It is possible that the services they provide do not allow for a profit that keeps them operating. Here is where soft skills, creativity and teamwork of businesspeople and their collaborators become important. We are talking about people all around the world which have possibly paused their work and personal lives and thousands of people with more available time for them to enjoy as a family of the immersion and the feeling of traveling to tropical countries, climbing steep mountains even with health issues. If we include an approach to the customer to this, we will be able to provide a virtual service to better know the dimension and attractiveness offered with no health risks, where they can get coupons for future visits, gifts from the companies to customers who count with the technological tools or minimal requirements to use a big data or to implement the promotional efforts taking into consideration the collaborative economy or governments which, through organizations promoting tourism, provide

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alternatives to those resilient companies trying to survive to the pandemic and to a possible financial crisis already being mentioned.

5 Discussion Literature review regarding the term resilience shows how companies from different areas face certain situations and which areas from such companies become stronger. Authors research on the formation of dimensions of organizational resilience, which is known as dynamic capabilities, as well as the social capital shown my minor businessmen facing natural disasters [30]. Other authors identify several theoretical ideas on resilience in three disciplines: psychology, ecology and engineering [31]. Burnard, Bhamra and Tsinopoulos [32] examine response processes before and after an interruption. Jung [33] uses an institutional framework of collective action by objectively analyzing collective action subjects in inter-organizational collaboration networks. Naudé & Bezuidenhout [34] look to know the effects of culture and organizational resilience on the establishment of risk categories versus no-risks for contractors. Lin [35] indicates that investing on the development of intellectual capital is investing on the future development and wellbeing of the company and nationally. Essers [36] focuses after the financial crisis from a vulnerability perspective. It has specific advantages and disadvantages. Powley [37] deeply describes the healing process of the organization supported in four mechanisms: empathy, intervention, collective effort, and leadership. Organizational healing refers to the work of restoring practices, routines, and structures before interruption and strengthening of the organizational functioning through relationships. The capacity of resilience in a company is developed through the strategic management of human resources [38]. Resilience in touristic companies or other aspects may improve areas related to intellectual capital by developing or taking advantage of such intangible assets, skills, and capacities which allow to make the best decisions in critical times. Companies may review their processes and enforce healing by restoring their practices and routines, by taking advantage of their present or hidden dynamic capacities of their personnel, which shall transform into different response processes before and after the crisis, whether financial, due to natural disasters, or pandemics such as the one we are facing, as well as interventions from personnel, who look for common solutions so the company gets to be resilient and less vulnerable when facing a crisis. Touristic activities carried out at Arenal Volcano National Park and its surroundings are specialized activities which are the result of many years of service to foreign tourists and national tourists at a lower scale. We are trying to understand, through the Resource-Based View Theory, if every company gets to be more resilient through their advantages, such as: resources and capacities, and whether this resilience comes from following certain practices or general recommendations in areas such as costs and quality. What is certain is the evident difference between companies which count with ease resources in order to support their operations and readjust their offer to resident tourists, while most of them ran out of those resources and are now torn between keeping their customers without resources or facing closure giving up to a small

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company which has supported them for many years, also taking into consideration productive linkages and works developed. Regarding our objective of identifying if virtual reality may be a disruptive technology for the promotion of small touristic companies in times of pandemic or financial crisis, we have found that VR technology is not the main tool for promotion. It even goes unnoticed. According to a local operator who we shall refer to as Surveyed #1, who is a qualified, certified person with many years of experience operating in the area, the main promotion is carried out by third parties, such as agencies and local media, including social networks and campaign emails, as well as reuse as an important indicator. Regarding the use of technology such as big data, artificial intelligence and internet of things, they have already started the process of implementation according to their possibilities. However, VR is accessible and may be useful as a new form of promotion, since it portrays the sites through telepresence or immersion in times of crisis such as the one we are now experiencing, and it goes unnoticed. A second option is visitation from resident tourists, but access shall depend on the records for each company and the permits allowed by the government according to measurements for the area. According to Surveyed #1: “Information is handled individually by each company. I have the history of all my customers but there is no access repository, although we are already working on it”. By sharing with other participants of the chain, such as restaurant owners, we can also see resilience there. According to Surveyed #2, owner of an important restaurant of the area, there are no easement resources, and there are big efforts being made not to let go of collaborators. They recall that before the pandemic: “There was an important clientele, 70% of foreign tourists and 30% of resident tourists. Sales dropped by 80% and now we offer a 15% discount on the menu”. Big hotels, especially those which provide services related to hot springs, have had more resident tourists visiting, but not to the occupation required. Surveyed #3 owns two hotels in the area and considers that:: “The situation is pretty critical, almost catastrophic, there is no tourism, many hotels are closed, other operate at a very low scale… Reservations dropped very drastically, and people are not responding to any marketing efforts”. A common point between Surveyed #2 and Surveyed #3 is debt to banks and the importance on reaching agreements or guarantees that allow obtaining an income for expenses and facing liabilities because of the requirements of maintenance of large green areas, pool areas and other operation expenses, as well as prime matter and periodical payments to banks. It is interesting that big touristic companies reach a competitive advantage in times of crisis as the one we are now facing, probably due to their capital, infrastructure or economic resources. Resilience in these cases is different. It is highlighted by their easement resources and allow a presence of their brands on their broad customer base. Well-known companies are launching new products without being present. Airbnb Online Experiences teaches you how to cook a delicious Italian pasta, they give you the option to pay for a service, to learn or enjoy, establishing friendships, building empathy, placing destinations or activities virtually, visiting the Louvre in Paris, cooking a paella in Barcelona, visiting a beach, a national park, learning how to dance. The interesting thing to analyze is why, even though small touristic companies in the

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area are being highly resilient, and big companies provide a large part of the clientele, there is no evidence of alliances, videos, lessons or others of this well-known area for tourism. We cannot find a video of a walk around the national park or educational information on gastronomy of the area. Here is an opportunity for VR as a disruptive technology for SME’s regarding promotion, and we are only mentioning one of the strategies used. Going back to the effects of the pandemic, over 80% of small companies related to tourism in the study area are, according to Surveyed #1, “in critical shape”, where reinvention becomes a necessary state since all companies, even collaborating among each other, are still competitors in a war, and that difference expected because of reinvention does not seem to be achieved. Another evident term is a reduced support to get started on change processes, taking into consideration organizations which influence the area. This, plus the sanitary measurements established by the government are disadvantages compared to other regions with lesser alerts. Virtual reality, just as other technologies that allow virtual interaction, is not evident when it comes to visits to Arenal Volcano National Park, unlike other similar parks as Poas Volcano. We do not see it used in the promotion of touristic destinations in La Fortuna. It depends more on big touristic companies which dominate the market, while locally, there is a passive promotion, which is more collaborative between local participants, it is less proactive, and it impacts such passive attitude, where resilience is evident and does not show competitive advantages, alliances, support from the government, or other mechanisms used by companies in the past, which makes it possible for VR to accomplish such disruption with the development of videos, 360 degree tours, and local content, taking into consideration two relevant elements, including brand positioning in promotion processes where tourists, no matter where they come from, share the same feeling about the pandemic. It is a time to share with them during confinement, along with their families, to give out smiles while they enjoy online or virtually of a place they have visited, an active volcano, the gastronomy and culture, adventure or relaxation. How to tell if it works as a means of interactive and immersive promotion if we do not try while other more proactive companies already enjoy this benefit?

6 Conclusions Touristic activities in Arenal Volcano National Park, as well as on La Fortuna, have been affected by the effects of the measurements taken by the country in order to contain the pandemic. These measurements include avoiding visitors to enter using any means. Since this is a community which depends directly on tourism and 95% on foreign tourists, they are trying to move on with their national touristic activities. However, the alert measurements, transit restrictions, local closures on weekends, and other measurements, have caused a negative effect on the sustainable development and collaborative economy companies are used to, as a local tour operator affirms. This area has specialized on tourism for many years by developing at least 80 different activities, including adventure, resting, and relaxation on hot springs. This area welcomes 85% of the visitors who come to the country because of the cone-shaped active volcano and its

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closeness to the town, which is approximately 12.5 km away, where it is easy to appreciate such imponent volcano. The area includes many hotel companies and hot springs, but just as many touristic SME’s, it has been affected, although the impact is more evident on small organizations. A common factor in the area in its commitment to the environment and protocols are many years of specialization and cohabitation with nature, both on the national park and its attractions, including hotels which even produce their own organic products as a prime matter of their activities, always trying to improve their competitiveness hand-in-hand with the conservation of resources by avoiding waste. This is congruent with the efforts to minimize the contaminating energy, water, and prime matter consumption in other contexts [44]. The area has overcome difficult financial situations in the past. They have been resilient, especially by implementing available resources for low seasons and to face financial duties that come from great investments. However, near four months of profit affectation has forced them to look for clever solutions, which take advantage of the loyalty and love for the activity from many collaborators in a mutual help relationship, where, instead of competing for visitors in the area, companies support each other, since there are other areas in the west of the country offering all-inclusive deals that attract visitors given the health measurements which change depending on different areas of the country. The problematic is transcendental, since tourists visit different small locations that offer tours before arriving to La Fortuna, such as the chocolate or coffee tour, or enjoying a lunch at a typical restaurant, which provides a chaining that allows for sustainable development and promote productive activities to provide assets and services to these places. Nowadays, the resources are limited and now may be the time to reinvent. While the borders are closed, usual promotion strategies shall change. Local platforms using social networks, emails or those providing great operators are dominating the market. Small touristic companies are the most affected ones due to the little availability of resources and state aid to face the emergency, and so, promotion efforts are not aggressive, and people turn to local operators or big platforms, such as Airbnb. However, low visitation and focusing on big companies is a scenario that discourages many businesspeople. Before the situation we are facing, resilience from previous experiences is a temporary solution that is running out. Here is where virtual reality can become a disruptive technology for this case and for these companies. While people are confined, they can enjoy a VR application that allows the tourist to be immerse in this synthetic world and enjoy the adventure or the peace of being in a national park, even as an alternative to reduce stress and taking advantage of a smart, empathetic promotion in a relational marketing where we come close to our customers in a personalized manner, and placing their marks for future visits or to take the opportunity to develop a new service. One limitation for this research is not counting with large databases that allow for the analysis of these new services, as well as the governmental support for these small businesspeople that are developing their promotional videos with virtual reality technology. Future studies can analyze the impact of VR promotion that allows to compare the positive impact on the intention of use before and after the measurements taken which prevent foreign tourists from entering the country.

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19. Cardona, R.: Resource and ability-based strategy. Assessment criteria and the process of development. In: Electronic Magazine Forum Doctoral, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 113–147. EAFIT University (2011) 20. Barney, J.B., Ketchen Jr., D.J., Wright, M.: The future of resource-based theory: revitalization or decline? J. Manag. 37(5), 1299–1315 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1177/ 0149206310391805 21. Kozlenkova, I.V., Samaha, S.A., Palmatier, R.W.: Resource-based theory in marketing. J. Acad. Mark. Sci. 42(1), 1–21 (2013) 22. Meyer, R.J.: A descriptive model of consumer information search behavior. Mark. Sci. 1(1), 93–121 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1287/mksc.1.1.93 23. Ritchie, B.W.: Chaos, crises, and disasters: a strategic approach to crisis management in the tourism industry. Tour. Manag. 25(6), 669–683 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman. 2003.09.004 24. Gittell, J.H., Cameron, K., Lim, S., Rivas, V.: Relationships, layoffs, and organizational resilience: airline industry responses to September 11. J. Appl. Behav. Sci. 42(3), 300–329 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1177/0021886306286466 25. Winn, M., Kirchgeorg, M., Griffiths, A., Linnenluecke, M.K., Günther, E.: Impacts from climate change on organizations: a conceptual foundation. Bus. Strategy Environ. 20(3), 157–173 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.679 26. Mafabi, S., Munene, J., Ntayi, J.: Knowledge management and organizational resilience: organizational innovation as a mediator in Uganda parastatals. J. Strategy Manag. 5(1), 57– 80 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1108/17554251211200455 27. Venkataramany, S.: Methodology for the design of an internal control mechanism for transnational banks (1999) 28. Minichilli, A., Brogi, M., Calabrò, A.: Weathering the storm: family ownership, governance, and performance through the financial and economic crisis. Corp. Governance Int. Rev. 24 (6), 552–568 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1111/corg.12125 29. Boyne, G.A., Meier, K.J.: Environmental turbulence, organizational stability, and public service performance. Adm. Soc. 40(8), 799–824 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1177/ 0095399708326333 30. Martinelli, E., Tagliazucchi, G., Marchi, G.: The resilient retail entrepreneur: dynamic capabilities for facing natural disasters. Int. J. Entrepreneurial Behav. Res. (2018). https:// doi.org/10.1108/ijebr-11-2016-0386 31. Manfield, R.C., Newey, L.R.: Resilience as an entrepreneurial capability: integrating insights from a cross-disciplinary comparison. Int. J. Entrepreneurial Behav. Res. (2018). https://doi. org/10.1108/ijebr-11-2016-0368 32. Burnard, K., Bhamra, R., Tsinopoulos, C.: Building organizational resilience: four configurations. IEEE Trans. Eng. Manag. (2018). https://doi.org/10.1109/tem.2018. 2796181 33. Jung, K.: Sources of organizational resilience for sustainable communities: an institutional collective action perspective. Sustainability 9(7), 1141 (2017). https://doi.org/10.3390/ su9071141 34. Naudé, W.A., Bezuidenhout, H.: Migrant remittances provide resilience against disasters in Africa. Atlantic Econ. J. 42(1), 79–90 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11293-014-9403-9 35. Lin, C.Y.Y.: Intellectual capital explains a country’s resilience to financial crisis: a resourcebased view. In: Crisis Management: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications, pp. 1504–1526. IGI Global (2014). https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-4666-4707-7.ch077 36. Essers, D.: Developing country vulnerability in light of the global financial crisis: shock therapy? Rev. Dev. Finan. 3(2), 61–83 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rdf.2013.02.001

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Society 5.0 as a Contribution to the Sustainable Development Report Maria da Conceição da Costa Tavares1(&) and Graça Maria do Carmo Azevedo2 1

Higher Institute for Accountancy and Administration, University of Aveiro (ISCA-UA), Aveiro, Portugal [email protected] 2 Higher Institute for Accountancy and Administration, Research Centre on Accounting and Taxation (CICF), University of Aveiro (ISCA-UA), Aveiro, Portugal [email protected]

Abstract. In this work, we intend to understand the context of Society 5.0 in business and deepen its potential for proactivity in the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as potential implications on accounting and sustainability reporting, based on recent publications. Taking into account that the changes imposed by the 4.0 industry are comprehensive, it becomes relevant to understand the current impacts and future expectations of this evolution with cross industry 5.0. In a Society 5.0 it is intended that all citizens get dynamically involved, introducing digital technologies in a variety of systems and accelerating their implementation. It is thus proposed to deepen the concept and the potential of the individual-technology relationship in the promotion of their quality of life enhancement and that of society’s, in favors of sustainable development, sustainability and its reporting. For this reason, it is a contribution that seeks to collaborate in this very urgent and necessary discussion, presenting its evolution. It is concluded that Industry 4.0, and recently the so-called 5.0, have come to stay and put artificial intelligence, robotics, big data, etc., at men’s service, in which everything will be connected and society will have to be adaptable. Keywords: Accounting
Agenda 2030
Industry 4.0 Sustainable development
Sustainability reports


Society 5.0


1 Introduction We are in a challenging era of uncertainty, with increasing levels of complexity in the world, which increasingly faces global challenges such as depletion of natural resources, global warming, growing economic disparity and terrorism [1]. Today’s globalization faces the challenge of meeting the growing world demand for capital and consumer goods while ensuring Sustainable Development (SD) of human existence in its social, environmental and economic dimensions (Triple Bottom Line) [2]. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 49–63, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_5

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Moreover, due to the rapid growth and change of digital technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI) based solutions, it is increasingly difficult and challenging to be at the top [3]. The rapid evolution of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is bringing dramatic changes for society and industry. Successive industrial revolutions demonstrate that manufacturing systems and strategies have been continuously shifting towards higher productivity and efficiency, often discouraging social and environmental aspects. However, technology continues to be developed in order to improve and facilitate human life. Like Industry 4.0, Industry 5.0 will have an impact on the manufacturing industry and the economy as a whole, both from the point of view of productivity and sustainable value creation, as well as from the economic, social and environmental point of view. In this sense, Social Responsibility and Sustainability are increasingly important in business and organisation discourses [4]. Thus, it is observed that all over the world a growing number of organizations are reporting on their impact, in addition to internal governance mechanisms [5]. There is an emphasis given by organizations to the activity related to the concept of Social Responsibility and to one of its main platforms: the notion of Sustainability, in particular of SD [6]. Businesses should therefore integrate sustainability principles into their corporate processes and strategic policies, as sustainability affects Triple Bottom Line1 (TBL) and the long-term profitability of an organization [7]. Hence there is a growing importance of boosting ICT as an effective and efficient means of solving problems in society [1]. This article aims to understand the context of Society 5.0 in business and to deepen its potential for proactivity in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDOs2), as well as potential implications in accounting and sustainability reporting. For this purpose, it is necessary to analyze the current changes and future perspectives of the industry 4.0 and the evolution to the industry 5.0 from the reflection on different studies. This paper is a theoretical essay on the subject. Therefore, from the reflection on all the studies listed, a panorama of changes and perspectives arising from industry 4.0 to industry 5.0 is presented. The article begins with the development of the theoretical framework. It deals with the Brudtland report until the 2030 agenda, the SDOs for Sustainability in Industry, Industry 4.0 and finally Industry 5.0. It ends with a conclusion.

1

2

This term was introduced in 1997 by Elkington for the disclosure, in a single report, of tripartite results: economic dimension, environmental dimension, and social dimension. SDOs is the model for achieving a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice (Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Development Sustainable Development - A/RES/70/1 - UNITED NATIONS. Accessed at: https:// sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld/publication).

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2 Literature Review and Theoretical 2.1

Background

Social responsibility was defined in the green paper (2001) by the European Union as a concept according to which organizations decide, voluntarily, to contribute for a fairer society and a cleaner environment, which should be seen as an investment and not as a burden. It also states that most definitions describe Corporative Social Responsibility (CSR) as a voluntary integration of organizations’ social and environmental concerns in their operations and interactions with stakeholders [8–10]. Over the last decade, governments have introduced CSR into public policies as a priority issue, encouraging organizations to act more responsibly and sustainably [9]. CSR is founded on the notion that corporations have relationships with other interests, for instance, with economic, cultural, environmental, and social systems because business activities affect—and are affected by—such interests in society [11]. So, since the introduction of the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES) Principles in 1989, sustainability reports have been the main tool companies use to show the outside world their social responsibility [12]. With the epic global challenge of countries’ inequalities in the face of successive industrial revolutions, concepts such as sustainability and social innovation emerged and quickly attracted global attention as possible resolutions. The United Nations global initiative for SDOs sent a strong message of commitment to inclusive economic and social development [13]. Organizations adopting sustainability as part of their corporate culture explore TBL as part of their business strategy and simultaneously create value for all their stakeholders [14]. A citizen’s organization develops sustainable products and services and assesses its own contribution to society and the planet. Thus, social responsibility practices have stimulated several debates, especially when related to the use of new ICTs highlighting and promoting sustainability in industry. However, sustainability must be incorporated throughout the organisation, i.e. in its own strategy, even though it is difficult to balance innovation and sustainability resources on an ongoing basis, particularly as regards the introduction of new technologies [15, 16]. Adopting sustainability in business implies incorporating ODS, such as social equity, economic efficiency and environmental performance, into company operating practices. Companies competing globally increasingly need to commit to and report on the overall sustainability performance of operational initiatives [17]. We can state that the broader context of corporate sustainability is implicit in the development of Industry 4.0 and the technologies related to the evolution of the production process and industry. 2.2

Sustainable Development: From the Brudtland Report to Agenda 2030

The SD was presented in the Brundtland Report, published in 1987, as a guarantee of the satisfaction of the needs of humanity, without compromising the ability of future

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generations to meet their own needs [18]. It was with this report, under the title “Our Common Future”, that the concept and essence of sustainability or SD was popularized and became increasingly relevant in the agenda of corporate executives [19]. In this context, the European Union (EU) published the Green Paper, initiating a broad debate on how the EU could promote Social Responsibility at European and international level [10]. As a result, new societal relations in the contemporary world, such as globalisation, technological advances, political changes, accelerated economic growth and rapid information processing, have had major impacts on society. Therefore, governments and companies have sought to practice their activities in a sustainable manner, reconciling the responsibility to promote solutions that meet the needs of a population without compromising resources for future generations [20]. The SDGs, launched at the United Nations Summit on Sustainable Development in 2015, adopt a universal approach of the SD agenda [21]. They introduce a new era of global development goals aimed at addressing the world’s most pressing problems. Thus, there is a growing recognition of the value of corporate non-financial reporting, making transparency a new paradigm for conducting business [22]. SDGs promotes transparency and corporate responsibility [23]. SDGs explicitly asks companies to use creativity and innovation to address development challenges and to recognise the need for governments to encourage sustainability reporting3 [21]. Businesses can play a critical role in achieving SDGs [24]. The SDGs integrate a broad and transformative agenda that adequately reflects the complex challenges of the 21st century and the need for structural reforms in the global economy [25]. With the new Global Commission4 on Business and Sustainable Development, the role of businesses in achieving SDGs has become even more pronounced and the Global Reporting Initiative5 (GRI) has advocated a strong private sector role in achieving the SDGs adopted in September 2015 [26]. By adopting Agenda 2030 as their 17 SDGs, United Nations member states created a framework for national action and global cooperation on SD [27]. Portuguese companies covered by Directive 2014/95/EU may use national or international systems to provide non-financial information. Among these we highlight the Global Initiative on reporting, the so-called GRI [28].

3

4

5

In the area of accounting and sustainability reports, the terminology for these communication and disclosure reports varies greatly. We may have reports with the following titles: social and/or environmental, corporate social responsibility, sustainable development, towards sustainability, among others. As it is stated in the GRI (2006), the expression “sustainability reports” is inclusive and is considered a synonym of other words and terms used to describe the communication of the economic, environmental, and social impacts, that is, triple bottom line, corporate responsibility reports, and so on. The Global Commission will bring together business, labour and civil society leaders, and articulate and quantify the compelling economic case for companies to become involved in achieving ODS. GRI is an independent international organization that has been a pioneer in corporate sustainability reporting since 1997. GRI’s mission is to empower leaders worldwide, through its sustainability reporting standards and multi-stakeholder network, to make decisions for the planet and a more sustainable economy.

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According to Vukić et al. [29], with Directive 2014/95/EU on non-financial reporting, there has been a rapid increase in the volume of regulations and standards requiring transparency on environmental, social and governance issues. Following Agenda 2030 for SD and its 17 SDGs, a broad and transformative agenda is incorporated that adequately reflects the complex challenges of the 21st century and the need for structural reforms in the global economy [1, 25]. However, the “2019 Sustainable Development Goals Report” demonstrates progress in some critical areas, and countries are taking concrete actions to protect our planet. A response is needed to trigger the social and economic transformation needed to meet the 2030 targets [30]. The GRI is mobilizing companies to understand and contribute to SDGs, helping them to align the overall picture with guidelines on how to put them into practice. The GRI is the bridge between businesses and government, enabling both to contribute positively to UN SDGs [21]. In this sense, it helps governments to understand the contributions of businesses to the goals while monitoring progress and helping them to report and take action to achieve SDGs. The GRI helps organizations to emphasize the SDGs approach in their G4 reports [26]. Benefits for companies to engage in SDGs include significant economic rewards through new markets, investment and innovation opportunities, reduced risk and resource competition, and a future with inclusive and sustainable growth and job creation [26]. Thus, GRI, the United Nations Global Compact and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) have developed a document that establishes the connections between SDGs, the business theme and GRI indicators. This document links SDGs to the indicators of the GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines and sector disclosures [31]. SDGs is a challenge to be achieved in a broad system in which all nations work together for a sustainable world that expects to achieve economic development and solutions to social issues. The main guiding principle is to achieve peace and prosperity for all people and for the planet, responding to challenges with an inclusion that “leaves no one behind” [1, 32]. The Agenda 2030 SDGs apply equally to all countries in the world and have 17 indivisible and self-sustaining objectives, which aim to serve as a basis for the transformation of global economies towards SD. This transformation process must be built on economic development in accordance with social equality and within ecological limits. Thus, the three-dimensional or three-pillar model (TBL) approach is commonly used to structure the fields of action for a fundamental and integrating SD [33]. 2.3

SDGs for Sustainability in Industry

SD has been increasingly central to the world’s economic policies due to the various challenges related to limited resources, rapid population growth, industrialisation and globalisation faced by humanity. In this sense, these challenges lead to the emergence of new paradigms centralized in industrial organization, that is, with an intrinsic focus on resource efficiency and greater social responsibility, such as Industry 4.0 or more recently Industry 5.0, aligned with the conquest of sustainable companies, which is one

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of the main aspects to achieve SD in the contemporary era and disseminate the principles of sustainable production [18]. Bonilla et al. [34] consider that only through the integration of Industry 4.0 with SDGs in an eco-innovation platform can environmental performance be guaranteed. Although the industry contributes to social welfare by providing high quality products, adapted to human needs, and ensuring other suitable working conditions for employees, the current production pattern is not environmentally sustainable. Since the year 2010, the so-called fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) and an additional technological evolution of production systems can be observed. Industrial organizations, as key stakeholders for a global SD, need to shift to a new paradigm that emphasizes sustainable value creation. Industrial value creation has undergone radical changes in recent years and this can contribute, in many cases, positively to a global SD. On the other hand, growing socio-economic inequality, climate change, increasing environmental degradation, urbanization and growing cyber dependence can be highlighted as some relevant and negative global trends [33]. The guiding principle of Industry 4.0 was not initially focused on providing solutions to the ecological problems faced by production, but on increasing productivity, growth renewal and competitiveness. However, in this complex scenario of pressure from global environmental challenges, Industry 4.0 emerges from the synergy of the availability of innovative digital technology and consumer demand for high quality, customised products [34]. The concept of sustainable industry aims to create manufactured products that meet their designed function throughout their life cycle, causing a managed amount of impacts on society and nature, while delivering the proposed socioeconomic value. Thus, the issue of sustainability in production processes has become one of the main challenges industries face in the contemporary era [18]. Thus, we consider that industry 4.0 brings up new opportunities and as these new opportunities arise, they increase the relationship between sustainability and technology, as companies increase their profitability by eliminating inefficiencies in the manufacturing process. On the other hand, they make optimal use of existing and available resources to create value in the supply of products and services to consumers, reinforcing the idea that sustainability is more economical. The main objective of society is to ensure the integration of technological developments into society. So, instead of fearing technology, this is meant to support and cooperate with life in society [32]. Industry 4.0 Digital transformation is an industrial policy pillar in many countries and will create new values [1]. In this age of digitalization, with the rapid development of technology, the term Industrial Revolution 4.0 or Industry 4.0 becomes a terminology that is a reference for research and development in technology in various sectors [35]. The concept of Industry 4.0 originates from Germany, 2011, and is a strategic initiative of the German government that traditionally strongly supports the development of the industrial sector, in which it is a global leader, as an action to sustain Germany’s position [36]. It aimed at developing technologies in industries, aiming above all at increasing competitiveness through “smart factories” [2, 32, 37, 38]. This concept includes a variety of concepts and technologies related to the organization of

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the value chain, that is, it encompasses the main technological innovations related to automation, control and information technology, applied to the means of production [18, 39]. Industry 4.0 can also be perceived as a natural transformation of industrial production systems triggered by the digitalisation trend. Industry 4.0 is often considered a disruptive technology that will pave the way for a new generation of industrial manufacturing systems that will be completely different from the existing ones [36, 39]. According to the Report “The Future of Jobs”, the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) is the great divisor and promoter of the new industrial revolution. Artificial intelligence and robotics with automation will be added to IoT, thus complementing the tripod that will serve as the engine for the rapid advancement of the 4th industrial revolution [40]. This relationship was in crucial for the growing use of technologies at the service of industrial development, becoming indispensable. In this sense, industry 4.0 is an increasingly constant reality in the world economy, especially in more developed countries, where it is recognized both as a way to generate new businesses and to make economies more competitive through high productivity at low cost [2]. All this reinforces the importance of analysing its socio-economic consequences, with enormous technological, commercial, social and other implications of the value chain [41]. However, the report - “The Future of Jobs” - of the WEF [40] considered that the new production models that started within the so-called “industry 4.0”, will also have an impact and application in trade and provision of services, causing a drastic change in the labour market and in employment relations, giving rise to the idea of job cuts or even the disappearance of professions. However, this position is not unanimous and Gorecky et al. [42] consider that Industry 4.0 does not meet a reality of production without a worker. The individual characteristics of people should be taken into account as part of the cyber-physical system in order to optimize production to the maximum. The yield is higher if Man and Machine work in close articulation. Thus, from this interaction the human being assumes the power of decision, as the controlling and supervisory entity, being able to monitor the production on site or at a distance. On the other hand, IoT offers the opportunity for innovation, requiring skilled workers who are able to plan, monitor and supervise the manufacture of processes and facilities [2]. Akhter e Sultana [43] show in their paper that technology will not vanish the accounting profession, rather reshaping with new and challenging responsibilities. Advancement in machine learning, AI and robotics are also contributing to the overall development of the profession. As technologies are widening the scope of this profession, accountants need to be more adaptive and improve their skills to keep pace with machine. Need to work hand in hand to survive at the age of the fourth industrial revolution. Kruskopf et al. [44] present in your paper the technological disruptions shaping accounting and auditing fields and also at how they might influence future jobs and required skills. Many organisations still do not know how the Industry 4.0 impacts their business and such as how to find the right talent and knowledge to know how to adopt to the changes. However, the future of the accounting and audit professions are changing. These will perform higher value work, while transforming into more advisor roles in finance and business, with more specific expertise focusing their brain power

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on more fulfilling tasks. To Melnyk et al. [45], highlight in their study the trends that positively impact business growth until 2022, according to the report “The Future of Jobs”, demonstrating how disruptive technologies will be accelerated until 2025 and how positive and negative impacts on business will grow. In Portugal, “The Industry Program 4.0 - Phase II”, considers it necessary to act on 3 strategic lines: Generalize i4.0, Enable i4.0, and Assimilate i4.0. Innovation, particularly digitalization and Industry 4.0, which represents the transformation of business models of companies, through the adoption and integration of cyber-physical technologies that allow them to increase their agility, assume a fundamental role in promoting growth and competitiveness of the Portuguese economy” [46, p. 9]. This Programme is “a booster of the National Strategy for 2030, contributing directly to 2 of the 3 cross-cutting priority objectives post 2020”. Industry 4.0 is a potential lever for efficient resource management, circular economy and sustainability” [46, p. 15]. Burritt and Christ [39] seeks to examine how the Industry 4.0 could be used successfully as a basis for improvements in corporate sustainability through greater take up of environmental accounting, with more accurate, high quality, real time and external environmental reporting, in relevant sectors, company sizes, across different management roles and collaborative settings, as well as in supply and value chains. Morrar et al. [13], use in their study an exploratory approach to discuss how we can face Industry 4.0 not only from an economic but also from a social and environmental perspective. It presents a framework that can facilitate the interaction between technological and social innovation, under the aegis of sustainability, which can leverage economic rewards, enrich society in general and protect the environment, continuously creating proactive, timely and sustainable strategies. New future opportunities will be generated in the next industrial wave and will be gigantic at all levels. These authors design a creative platform for “Sustainable Industry 4.0” that would include experts from different disciplines - including engineers, economists, social scientists, environmentalists, futurists, artists and other creative people - people who can work together as part of this structure and with new solutions. Khan and Tiwari [47] empirically formulated a mapping between three levels of Industry 4. 0 attributes and the material disclosure topics of the GRI framework. They concluded that Industry 4.0 offers dual benefits in the areas of automation and efficiency of operations, and in accounting and sustainability reporting. However, the adoption of new technologies may require continual evolution of technical and training programs with the 4.0 industry maturity for sustainability accounting and reporting in an organization. Industry 4.0 promises to increase efficiency and flexibility on the one hand, and reduce time-to-market and overproduction on the other. On the other hand, it is closely related to changing workforce skills, data security concerns and expired businesses models. Thus, it has several implications for manufacturers in terms of economic, ecological and social aspects of TBL for sustainable industrial value creation. It requires an extension of TBL, established by three additional dimensions: technical integration, data and information and public context. Only then can IoT achieve added value in the three dimensions of TBL and create competitive advantage [16]. In this sense, IoT often conveys the idea of taking emerging technologies to reduce production costs, improve productivity and promote industrial growth. But it also enables the

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transformation of the industrial sector, leading it to more flexible and customized productions for the consumer, quickly responding to their new requests, improving the standard of living of people by meeting their needs. However, as with all development processes, there are also some anticipated and/or unpredictable problems. The SD process itself is an unpredictable problem and its complexity requires the use of highly capable approaches, such as artificial approaches and intelligence methods. SD is the development of the quality of all aspects of life of the current generation without creating negative impacts on the lives of future generations and, in the combination of TBL, political objectives are also involved. Melnyk, et al. [45], analyze and explain in their research the economic and social challenges in the process of developing “disruptive technologies” for SD. Despite the continuous process of transformation through digitalization in Industry 4.0 and the technological developments are growing at a high speed, there are some entrepreneurs already looking to the future of the industry (Industry 5.0), which is becoming part of the business scenario [48]. SOCIETY 5.0 Industry 4.0, in addition to its negative impacts, also offers opportunities for those who are prepared to adopt it. This is what presents great challenges for any kind of society and profession and can lead to improvement in jobs. For technology cannot replace the emotional intelligence and critical thinking skills of a human being in the near future. For example, some studies [43, 44, 49–51], address this problem, and some of the studies are in the area of accounting. Nahavandi [3] states that the only focus of Industry 4.0 is to improve process efficiency by inadvertently ignoring the human cost resulting from process optimization, which increases political and union pressures to improve and increase the number of jobs. But this major problem should not neutralize the benefits of Industry 4.0 and proposes that Industry 5.0 be the solution to achieve this goal. The term “Society 5.0” was created by the Japanese government in January 2016 and was identified as a growth strategy for Japan [1, 35]. Looking at human history, we can define different stages of societies: “Society 1.0”, “Society 2.0”, “Society 3.0”, “Society 4.0” and “Society 5.0” [1, 32, 38]. All these industrial revolutions have resulted in economic growth, increased productivity and advances in the well-being of countries that are able to reap most of their positive impact, including high quality products and services [13]. In view of the dissatisfaction of human resources with the industrial revolution 4.0, Purnamasari et al. [51], they state that in Society 5.0, which represents the 5th form of society in our human history, all aspects of human social life will be facilitated by technology and not only industrial life. Society 5.0 is an idea that explains the revolution in people’s lives with the development of the fourth industrial revolution [35, 38]. While Industry 4.0 focuses on production, Society 5.0 will seek to put human beings at the centre of innovation, connecting the impact of technology and the results of Industry 4.0 with the deepening of technological integration in improving quality of life, social responsibility and sustainability [38]. “The Society 5.0 was first beginning to reveal the causes of Industry 5.0 name, it is located in ensuring the integration of technology with social life” [32, p. 32].

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Thus, Industry 5.0 will increase collaboration between humans and intelligent systems like robots, especially in manufacturing, where machines take on all the monotonous and repetitive tasks while humans take the creative side to take on more responsibility and more supervision of systems to raise the quality of production in general [48]. The goal of Society 5.0 is to create a society centered on the human being, where both economic development and the resolution of challenges of social issues are achieved and people can enjoy a high quality of life, life to the full, fully active and comfortable [1, 38]. The vision of individuals Japan Society 5.0’s in terms of economic development aims to solve the social difficulties of building a society focused on the humancentered, achieving quality of life. The main goal of the 5.0 society is to ensure the integration of technological developments into society. So, instead of a fearful and technological society, it aims to create a society in cooperation with its life [32]. Industry 5.0 will enter daily future businesses due to the speed of further technological development and the changing integration of the human process [48]. This will revolutionize manufacturing systems worldwide and bring unprecedented challenges in the field of interaction. Industry 5.0 will increase productivity and operational efficiency, reduce work injuries, shorten production time cycles and remove dirty and repetitive tasks from human workers wherever possible [3]. There will be convergence of technological developments - AI, robotics, automation, big data and the IoT - with society to make people’s lives easier [35]. The work of Nahavandi [3] presents the challenge of the Industry 5.0 concept, in which robots are interconnected with the human brain and work as employees instead of competitors. Thus, productivity will continue to increase without imposing punitive challenges on the economy: without removing human workers from manufacturing. A new ecosystem of customized robotic hardware and software solutions will be created around the world by start-up companies. This will have a direct impact from Industry 5.0, which will further boost the global economy and increase cash flow worldwide. Unlike immediate intuition, Industry 5.0 will bring more people back to the workplace and improve process efficiency. It will create more jobs than it takes [3]. It is essential to leverage ICT to the fullest to obtain new knowledge and create new values by making connections between “people and things” and between “real and cyber” worlds, providing better living conditions for people and sustaining healthy economic growth. The challenge is to include various stakeholders at various levels to share a common vision of the future [1]. The study by Purnamasari et al. [51] shows that some student communities are still lagging behind to face the new digital age professionally. Faruqi [35] considers that to achieve a large-scale revolution of Society 5.0 it is required quite strong human capital. The quality of human resources is crucial in forming an integrated system. Only with strong technological capabilities and skills, in their respective fields, is it possible to exercise one’s profession digitally, helping to provide better services to the community by simplifying work and human life. For Ferreira and Serpa [38], the cyber-physical world will cooperate and work side by side with the human world. However, this future can only be viable with the emergence of bold new research to catalyze interdisciplinary social and hard sciences and engineering, as these convergences are necessary to form human technology

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partnerships that provide a sustainable world. Society 5.0 is a proposal for human and social development with respect to sustainability. The work of Özdemir and Hekim [52] describes that Industry 5.0, despite using the open and hyper-connected global IoT network, is ready to move towards a symmetrical design of a sustainable and responsible innovation ecosystem in the digital age, taking advantage of extreme automation and big data with safety, innovative technology policy and responsible implementation science, enabled by 3D symmetry in the innovation ecosystem design. Paschek et al. [48] analyze and evaluate the business impact of the upcoming Industrial Revolution, called Industry 5.0 and stress the assumption that the company has not yet recognized the upcoming Industrial Revolution due to the lack of entrepreneurship and transformation capacity related to Industry 4.0. The Fifth Industrial Revolution will emerge when its three main elements - intelligent devices, intelligent systems and intelligent automation - fully integrate into the physical world in cooperation with human intelligence [3]. Although Society 5.0 is Japan’s growth strategy, it is similar to other countries and can contribute to solving similar challenges around the world and contribute to the achievements of SDGs as their challenges are the same [1, 32]. The basic foundation of Society 5.0 is the principle of balance, of alignment between economic development and the resolution of social problems. This is related to the 17 global goals of the SDGs, which are currently the goals to be achieved globally by the community to solve global problems. Therefore, there are future services in new sectors that are expected to be used by the community, maximizing the potential for technological development [35]. See Fig. 1.

Fig. 1. Society 5.0 for SDGs (Fonte: https://www.keidanren.or.jp/en/policy/csr/2017reference2. pdf).

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Industry 5.0 “accentuates clear change from mass automation to the process of enhancing capabilities of human workers for achieving personalisation by product customization to the next level [48, p. 131].

3 Conclusion Throughout the article the evolution of the industry over time and its relationship with the symmetric project of a sustainable and responsible innovation ecosystem in today’s digital age was mentioned. Take the current pandemic – covid.19 - which has involved the governments of all countries in common goals, in the face of the unexpected. The unpredictability of this pandemic essentially causes social and economic problems, fundamental to the SD. However, IoT is a great ally since it allows dynamic and proactive decisions in real time, in response to the rapid changes imposed by crisis circumstances. On the one hand, this crisis is leveraging IoT worldwide, with concentrated efforts of Governments, Academics and Associations. On the other hand, it is leading to growth in the recruitment of specific areas: automation, intelligent systems, big data, digitalization, cloud computing, process engineering, preventive maintenance, logistics and continuous improvement. This whole process will have huge implications associated with large investments, for example, in the main technologies of IoT, skilled workers and innovation of the businesses model. And a conclusive assessment of profitability remains uncertain, mainly due to limited financial resources. Never before has SD been so present in the policies of major governments, playing a key role in the development of human societies. In this sense, we consider that industry 4.0 has been the evolution of industrial production systems that ensure various benefits for industries, including cost reduction, increased safety and quality and improved process efficiency. Nowadays “Work from Home” and Industry 4.0, or who knows 5.0, have come to stay and put AI, robotics, big data, etc.at men’s service, in which everything will be connected and society will have to be adaptable. The community must take advantage of the synergies of Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0, which came to revolutionize society, by improving the quality of life in the community, and mobilizing the productive and technological potential that the Industry offers in our personal and professional lives.

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The Impacts of Sport Tourism Events: The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series Case in the Azores Islands Melissa Avelar1, Áurea Sousa2, and António Menezes2(&) 2

1 University of the Azores, Ponta Delgada, Portugal University of the Azores and CEEAplA, Ponta Delgada, Portugal [email protected]

Abstract. Governments sponsor sports events as a way of developing, promoting, and combating the seasonality of a tourist destination, in order to enhance the image of a tourism destination. This study analyzes the impacts stemming from the realization of sport tourism events, focusing on the case of the world famous and spectacular Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series event in the Azores. The primary objective of this research is to assess the main economic impacts of this event, its importance for regional development, the perceptions of respondents, and the levels of satisfaction with it – both in a global sense and for several dimensions of the event – using a novel primary dataset, with individual survey data. The results support the idea that this event has important economic impacts and suggest that most participants are generally satisfied, although some aspects that could be improved have been identified. Most respondents consider this event to be important for tourism and economic development, and a large proportion consider it important for the social development and cultural development of the region in which it takes place. Keywords: Tourism sports events
Tourism events impacts
Tourism destination marketing and planning
Red Bull Cliff Diving
Azores

1 Introduction Alberti and Giusti (2012, p. 264) argue that: “Tourism is the second most important global sector, after financial services, and one of the fastest growing service industry for many economies in the world”. According to Getz (2008) and Getz and Page (2016), tourism events, including sports tourism events, in which tourists participate as practitioners or spectators, are an important driver of tourism growth, and are of increasing importance for the competitiveness of most tourism destinations. This is the case of the Azores Islands, a Portuguese archipelago of 9 volcanic, pristine islands, in the middle of the North Atlantic, were tourism is the leading avenue in the foreseeable future for the creation of wealth, employment and the promotion of social inclusion and territorial cohesion in this Region. It should also be noted that: “The Azores has been granted several awards and international appraisals regarding sustainable development and sustainable tourism. Some of these awards come from prestigious international institutions, such as UNESCO, National Geographic Traveller, QualityCoast, © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 64–80, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_6

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and Green Destinations.” (Castanho et al. 2020, p. 5). The promotion of the tourism sector results from several investments, including the hosting of tourism-sports nature events held in the Azores, such as the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, which, in 2018, took place for the seventh consecutive year in the island of São Miguel. The Azores Islands are undoubtfully uncannily well-suited to host sports tourism events where nature and sea provide for a natural and dramatic backdrop. In fact, several spectacular sports events are held in the Azores and are related to surfing, car racing, trial-running, inter alia sports modalities. Given the potential for tourism promotion that this event presents, on a global scale, due to the brand power of Red Bull and what it stands for in the radical global sports world, on the one hand, and the fact that this event is the recipient of public funds, on the other, the study of its (multi-dimensional) impacts is justified and much warranted. In fact, given the existence of public funding for sports tourism events in the Azores by the Azorean Government, it is important to measure the return of these events. According to Higham and Hinch (2018): “The phenomenon of sport-related tourism and the implications of these activities for people and places, justify targeted scholarly attention. Theoretical and empirical research offers the opportunity to examine untested assumptions, develop understanding of complex relationships and processes, and influence outcomes resulting from the interplay of sport and tourism”. In this context, the present paper contributes to the literature on the impacts of tourism events to tourism destinations, using a novel dataset of primary data, via individual surveys. In particular, this study assesses the main economic impacts that the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series produces in the Azores, more specifically, in the place where the event takes place, the São Miguel Island, and the levels of satisfaction among tourists with the event in general and in relation to its different aspects, trying to assess aspects that can be improved in future editions of this event. According to Sousa et al. (2017, p. 768), the knowledge related to the perceptions of locals and visitors, regarding sporting events, can be useful in terms of future planning of other editions of the same event or other events of the kind, in order to make them more attractive and integrate them in the sustainable tourism development of a region. The remainder of the paper is organized as follows. Section 2 presents a literature review with an emphasis on how tourism sports events impact local communities and contribute to the image of a region as a tourism destination. Section 3 presents the methodological procedures. In Sect. 4, the main results obtained based on various statistical methods are presented and discussed, including summary statistics, nonparametric hypothesis tests (namely, Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis test), and Cluster Analysis. Finally, Sect. 5 presents the main conclusions, limitations of the study and some recommendations regarding future studies.

2 Impacts of Sports Tourism Events According to Greenwell et al. (2020): “Sport tourism has become a global phenomenon and an increasingly important topic of study in the field of sport management”. Sports tourism is a rapidly expanding part of the international tourism sector. As Higham and

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Hinch (2018) argue: “Heritage and culture contribute to making tourism destinations unique. Sport and sports venues may represent a unique expression of the heritage of place.” Within sports tourism development strategies, hosting sports tourism events has been one of the leading strategies used to promote notoriety and visibility of tourism destinations and/or to mitigate demand seasonality patterns afflicting certain tourism destinations (Alexandris and Kaplanidou 2014; Connell et al. 2015). Governments typically support and promote events as part of their broad economic development strategies, but also as a part of their cultural and tourism strategies. Events are an important tool to attract visitors and build an image within different communities. According to Greenwell et al. (2020): “The integration of sport and tourism means event planners must be capable of collaborating with a network of different organizations or actors.” Following the same authors, these sport event networks may comprise, for instance, tourist attractions, rental companies, airlines, sport venues, accommodation providers (e.g., hotels), local business, media, and sponsors, between other stakeholders. To understand the interactions between events and tourism, including the role and responsibilities of the government sector, of the private sector and of society at large, it is important to note that these interactions are fluid and have changed substantially over the last decade. In fact, events impact stakeholders and the host populations in a variety of ways, with social, cultural, physical, environmental, political, and economic implications, with the effects being both positive and negative (Raj et al. 2013). Small (2007) identified six types of social impacts that can be considered, when analyzing social impacts that result from the organization of an event: inconvenience; community identity and cohesion; personal frustration; entertainment and socialization opportunities; community growth and development; and behavioral consequences. The multiplier calculations are a commonly used method to assess the economic impacts of the events, capturing the direct and indirect expenses associated with the events, calculating the money spent by the participants due to participation in the event itself and the extra expenses in the economy that are facilitated by this initial injection. The fact that the participants of this event spend their money thus generating additional expenses, is recognized as a multiplier effect, which can be used to demonstrate the impact of an event’s expenses on the local economy (Bladen et al. 2012). However, there is a “potential conflict between economic and cultural interests, and culture ends up being sacrificed in favor of promoting tourism, that is, the creation of additional economic values at the price of the loss of cultural value. (…) On a social level, wellorganized tourism can favor contacts between tourists and the local population, stimulate cultural exchange, lead to friendly and responsible interaction and, finally, increase connections between countries.” (Marujo 2014). Concerning environmental impacts, Getz (2010) states that these are related to: changes in ecological systems and the physical environment as a result of festivals and events; in energy and carbon consumption of travel related to events; in water production and evasion; in air, water and land pollution; effects on wildlife and habitat; reducing, recycling and reusing materials, buildings and sites. Getz and Page (2016) offer an extensive review of events and their impacts on the tourism global scene and literature.

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About the social impacts, “it is a fact that many types of events held in countries, regions, or localities (with regional, national or international scope) can promote tourism and generate development. That is why many marketing organizations and communities are increasingly involved in planning, organizing and promoting events such as tourist attractions.” (Marujo 2014). Furthermore, the events figure prominently in the development and marketing plans of most destinations (Getz 2008). Therefore, it is important to bet on the quality of events in general, and of sport in particular. Islands in general, and those of the Azores in particular, are, by their nature, considered excellent places for events of high economic value, which are essential for sustainable tourism development. Consequently, sporting events held on the islands can be considered as powerful attractions, providing good opportunities for the regeneration of old-fashioned tourist destinations and for the development of highvalue products for modern tourists (Lim and Patterson 2008).

3 Methodology In this study, we use primary data obtained from micro-individual surveys gathered during the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 2018, held in the locality of Vila Franca do Campo, in the Island of São Miguel. The surveys were filled during the event. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of such a high-profile event, in particular the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. The sample used consists of 164 individuals (44.5% female and 55.5% male), the majority aged 35 years or less (64.6%) and with Portuguese nationality (65.6%), who participated in the Red Bull Cliff Diving event, held in the Azores (Portugal), in 2018. As for the role of the individuals surveyed regarding this event, it was found that the majority (71.3%) was attending the event (spectator role), 0.6% of respondents were members of the sports teams participating in the event, 15.9% were staff members, 1.8% belonged to the press and 10.4% in the “other” category. The questionnaire used, which can be found in Avelar (2019), contains same sociodemographic variables (e.g., gender, age level, civil status, schooling level, nationality, Azorean ascendancy) and some questions regarding the participation in the event. It is worth mentioning the inclusion of a set of six questions that aimed to assess daily expenses per person (in Euros), related to the participation in the event, considering the following expense categories: “Accommodation”; “Cafes and bars”; “Commerce and handcrafts”; “At the event site”; “Restaurants”; and “Land transportation”, for which respondents indicated the range of values corresponding to daily expenses incurred per person. The questionnaire also contains a question regarding the expense incurred with airline tickets (return tickets). It is also worth mentioning the consideration of a group of nine questions that aim to assess the levels of satisfaction regarding the following aspects of the event, among others: “Access to the place”; “Assistance”; Performance of athletes, “Parking”; “Schedule”; “Information available”; “Cleanliness”; Organization; and “Security”. The responses for each of these questions are on an ordinal scale, from 1 to 5 (1-Not satisfied, 2-Not very satisfied/somewhat dissatisfied, 3-Indifferent, 4-Satisfied, 5-Very satisfied). Thus, the total scores (sum of the scores of the items) obtained on this scale allow to evaluate the overall satisfaction

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with the event, and vary between 9 and 45, with 27 being the respective midpoint. According to the value (0.879) obtained for the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (e.g., Cronbach 1951; Gliem and Gliem 2003), the items on this scale have a good internal consistency. The questionnaire also contains questions that aim to evaluate the main impacts (environmental, cultural, economic, social, touristic) that this event has as per the perception of the respondents. Moreover, the questionnaires were distributed and collected both in the city of Ponta Delgada and also in Vila Franca do Campo, and it should be noted that the respondents were informed about the research objectives in question and that their participation was voluntary. The research hypotheses to be evaluated are as follows: H1: The overall satisfaction with the event varies depending on certain individual sociodemographic characteristics; H2: Overall individual satisfaction with the event varies depending on whether individuals have planned to attend the event as part of their vacation; H3: The satisfaction levels concerning some aspects of the event varies depending on certain individual sociodemographic characteristics; H4: The satisfaction levels concerning some aspects of the event varies depending on other individual characteristics (“Is this your first time coming to Red Bull Cliff Diving? (No, yes); “Are you participating in the event alone? (No, Yes)”). Due to the particularities of the Red Bull Cliff Diving (the event took place outdoors and the access was free), the collected data does not constitute a truly random sample, which makes statistical inference not recommended. However, we believe that the sample obtained is representative due to the fact that the event occurred in the islet of Vila Franca do Campo, in the middle of the sea (in this conditions the sample size was considerable). Thereby, although the results of some hypothesis tests are commented, we chose not to present the respective p-values. The data were analyzed based on several statistical methods, namely: descriptive statistics; non-parametric hypothesis tests (namely, Mann-Whitney U test and KruskalWallis test); algorithms for Ascendant Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (AHCA), within the scope of Cluster Analysis; the k-means method (non-hierarchical method), also in the context of Cluster Analysis. The use of the Mann-Whitney U test was due to the failure to verify the assumption of normality of the total scores obtained. For this purpose, the variables “Age”, “Schooling”, “Nationality” and “Civil status” were recoded in two categories, which will be mentioned in the results section. According to Bacelar-Nicolau et al. (2014, p. 435): “Cluster analysis or classification usually concerns exploratory multivariate data analysis methods and techniques for grouping either a set of statistical data units (individuals, cases, …) or an associated set of descriptive variables, into clusters of similar elements, hopefully homogenous and well separated”. Here we applied the k-means method in order to obtain a partition of the respondents. Moreover, we used algorithms of AHCA in order to obtain a typology of the set of items on the scale that assesses satisfaction with the event.

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4 Main Results 4.1

Analysis of Expenditure

Table 1 shows the values of summary statistics related to the different expense items with the event, in euros (€). Table 1. Values of the average, standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (CV) referring to daily expenses incurred by non-residents, per person (euros). Accommodation Cafe and bars Commerce and handcrafts At the event site Restaurants Land transportation

Mean 102,22 € 11,47 € 13,14 € 23,14 € 34,25 € 16,15 €

SD 50,97 € 7,99 € 6,87 € 15,55 € 14,84 € 8,43 €

CV 50% 70% 52% 67% 43% 52%

Considering the values presented in Table 1, we can see, for example, that nonresident respondents, who had to resort to hotel establishments\residences, spent on average €102.22 per night, with a standard deviation of €50.97. With regard to the variable “Restaurants”, respondents with expenses in this item spent an average of €34.25 per person and per day, this being the item where there was less relative variability in terms of expenses incurred. Non-resident participants in São Miguel had an average daily expense, per person, of €200.37 with regard to accommodation expenses; cafes and bars; trade and crafts; at the event site; restaurants and land transportation. Visitors who had airfare expenses spent an average of €263.42 per person on Air Transportation (roundtrip), with a standard deviation of €155.98. 4.2

Analysis of Satisfaction with the Event

For a better systematization of the results obtained, this subsection is divided in two parts: the analysis of the total scores of this scale (sum of the scores obtained in the 9 items, as referred to in Sect. 3) and the item-by-item analysis, in which each of the scale items is considered separately. Analysis of Satisfaction with the Event Based on the Total Scores Using the Original Scale The mean (38.30), median (38.00), and mode (45) values of the total scores obtained on the scale that assess satisfaction with the event are all higher than the midpoint (27) of the scale variation range (from 9 to 45), so we can consider that respondents are generally satisfied with the event. Figure 1 shows the distribution of respondents according to the answers given to the question: “Would you recommend the event to a friend and/or family member?”

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Fig. 1. Distribution of respondents, per intent of recommending the event to Family and Friends.

The majority (79%) of the respondents would probably or most likely recommend the event to a friend and/or family member, with about 46% doing so with a high probability. Incidentally, 47.6% of respondents, of the sample used in the present study, had already witnessed at least one previous version of the event. In order to validate Hypothesis H1 that the overall satisfaction with the event varies according to certain individual sociodemographic characteristics, we started by calculating the values of the mean and standard deviation of the total scores obtained on the scale, according to some sociodemographic variables (Table 2). Table 2. Values of the mean, standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (CV) of the total scores obtained according to some sociodemographic variables. Variables Gender Age Civil status Schooling level Nationality Azorean Ascendancy Did you plan to attend the event as part of your holiday?

Categories Female Male 35 years or less 36 years or more Single Not single Without University Degree With University Degree Portuguese Foreign No Yes No Yes

Mean 38,11 38,45 37,46 39,83 37,33 39,37 38,48 38,12 37,70 39,49 39,15 37,38 37,90 38,30

SD 5,29 2,98 6,07 4,51 6,34 4,63 5,47 5,89 6,16 4,37 4,57 6,56 5,22 6,58

CV 0,14 0,08 0,16 0,11 0,17 0,12 0,14 0,15 0,16 0,11 0,12 0,18 0,14 0,17

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From the results presented in Table 2, it is possible to conclude that the mean values of the total scores obtained on this scale are higher in the case of respondents aged 36 or older, compared to the others; in the case of “Non Singles”, compared to “Singles”; in the case of foreigners, compared to the Portuguese; and in the case of those who do not have “Azorean ancestry”, compared to the others. The Mann-Whitney U test was applied to compare the total scores obtained on the scale that evaluates satisfaction with the event between the groups of individuals defined by the categories of the variables included in Table 2. Table 3 contains the results related to the application of this test, presenting only the cases in which the observed differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Table 3. Mann-Whitney U test; Dependent variable: Total score in the scale. Independent variables Age

Category 35 years or less 36 years or more Civil Status Single Not-Single Did you plan to attend the event as part of your holiday? No Yes *p < 0.05

MR 75,54 95,22 74,80 90,99 77,62 93,95

U 2336,500* 2691,500* 2256,500*

Significant differences were found only between individuals of the two age groups (“35 years or less” and “36 years or more”); between singles and other individuals; and among those who planned to participate in the event, as part of their vacation, and the rest, with the mean of the ranks ((mean ranks (MR)) being higher in the case of older people, non-singles and those who planned their participation in the event, as part of their vacation, as shown in Table 3. Hence, we confirm our hypothesis H1, concluding that the overall satisfaction with the event varies according to age and marital status, which are considered sociodemographic variables; and we also validate the H2 hypothesis. According to the Kruskal-Wallis test, no significant differences were found between respondents who fall into the categories “Spectator”, “Team member”, “Staff member”, “Press” and “Other” with regard to total scores obtained on the scale that evaluates the event (H = 6.168, p > 0.05). In order to find groups of individuals with different levels of global satisfaction in relation to this event, the k-means method (MacQueen 1967) was applied, within the scope of Cluster Analysis, considering a partition of the individuals into three clusters, in order to maximize the differences between these groups with respect to the total scores obtained on the scale that evaluates satisfaction with the event. The percentages of respondents included in each of the clusters (Cluster 1, Cluster 2, Cluster 3) are, respectively, 1.22% (corresponding to 2 individuals); 45.73% (corresponding to 75 individuals) and 53.05% (corresponding to 87 individuals) to which different tourist profiles correspond. Cluster 1 contains only 2 individuals, the only ones who expressed dissatisfaction with the event, who obtained an average total score (14.00), below the

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midpoint of the scale variation range, and which can be considered as an “exception to the rule”. Cluster 2 includes individuals who showed higher levels of satisfaction with the event (mean = 43.19; standard deviation = 5.657). Finally, Cluster 3 includes individuals who were satisfied (but not as much as those in Cluster 2) with the event (mean = 34.64; standard deviation = 2.980). The main sociodemographic characteristics of the tourists included in each of the clusters are summarized in Table 4. Table 4. Clusters regarding items used to evaluate the event. Items

More satisfied Cluster 2 Gender Female 44,0% Male 56,0% Age 35 years or less 56,0% 36 years or more 44,0% Civil Status Single 44,0% Not single 56,0% Schooling W/o Univ. Degree 45,3% With Univ. Degree 54,7% Nationality Portuguese 60,0% Foreign 40,0% Azorean ascendancy No 60,0% Yes 40,0% First time in Red Bull Cliff Diving? No 41,3% Yes 58,7% Taking part by yourself? No 77,3% Yes 22,7%

Satisfied Cluster 3 46,0% 54,0% 71,3% 28,7% 58,6% 41,4% 52,9% 47,1% 71,3% 28,7% 46,0% 54,0% 54,0% 46,0% 75,9% 24,1%

The results presented in Table 4 allow us to conclude that Cluster 2, which includes those most satisfied with the event, has, compared to Cluster 3, a higher proportion of individuals aged 36 years or over (44.0% versus 28.7%), people who are not single (56.0% versus 41.44%), with higher education (54.7% versus 47.1%), without Azorean descent (60.0% versus 46%) and individuals who first came to the Red Bull Cliff Diving event (58.7% versus 46%). With regard to Cluster 3, it should be noted that the majority are in the age group of “35 years or less” (71.3%), are single (58.6%), do not have higher education (52.9%), has Azorean ancestry (54.0%) and did not come to the Red Bull Cliff Diving event (54.0%) for the first time. Analysis Item by Item Figure 2 shows the values of the median and mode of the responses given to each of the 9 scale items.

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Median Mode Access to the event loca on 5 Assistance Safety 4 3 Performance 2 Organiza on of athletes 1 Parking

Cleanliness Informa on in the media

Schedule

Fig. 2. Median and mode values of each item of the scale.

The median and mode values, relative to each of the items on the scale that evaluates satisfaction, reveal great satisfaction on the part of the respondents with regard to the event, since the values of these statistics varied between 4 (Satisfied) and 5 (Very satisfied), as shown in Fig. 2. The distribution of respondents, according to the levels of satisfaction for each of the items (%) of the scale is shown in Fig. 3.

Safety Cleanliness Schedule Performance of athletes Access to the event loca on 0 Very

Sa sfied

10

20

30

Indifferent

40

50

Not very

60

70

80

Not

Fig. 3. Distribution of respondents, according to the degree of satisfaction for each of the items (%).

Considering the “Very Satisfied” level, the highest percentage (70.1%) is that which refers to the “Athletes’ Performance” level. Regarding the “Indifferent” level, the highest percentage (9.8%) refers to “Parking”, which corresponds to the fact that part of the respondents leaves by boat from the Ponta Delgada marina to the islet of Vila Franca do Campo. The answer “Little Satisfied” had a higher incidence (16.5%) in the

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case of the evaluation of the item “Parking”, given the size of the available parking lot. It should also be noted that 5.5% saw themselves as “Nothing Satisfied” in this regard, as can be seen from the results shown in Fig. 3. The Mann-Whitney U test was applied in order to compare the responses given to each of the items on the scale that assesses satisfaction with the event between the groups of individuals defined by the categories of the variables “Gender”, “Age level” (35 years or less, 36 years or more), “Civil Status” (Single, Not single), “Has Azorean ancestry” (No, Yes), “Schooling” (Without Higher Education, With Higher Education), “Nationality” (Portuguese, Foreign), “Is this your first time coming to Red Bull Cliff Diving?” (No, Yes) and “Are you participating in the event alone?” (No, Yes). Next, we will refer only to situations in which the observed differences were statistically significant, considering a significance level of 0.05. Significant differences were found between individuals of the two age groups (“35 years or less” and “36 years or more”) with regard to levels of satisfaction with “Access to the Site”; “Schedule”; “Available Information”; “Cleanliness” and “Safety”, with the highest values of MR for individuals aged 36 years or more, as shown in Table 5. Table 5. Results of satisfaction levels, regarding items of the event, for “Age”. Age 35 years 36 years Schedule 35 years 36 years Available information 35 years 36 years Cleanliness 35 years 36 years Safety 35 years 36 years * p < 0.05 Access to the site

or or or or or or or or or or

less more less more less more less more less more

MR 77,60 91,46 76,13 94,14 77,34 91,92 76,47 93,52 77,51 91,62

U 2554,500* 2399,000* 2527,500* 2435,000* 2545,000*

Statistically significant differences were found between singles and other individuals in terms of satisfaction levels with “Access to the Place” and “Schedule” (p < 0.05), with the highest levels of satisfaction in the case of those who they are not singles (see Table 6). Table 6. Results of satisfaction levels, regarding items of the event, for “Civil Status”. Civil Status Access to the site Single Not-single Schedule Single Not-single * p < 0.05

MR U 73,53 2583,000* 92,38 75,22 2728,000* 90,53

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Table 7. Results of satisfaction levels, regarding items of the event, for “Nationality”. Nationality Access to the site Portuguese Foreign Assistance Portuguese Foreign Schedule Portuguese Foreign * p < 0.05

MR 77,06 93,27 77,24 92,93 77,64 92,13

U 2405,000* 2424,000* 2468,000*

Statistically significant differences were found between Portuguese and foreigners in terms of satisfaction levels with “Access to the Site”; “Assistance” and “Schedule”, with greater satisfaction on the part of foreigners with regard to these aspects, as can be seen from the results presented in Table 7. Thus, we validate our hypothesis H3 (the satisfaction levels concerning some aspects of the event varies depending on certain individual sociodemographic characteristics). Statistically significant differences were found between those who participated alone and the others only in terms of satisfaction levels with “Security” (U = 1978,500; p < 0.05), with the highest levels of satisfaction in the case of those who they were not participating alone in this event (No: MR = 86.17; Yes: MR = 70.73). Thus, H4 is partially validated. With regard to the different categories of satisfaction, the application of the Kruskal-Wallis test allowed us to conclude that there are no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) between the groups defined by the categories of variable “What is your role regarding the event Red Bull Cliff Diving?”. The AHCA was performed on the data matrix that contains the respondents’ answers for each of the items on the scale that assesses satisfaction with the event, in order to look for a typology of these items. Given the ordinal nature of the items that assess satisfaction with the event, Spearman’s correlation coefficient was used as a comparison coefficient between elements (in this case, scale items) which was combined with three classic aggregation criteria, namely Average Linkage, Single Linkage and Complete Linkage (Anderberg 1973). The dendrograms provided by the applied methods provided at level 5 (the best cutoff level) the same partition into four clusters, taking into account the values of the fusion coefficient (relative variation) and the observation of the obtained dendrograms: C1: {3, 7, 8, 9}; C2: {6}; C3: {1, 2}; and C4; {4, 5}. Cluster C1 includes items 3 (Athletes’ performance), 7 (Cleanliness), 8 (Organization) and 9 (Security). Cluster C2 includes only item 6 (Information available). Cluster C3 includes items 1 (Access to the place) and 2 (Assistance). Finally, Cluster C4 contains items 5 (Parking) and 5 (time) of the scale that assesses satisfaction with the event. Figure 4 shows the dendrogram obtained by the Average Linkage method. In all dendrograms, there is a high proximity between items 8 (Organization) and 9 (Security), which means that the responses related to these items tended to be relatively similar (the higher the evaluation of one of them was, higher tended to be the evaluation of the other item). This high proximity can be observed also from Fig. 3.

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Fig. 4. Dendrogram obtained by Average Linkage method

4.3

Impacts of Red Bull Cliff Diving on Respondents’ Perceptions

Most respondents consider the Red Bull Cliff Diving event to be important for tourism development (79.3%) and for economic development (57.3%). It should also be noted that 39.0% of the individuals in the sample consider this event to be important for social development and 32.3% for cultural development. Only 17.1% of respondents considered that this event is important for environmental development. In this sense, it should be noted that given the television broadcasts and online dissemination, the audience for which this event is intended is very wide, being dispersed in several countries, hence it can have a considerable impact at the tourism level. In this context, according to Tiago et al. (2017), the increased interaction on social networks, before, during and after an event enriches it. According to Tiago et al. (2016), in order to make the fans’ experience perfect in the media, entities need to meet the fans’ point of view, considering the values they represent and producing content that reflects those same values, monetizing social media, in order to increase the levels of satisfaction. According to the same authors, sports companies need to think like fans, assessing the value they give and creating content that reflects those values, in order to make the fan experience perfect in the media.

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According to Bladen et al. (2012), given the diversity of studies on the aspects that affect the impacts on tourism, it is not possible to use the result of a study in a specific location as the basis for a general conclusion. There are several factors that influence social impacts and similar factors may have different responses in different locations. The reason for this diversity lies in the groups of people who form communities in specific places that have developed lifestyles, factors that will influence their attitudes towards tourism. Sharpley and Stone (2012) consider socio-cultural impacts as the simplest way to label this broad category, although they have pointed out that the social effects on people’s daily lives and cultural impacts are related to beliefs, values, norms and traditions groups.

5 Conclusions The non-resident participants in São Miguel had an average daily expense, per person, of €200.37, considering the expenses with “accommodation”, “cafes and bars”, “commerce and handicrafts”, “at the event site”; “Restaurants” and “land transport”, having also spent an average of around 263,422 euros per person, with “air transport”. Respondents are generally satisfied with the event, and the majority claimed that they would recommend, probably or very likely, the event to a friend and/or family member. As a point of improvement for the future organizations of the event, we advise some improvements in terms of the existence of places to park, of the schedule (being able, in this way, to potentiate the economic impacts with respect to the headings “coffee and bars”; “commerce and crafts” and restaurants, as the event took place from 11 am to 1:45 pm) and the information available. Overall satisfaction with the event varied according to the age and marital status of the participants, and it should be noted that the satisfaction levels were lower in the case of individuals aged 35 or less, of singles and those who did not plan ahead their participation in the event as part of their holidays. As for specific facets of the event, statistically significant differences were found between individuals of the two age groups (“35 years or less” and “36 years or more”) with regard to levels of satisfaction with “Access to the Site”; “Schedule”; “Available Information”; “Cleanliness” and “Security”; older people showed higher levels of satisfaction in relation to these aspects. Statistically significant differences were also found between singles and not-single individuals with regard to levels of satisfaction with “Access to the Place” and “Hours” (p < 0.05), with higher levels of satisfaction on the part of the who are not single. There were also statistically significant differences between the Portuguese and foreigners in terms of levels of satisfaction with “Access to the Site”; “Assistance” and “Timetable, with a greater satisfaction on the part of foreigners with regard to these aspects. Finally, significant differences were found between those who participated alone and others only in terms of satisfaction levels regarding “Security” (p < 0.05), with satisfaction levels tending to be higher in the case of those who were not participating alone in this event. Regarding the application of the k-means method, in the context of Cluster Analysis, considering a partition of respondents into three clusters, in order to maximize the differences between the global scores obtained on the scale that evaluates

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satisfaction with the event, it was found that Cluster 2, which includes those most satisfied with the event, has, compared to Cluster 3 (that of satisfied but not so much), a higher proportion of individuals aged 36 years or over, of individuals with a different marital status than single, with higher education, without Azorean descent and who came for the first time to the Red Bull Cliff Diving event. With regard to Cluster 3, it should be noted that most are in the age group of “35 years or more”, are single, do not have higher education, have Azorean ancestry and did not come for the first time to the event Red Bull Cliff Diving. The AHCA of the items on the scale that evaluates the satisfaction with the event allowed us to find a typology of these items, having selected a partition in four clusters, which was provided by all the algorithms used. Most respondents consider the Red Bull Cliff Diving event to be important for tourism and economic development. This sporting event has most interesting characteristics for its success to continue into the foreseeable future, so much so that it was held again this in 2019 (in 2020 it was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic), being an asset for the Azores Autonomous Region (AAR), projecting the image of the Azores beyond borders. Since the support of the Regional Government is essential for its realization, it is of paramount importance to make decisions in order to plan possible future editions, for which we hope that the present study will be an important contribution. The study presented some difficulties for its performance, such as, the duration of the event (one day: 14th of July), which made the entire data collection tenser in order to be able to correspond to the objectives proposed for this study. Due to the fact that it is an event that implicated the presence in two places (Ponta Delgada and Vila Franca do Campo marina), the need arose for external assistance to be able to obtain more inquiries. The main limitation of this study is the fact that it was not possible to obtain a truly random sample. In fact, due to the particularities of the event, it was not possible to have a list containing all participants in the event (the event took place outdoors and the access was free), which compromises the generalization of the results obtained. Some inquired did not have the willingness to complete the questionnaire because, after the briefing of each tourist maritime company, with durability of thirty minutes, it was possible to start filling out the questionnaire. In addition, other limitations it is related to the size of the sample (initially, there would be 190 questionnaires and it was not possible to accept them all, as 26 of the respondents didn’t complete the questionnaire), resulting in a total of 164 questionnaires. Believing that it would had enriched the study in the sample of results. Even so, we believe in the representativeness of the sample obtained, because given the place where the event takes place (in the islet of Vila Franca do Campo, in the middle of the sea) the sample has a considerable dimension.

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Measuring Tourism in Natural Parks Iria Dios-Murcia1(B) , Jaime Leir´os-de-Velasco2 , and Yolanda Pena-Boquete1 1

2

AYeconomics Research Centre S.L., Santiago de Compostela, Spain [email protected] Turismo de Galicia, Xunta de Galicia, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Abstract. Official statistics does not capture the whole volume of tourism, particularly in natural parks without physical boundaries to enter and count visitors. For this reason, the aim of this paper is to use and adjust data from mobile tracking to estimate the size of unmeasured tourism. Mobile phone tracking includes many type of visitors who does not have a touristic purpose such as commuting, visiting family, etc., specially in small areas as this one, so we need to be able to identify them in order to remove them from the total. Keywords: Unobserved tourism

1

· Big data · Mobile tracking

Introduction

The Baixa Limia-Xur´es Park located in Galicia, a region in the north-west of Spain, together with the Peneda-Gerˆes National Park located in the north of Portugal, form the Gerˆes-Xur´es Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (RBTGX, Reserva da Biosfera Transfronteiriza Gerˆes-Xur´es). The Gerˆes-Xur´es natural parks were declared as Biosphere Reserve in 2009 by UNESCO, promoting the conservation of biodiversity in the protected area, as well as its economic development. The Transboundary Reserve (Map 1) covers an area of 330,800 hectares wide, almost 268,000 ha in northern Portugal (occupying 80.98% of the total RBTGX) and a little over 62,900 ha in the Galician part (19.02% of the total area) (Fig. 1). This park is not a geographically closed area, it is part of two different countries and 11 municipalities (6 in the Galicia area and 5 in the North of Portugal), all of them predominantly rural what it makes very difficult and expensive to accurately measure the number of tourists with traditional methods. On the one hand, it would be really expensive to do survey-base analysis to measure tourism in a regular basis due to the wide extension of the park. On the other hand, administrative data from accommodations do not include all visitors, for instance the ones staying in unofficial establishments. The aim of the paper is to adjust data based on passive mobile positioning data (MPD) to have a rough approximation of the real number of visitors, including same-day visits. We will validate date based on registered accommodation visitors. Our analysis is based on Saluveer et al. (2020), which contribution is to also include and attempt to c The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021  J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 81–91, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_7

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Fig. 1. Extension of the Gerˆes-Xur´es Transboundary Biosphere Reserve

validate the amount of the same-day travellers, who are very important in a natural park. Tourism may be an important source of income and employment for touristic areas, and it is particular important if the area does not have other important sources of income such is this case. The area of this analysis shows a low per capita income comparing with the regional and national average. The Galician municipalities analysed have 9,473.39 euros in 2016, a 48% lower than Galician income and 1.5 times lower than the national amount. At the same time, municipalities in the Portuguese side amounts 5,651.51 euros, a 31% lower than the income in North Portugal region and 48% of Portugal average. It could be also highlighted the low population density on this area. In the municipalities of North of Portugal density is 28.6, extremely low compared with the regional average, 167.8, and also far from the Portuguese average, 111.43. Population density in Galician municipalities is even lower, 12.3, more than 7 times less than Galician and Spanish average. Additionally, for the tourism sector, both supply and demand show a greater weight and development of the sector on the Portuguese side. Thus, it becomes crucial to accurately measure tourist flows to know the potential and capacity of this sector, in order to increase the economic conditions of the area population without damaging the natural environment and to ensure the sustainability of the area.

2

Literature Review

Spatial and temporal dimensions are key to manage and plan tourism in a given territory (Batista e Silva et al. 2018), particularly in a natural park where we need to know when and to which part of the park visitors arrive to ensure its sustainability. However, statistical measurement of tourism still presents numerous challenges, such as heterogeneity of data sources, lack of information at

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local level or difficulty to measure tourists staying in unofficial establishments. Using traditional survey-based information to solve these challenges could be really expensive, therefore international institutions such as Ahas et al. (2014) or United Nations (2019) have started to analyse the potential use of MPD in official tourism statistics. It is particularly important to be able to measure unobserved tourism in terms of nights and trips not included official statistics as it has been noted by De Cantis et al. (2015). Unobserved tourism may include same-day visitors, unregistered homestay guests or people staying with friends or family, which can be particularly important when formal accommodation capacity is quite low and same-day visits are frequent. Indirect measures such as waste production, electricity or water consumption, telephone traffic, among others, have been proposed in the literature to take into account these other types of tourists. One of the most used indirect measure, also studied by Saluveer et al. (2020), Baggio (2018), Garc´ıa et al. (2018), Janzen et al. (2018) and UNWTO, is the use of “electronic fingerprints”, for instance, tracking technology via mobile phone. Shoval and Ahas (2016), in their comprehensive review on the use of this technology to measure tourist, set that the most popular is GPS tracking, followed by MPD, Bluetooth tracking, geocoded social media, and photo database analysis, i.e. it also includes user generated content (UGC) and transaction data such as web search, online booking, etc. (Li et al. 2018). The integration of big data as an indirect measure has spread exponentially in recent years as smartphones with integrated GPS system have become more accessible, and the use of social media with location recording is widely used. Big data application in this sector allows to better understand the type of traveller because digital traces from tourists begin even before traveling (booking tickets and accommodations and researching about the destination), explaining the customer behaviour (Xiang and Fesenmaier 2017). In addition, big data is also characterised by presenting big volume, velocity, variety (different formats), variability (over time and between sources) and volatility (inconsistency of production of data (Miah et al. 2017)). The main advantage of this method is the accuracy of location and time of travel that is recorded UNWTO, providing valuable data to explore spatial behaviour or temporal behaviour (Li et al. 2018). In addition, as Xiang and Fesenmaier (2017) and Janzen et al. (2018) show, mobile data reveal the actual actions of travellers, which is more accurate than survey answers, and in a very high frequency (daily, or even hourly) compared to traditional methods. Official statistics present limitations by the supply-side, for instance the same-day travellers are not recorded by accommodation establishments neither visits to family and friends (Saluveer et al. 2020), and are also very limited in frequency by the demand-side (De Cantis et al. 2015). Therefore new technologies are becoming more important to analyse trends in this sector. However, device tracking tourism data also presents some limitations. For instance, difficulties in selecting data may arise because the volume of information is high and unstructured (Xiang and Fesenmaier 2017). Another limitation

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is to determine the trip purpose (touristic purpose or other) (UNWTO), a crucial information in order to study the amount of tourists and the tourist profile. Related to the type of person recorded, Furletti et al. (2014) studied the mobility between municipalities using Call Detail Record (CDR), where they find four categories of users: residents, dynamic residents (who work in a different municipality from the residency one), commuters and visitors (including tourists). This paper analyses the tourist flows including mobile phone tracking information in a very specific area: a natural park. Tourism in protected areas has very specific features; Xiang and Fesenmaier (2017) indicate the importance to find balance between the visitor impact and the visitor experience (enjoyment of visitors as well as protection of the area). Their study also includes the use of Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) in tourism analysis, concluding that this is a powerful method to better understand the visitor experience and trends of tourism.

3

Methodology

Similar to Saluveer et al. (2020) we use MPD data in order to measure tourism after doing some adjustments, and we include same-day travellers on the analysis as they are important in natural parks. There is a part of tourism data that is not captured in official statistics and this is particularly true when we analyse a Natural Reserve without physical boundaries for travellers. Based on De Cantis et al. (2015) paper, we can decompose tourism in observable (Nobs ) and unobservable (Nun ). Observable tourism will be the one calculated from official statistics, in our study we just have data from accommodation statistics. From unobserved tourism we can distinguish between unmeasured tourism, for instance a tourist who spends the night in unofficial establishments (e.g. private houses, second houses, etc.), and underground tourism, which are the nights in official establishments intentionally concealed from public authorities, mainly for fiscal reasons. Therefore, the total number of nights (N) are as it follows: N = Nobs + Nun In this paper, we will attempt to measure the unobserved tourism using mobile phone tracking. However, this method does not allow us to distinguish between unmeasured tourism and underground tourism, and we attempt to approximate the unobserved tourism. We will also attempt to validate them using data from accommodation. Additionally, papers such as De Cantis et al. (2015) argue that part of the guests measured throughout accommodation statistics can be students or seasonal workers instead of tourists. Given that we are analysing rural areas we consider that people who are using touristic accommodation and they have other purpose is insignificant. However, to identify the people with tourist purpose when we analyse the unmeasured tourism from phone tracking is quite challenging, although it is key in this analysis.

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The main challenge using this source is to identify the visitors purpose, distinguishing tourists from other visitors as commuters. In small municipalities or villages the place of consumption may be different from the residence, spreading their usual environment. Thus, the unobserved tourism will be part of the total visitors provided throughout the mobile phone tracking (α0 P ), where 0 < α0 < 1 and we need to subtract from the total which is the number of commuters (C), visitors who are in their usual environment (Oue ), i.e. usual shopping area, visiting relatives, etc. and people who are just moving throughout the area to other destination (T ). Nun = α0 P = Nun − C − Oue − T In the following paragraphs we will explain how we calculate all these items using the phone tracking data. Saluveer et al. (2020) calculate ‘visits’ for inbound tourism based on the use of foreign mobile phone in the analysed territory (Estonia). This means that they just analyse the international tourism and they do not take into account domestic tourism. However, we know that national tourism account for more than 88% of the visitor of this national park based on data from a survey made by AYeconomics in August 2019 in RBTGX. For this reason we need to use other indirect method identify the purpose of the trip. In our paper, the term visitor refers to that person whose presence has been detected by the mobile antenna in a location that is not their usual place of residence. Under this definition, visitors estimation may also include the data of people who are not residents of that municipality but who work in it. The mobile phone company includes the category commuter (C) for the Portuguese municipalities – “an individual who is recurrently detected in a specific area for more than 50% of the working days over a particular month without residency in that area”. Therefore, we also remove both the number of individuals classified as commuters and those classified as residents from the antennas data on estimated number of visitors. In addition, the telephone company provides data that classifies visitors based on the part of the day they were detected. A distinction is made between day visits, vd (from 6:00 to 22:00), night visits, vn (from 22:00 to 6:00), and all-day visits, vdn , which include all unique visitors detected. However, it must be taken into account that the day category includes the estimation of all the individuals detected during the day, excluding whether they are in the Reserve only during the day or both day and night, and the same occurs with the night category. If we subtract the night category (individuals detected at night, regardless of whether they spent only the night or were there the whole day) from the total category of detected individuals, we would get the number of individuals who were in the Reserve only during the day (6:00–22:00), which could be a proxy for the number of excursionists or same-day travellers. E = vdn − vn As we said before, the analysis of the same day visitor is really important for the analysis of the national park, however we need to subtract it from the total number in the validation stage and analyse it separately.

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We can follow the same reasoning with the night visitor to finally obtain the visitors who spend day and night, vd&n , and that will be the proxy of Nun , once we subtract Nob . If we subtract the day category from the total category of detected individuals, we would get the individuals that were in the Reserve only overnight, vov (22:00–06:00). Subtracting from the total both these individuals (those who have only been at night) and hikers (those who have been only during the day) we have those who are day and night, which could be a proxy for visitors who are at least one day and spend the night. vd&n = vdn − E − vov Additionally, by this definition, people who just crossed the municipality on their way to another place can also be included in the number of visitors. Considering the amount of time to cross these municipalities by car and how much time is usually needed to take a minimal walk to visit the RBTGX, the mobile phone company was requested to provide data on the number of visitors who spent at least two hours in the Reserve.1 Primary data from mobile records is elaborated by an important mobile phone company in Spain and Portugal, and they just provided secondary data on the number of visitors aggregated by the municipalities where the park is located. This means that we do not know if visitors are arriving to visit the Reserve or for other attractiveness of the municipalities. Only one data source provides data of visitors to the Biosphere Reserve, and that is the record made at the RBTGX gates working as tourist information point, where tourists can get information about nature, routes, etc. in this Biosphere Reserve. However, the reliability of the data from this source for estimating the tourist inflow is doubtful for the following reasons: • The gates are not located the same way as in other natural parks and do not represent a physical entry to the park, i.e. visitors do not need to enter through the gate to visit the Reserve. • The gates are not located at the same distance from RBTGX – just two of them are located in the border of the Reserve, the other two are within the Reserve and the rest are far away from any of the entrances at different distances. This means that the incentives and time effort to come through a gate are different, so the amount of visitors is not comparable and not even rankable between them. The furthest gates may be receiving visitors who do not go to the RBTGX and there might be visitors who go directly to the Reserve without going through the gate. • Additionally, some gates to RBTGX have other touristic points of interest such as the remains of a Roman military settlement in Bande or the prehistoric remains in Mui˜ nos and they are located far from the park, so it is impossible to distinguish the percentage of visits to the Reserve itself from visits for other reasons. 1

For those transit visits, Eurostat (2014) recommends a minimum threshold of 3 h. However, we decide to use the 2 h threshold take into account the small extension of some municipalities.

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For this reason we need to use alternative data that allows us to at least have a broad estimation of the visitors to the Reserve. We use web scraping technique applied to the Booking and Airbnb websites to extract data on the location and calculate how many establishments are located around RBTGX, assuming that visitors will visit the Reserve at least once (we are not analysing the number of nights spent in this case). If this information is compared with official statistics data, the Portugueses area shows that around 53% of establishments are located in the RBTGX. In Galicia this percentage decreases to 10.8% with the available data. The Reserve area in Galician municipalities is smaller and there are less land for development. We will apply this coefficients in order to have a broad estimation of the visitors in the Reserve.

4

Findings

In this section, we analyse the results based on the framework explained in the methodology section and check their validity. We start the analysis showing the change when we apply the 2 h threshold. As it can be seen in Table 1, the change in the number of visitors when applying the 2 h threshold is considerable and the difference between the two values can be 70% of the initial value. In Table 1 we present the change in data corresponding to three different periods of the year: the months of January and August (from day 1 to day 31, inclusive) and Easter (from Friday, April 12 to Monday, April 22, both inclusive). Although the change is very important in all periods, it is especially noticeable in January compared to August. Unfortunately, we do not have a 2-h adjustment for the Portuguese municipalities. To get a rough idea of what will happen in the municipalities of Gˆeres, we applied the percentage of the relative exchange rate of the Xur´es area in each of the municipalities. That is, a decline in visitors without the adjustment by 70%, 61%, 62% in January, Easter and August respectively. The number of visitors on average continues to be higher in most of the Portuguese municipalities of the RBTGX compared to the Galician ones. This would be a small approximation that provides more consistent data on visitors from other sources. However, by applying the same percentage the relative position in the Portuguese municipalities is not altered, as it happens in the Galician municipalities, for example in August between Entrimo or Calvos de Rand´ın. After we apply the 2-h threshold and we remove commuters and excursionists (same-day travellers), we can analyse the size of unobservable tourism and validate the results based on the accommodation data. In order to do so, we present in Table 2 the formal accommodation capacity as well as the total number of visitors that will be able to be accommodated if establishments are full and each visitor spend on average 2.5 days (the real average). As we can see, the number of visitors is much higher than the full capacity of the formal accommodation, what indicates that the unobserved tourism is an important part of the visitors that they will receive. If we apply the coefficients from the web scraping, we can appreciate that the visitors arrive mainly to the Biosphere Reserve from the Portuguese side.

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I. Dios-Murcia et al. Table 1. Data with the 2 h adjustments

Municipality

January All

Bande

August THLD 2h Change All

THLD 2h Change

31, 370

6, 968

−78%

19, 475

5, 355

−73%

36, 703 10, 312

7, 744

2, 699

−65%

6, 546

2, 565

−61%

15, 145

6, 153

−59%

10, 472

4, 362

−58%

8, 553

4, 246

−50%

12, 643

6, 856

−46%

Calvos de Rand´ın Entrimo

Easter THLD 2h Change All

−72%

Lobeira

22, 421

6, 662

−70%

18, 600

6, 370

−66%

59, 229 16, 184

−73%

Lobios

27, 439

7, 764

−72%

18, 441

9, 100

−51%

77, 873 33, 771

−57%

Mu´ı˜ nos

31, 563

7, 655

−76%

18, 557

6, 174

−67%

44, 087 15, 724

−64%

Arcos de Valdevez 82, 404 24, 856

71, 510 27, 792

Melga¸ co

22, 696

22, 009

8, 554

56, 307 21, 519

Montalegre

61, 028 18, 408

42, 771 16, 623

150, 007 57, 330

Ponte da Barca

68, 503 20, 663

61, 382 23, 856

149, 826 57, 260

Terras de Bouro

67, 345 20, 314

63, 208 24, 566

6, 846

−70%

Average change

166, 607 63, 674

199, 542 76, 261 −61%

−62%

Table 2. Data with the 2-h adjustments Municipality

Accommodation capacity/Formal touristic establishment

Bande

Full2h THLD Without Visitors capacity/august day to formal travellers RBTGX establishments

113

1401

10312

6488

701

14

174

6153

3552

384

Entrimo

292

3621

6856

4645

502

Lobeira

5

62

16184

9290

1003

Calvos de Rad´ın

Lobios

502

6225

33771

15921

1719

Mu´ı˜ nos

414

5134

15724

8676

937

Arcos de Valdevez 700

8680

63674

39191

20771

Melga¸co

5196

21519

10103

5355

419

Montalegre

334

4142

57330

10103

5355

Ponte da Barca

268

3323

57260

36308

19243

Terras de Bouro

2547

31583

76261

43070

22827

5

Discussion

Measuring tourism presents numerous challenges, especially in natural parks without clear physical boundaries. For this reason, innovative methods need to be applied, for instance mobile tracking. One of the main advantage of this method is the accurate location and amount of available data (Saluveer et al. 2020). Furthermore, this method might help to describe unobservable tourism, which is not detected by official statistics. In this paper we have approximated the amount of visitors in a natural park, RBTGX, applying this technology. Eurostat (2014) recommends to remove same day-visitors to measure tourism

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and, additionally, Saluveer et al. (2020) uses this methodology accounting just for international visitors by identifying the international phone numbers. These types of visitors, domestic tourists and same-day visitors accounts for most of the tourism visitors in the park reaching more than 90% of total visits for some areas of the park. The main challenge to measure domestic tourism using mobile tracking technology is to identify the main purpose of the visit. Commuters are easily identified depending on the frequency they visit the area (several days per week each week). However, we are not able to identify the rest of purposes distinguishing tourists from people in transit. In order to not include people in transit, we remove visitors below the 2 h threshold, taking into account the time spent on average to cross the municipalities doing a short stop and the minimum time to do a small hiking. This value will give us a proxy of the tourism in municipalities where the park is. However, we are not able to distinguish if the individual had been in the park or not, just in the whole municipality. For this reason, we do an extra adjustment in order to capture the size of tourist who visit the park. This adjustment consist in using the share of accommodation unit which is really close to the park applying web scrapping techniques, to guarantee that this tourist visits the park. This analysis present some limitations, for instance the impossibility to compare over time as we just have data for three specific moments. Additionally, the only source which gives us the amount of visitors in the Park are the registration in gates, with it is not comparable. This makes very difficult the validation of the results. Although innovative methods are now being applied to measure tourism, there is still room to create and apply techniques to better calculate the amount of unobservable tourism. Most studies are based in just one method, and due to the complexity of the sector could be highly advisable to use multi-type techniques (Li et al. 2018). This has been a first approximation to measure tourism in an area with huge lack of data, and where the size of tourism and its geographical location is key for ensuring sustainability. In future research, we expect to have more comparable and available data to improve the validation using different thresholds and techniques.

6

Conclusion

The difficulty in estimating the number of visitors in a natural park arises because we do not have boundaries to know where the visitor enter or exit the park. Nevertheless, tourism location is really important to be able to manage the flows particularly in a protected area. Any official statistics cannot give us a clear picture of the tourism since they do not cover same-day travellers and unobserved tourism which is so important in the park. However, the combination of different sources allows us to have a better picture of tourist arrivals and a distinction between observed and unobserved tourism. We use and adjust data from mobile tracking to estimate the size of unmeasured tourism. Mobile

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phone tracking includes many type of visitors who does not have a touristic purpose such as commuters, visits to family, etc., specially in small areas as this one, an we need to be able to identify them in order to remove them from the total. Additionally, in small areas with a few mobile reception antennas we can not disaggregate data to measure the number of visitors who go to the Natural Reserve, and for this reason we need also other sources. In this case, we use web scraping in order to calculate the accommodation capacity close to the Natural Reserve which allows the visitors to enter in the same day. This paper represent the first approximation to the tourism in the natural reserve including same-day travellers and unobserved tourism Acknowledgements. We acknowledge the financial support from the project of dinamization in the Gerˆes-Xur´es Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (RBTGX), on the ˜ framework of Gerˆes-Xur´es Din´ amico, funded in a 75% by INTERREG V-A ESPANAPORTUGAL-FEDER programme.

References Ahas, R., Armoogum, J., Esko, S., Ilves, M., Karus, E., Madre, J.-L., Nurmi, O., Potier, F., Schm¨ ucker, D., Sonntag, U., Tiru, M.: Feasibility Study on the Use of Mobile Positioning Data for Tourism Statistics - Consolidated Report. Number 30501 (2014). https://doi.org/10.2785/55051. ISBN 9789279397622 Baggio, R.: Measuring tourism: methods, indicators, and needs. In: The Future of Tourism: Innovation and Sustainability, pp. 255–269 (2018). https://doi.org/10. 1007/978-3-319-89941-1 13 Batista e Silva, F., Mar´ın Herrera, M.A., Rosina, K., Ribeiro Barranco, R., Freire, S., Schiavina, M.: Analysing spatiotemporal patterns of tourism in Europe at highresolution with conventional and big data sources. Tour. Manag. 68, 101–115 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2018.02.020. ISSN 02615177 De Cantis, S., Parroco, A.M., Ferrante, M., Vaccina, F.: Unobserved tourism. Ann. Tour. Res. 50, 1–18 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2014.10.002. ISSN 01607383 Eurostat: Methodological manual for tourism statistics - 2014, v. 3.1 (2014) Furletti, B., Gabrielli, L., Garofalo, G., Giannotti, F., Milli, L., Nanni, M., Pedreschi, D., Vivio, R.: Use of mobile phone data to estimate mobility flows. Measuring urban population and inter-city mobility using big data in an integrated approach. In: SIS, pp. 1–10 (2014). http://www.sistan.it/fileadmin/Repository/Home/ IMMAGINI/01 In evidenzaSIS Cagliari 2014.pdf Garc´ıa, F.C., Valverde, M.I., Mascu˜ nano, J.P., Gimeno, M.V.: Quality implications of the use of big data in tourism statistics: three exploratory examples. Boletin de Estadistica e Investigacion Operativa 34(2), 138–148 (2018). ISSN 18893805 Janzen, M., Vanhoof, M., Smoreda, Z., Axhausen, K.W.: Closer to the total? Longdistance travel of French mobile phone users. Travel Behav. Soc. 11, 31–42 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tbs.2017.12.001. ISSN 2214367X Li, J., Xu, L., Tang, L., Wang, S., Li, L.: Big data in tourism research: a literature review. Tour. Manag. 68, 301–323 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2018. 03.009. ISSN 02615177

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Miah, S.J., Vu, H.Q., Gammack, J., McGrath, M.: A big data analytics method for tourist behaviour analysis. Inf. Manag. 54(6), 771–785 (2017). https://doi.org/10. 1016/j.im.2016.11.011. ISSN 03787206 Saluveer, E., Raun, J., Tiru, M., Altin, L., Kroon, J., Snitsarenko, T., Aasa, A., Silm, S.: Methodological framework for producing national tourism statistics from mobile positioning data. Ann. Tour. Res. 81, 102895 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j. annals.2020.102895. ISSN 01607383 Shoval, N., Ahas, R.: The use of tracking technologies in tourism research: the first decade. Tour. Geogr. 18(5), 587–606 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688. 2016.1214977. ISSN 1461-6688 United Nations. Handbook on The Use of Mobile Phone Data for Official Statistics, p. 83, November 2019. https://unstats.un.org/bigdata/taskteams/mobilephone/ Handbook on Mobile Phone Data for official statistics - Draft Nov 2017.pdf UNWTO: Towards a Set of INWTO Guidelines. ISBN 9789284414963 Xiang, Z., Fesenmaier, D.R.: Analytics in Tourism Design (2017). https://doi.org/10. 1007/978-3-319-44263-1 1. ISBN 9783319442624

Results ComOn Project: Bulgaria, Poland, Portugal and Spain Maria João Castro(&)

and Paula Peres

Polytechnic of Porto/ISCAP, 4465-004 Matosinhos, Portugal {mjcastro,pperes}@iscap.ipp.pt

Abstract. Technology is transforming, at a faster and faster pace, the way we live, relate, interact, and communicate. Smartphones, tablets, notebooks, computers are among the many tools that can provide and support people with a better life. Nevertheless, there are skills and competences needed for them to really seize all their potential. The European Com ON project seeks to provide a training program to empower European adults to understand, create and share audiovisual messages and stories. In the first phase of this project, partners had been actively working on the development of the e-Learning course, taking into consideration the results of Intellectual Output of the first phase of the project that resulted in four eLearning modules: Digital narrative; Video creation; Image creation and Illustrations. Since the development of the draft versions of the learning materials finished, it was time to elaborate the subsequent step: the pilot testing and implementation. This phase started with the preparation of the guidelines for the pilot, which was planned to test the ComOn products with potential users and to gather their feedback. This pilot phase included the functionality testing of the e-Learning platform and the usability testing. All partners selected participants and developed the piloting training, with at least 25 participants per country. In this article we present the global results of this testing stage, with the key findings, conclusions and improvement recommendations by all consortium partners. The results presented in this article could be useful to all of those who are developing online courses for adult learners. Keywords: e-learning course


Adult learners
Audiovisual communications

The ComOn Project is implemented within the framework of Erasmus + Programme, and its objective is to develop an innovative training in the field of audiovisual communication, focused on providing adults the opportunity to improve their skills and competences in this field, and reduce the existing inequalities among adult learners. Keeping this objective in mind, one Intellectual Output has been developed - an online training program under the name of “Training program on (audio)visual narrative and communication”, focused on four thematic areas: Audiovisual Narrative, Image Creation, Video Creation, and Illustrations, each of them constituting one separate module. In order to test the functionality, as well as the usability of the modules, a piloting test was proposed. The results obtained supported the changes and the improving of © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 92–97, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_8

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specific areas of the online course, previous to the final launching of the training. The changings were supported on the opinions, comments, and suggestions of the participants of the testing, which are part of the main target group of the project.

1 Methodology 1.1

General Considerations

The testing phase of the training course lasted for approximately 4 months, starting from November 2019 until mid-February 2020, and has been aimed at testing the usability and functionality of the ComOn training modules among potential users. Prior to the launching of the testing phase, a validation session took place, in which experts from adult education, audiovisual communication and ICT participated to gather feedback and recommendations of use, as described on [1]. The comments and suggestions from experts were gathered through a questionnaire, specifically designed for the ComOn testing phase, which was filled in during the validation session. Out of experts participating, 5 of them where in charge of answering the questionnaire. The results from the piloting test have been gathered through an online questionnaire, one developed by Instituto Politécnico do Porto, translated and adapted into all languages [2]. This questionnaire was specifically designed to gather opinions, comments, and suggestions, and it was available online throughout the duration of the testing phase. The questionnaire encompassed both open and close questions, as well as a blank space for suggestions. Questionnaire was developed by Instituto Politécnico do Porto and agreed on by the other partners. Moreover, all the partners were in charge on translating it to their own languages.The questionnaire was developed through Google Forms, due to the facilities this platform provides when referring to data analysis. Participants of the testing were adult learners, which are one of the main target groups of the ComOn Training, and who were reached out through different methods in each country. 1.2

Specific Considerations

The objective of the testing and implementation phase were twofold. Firstly, these activities were planned to test the ComOn products with potential users and to gather their feedback. Secondly, once this feedback and review phase was completed, partners aimed to prepare the final version of the project deliverables, to disseminate these with a wider target audience, and to encourage the exploitation of these products with relevant stakeholders who may look to use the ComOn tools and resources once the project come to an end. Activities for this pilot testing were undertaken by all consortium partners. In all of the countries, the testing phase was launched through a Facebook community, specifically opened to create an environment of cooperation and motivation

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among learners. The announcement of the testing phase was done periodically until the end of the piloting phase. In order to gather people for the testing phase, different launching posts were developed, which had been spread periodically through the ComOn Facebook page, as well as other Facebook thematic groups. Similarly, posters were developed and taken to public spaces where different associations met. Finally, the ComOn training was promoted in different events and workshops. Moreover, the link to modules and questionnaires was included on the website of the project and on the Facebook page, and was spreaded through email and WhatsApp.

2 Country Results and Outcomes from ComOn Implementation 2.1

Feedback and Findings from Learners

The 25 adult learners that participated in the course, from each country, fulfilled the online questionnaire evaluating the four modules of the ComON e-Learning course. They represented various institutions such as senior clubs, third age universities, and training centres for adults or libraries. There were also very few independent individuals identified as not belonging to any organisation apart from virtual communities. Based on the data and feedback gathered, consolidated statistical charts that constituted the main base for conclusions facilitating further project results improvement were developed. In this paper, only the results of the satisfaction level with the course will be presented, although more questions have been asked to both experts and learners. Level of Satisfaction with the Course. According to the figure below (Fig. 1), 98,0% of participants reported being satisfied with the module on Digital Narrative. Out of this 98,0% mentioned, 74,5% considered it better than expected and/or completely satisfactory and 27,5% of participants felt completely satisfied and considered that the module met their expectations. It’s worth mentioning that only 2,0%, considered the Digital Narrative module not as satisfying as expected. Results show that 98,0% of participants were satisfied with the Video Creation module Out of the 98,0% mentioned, 77,5% considered it better than expected and/or completely satisfactory and 24,5% of participants felt completely satisfied and considered that the course met their expectations. It’s worth mentioning that only 2,0%, considered the Video Creation module not as satisfying as expected. Results show that 99,0% of participants were satisfied with the Image Creation module. Out of this 99,0% mentioned, 84,3% consider it better than expected and/or completely satisfactory and 43,1% of participants felt completely satisfied and considered that the course met their expectations. It’s worth mentioning that only 1,0%, considered the Image Creation module not as satisfying as expected. This module was the most appreciated overall by participants. Results show that 98,0% of participants were satisfied with the Illustrations module. Out of the 98,0% mentioned, 77,5% of participants considered it better than

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Fig. 1. Level of satisfaction with the course-learners

expected and/or completely satisfactory and 54,9% considered it completely satisfactory. It’s worth mentioning that only 2,0% considered it not as satisfying as expected. Suggestions for Improvement. Some of the participants did not provide suggestions for improvement section and most of them did not report thankful messages. One participant proposed to make more available visual content that transfers, illustrates, and concretizes what is being said, rather than conveying general ideas. There were also participants who suggested creating more activities, a specific section with tips, and to include monographic modules to deepen the knowledge in some topics. Another suggestion concerned the changing of links in the English language to other languages. 2.2

Feedback from the Expert Groups

In order to receive feedback from experts we used the same online questionnaire as for adult learners. Indicators that were taken into consideration during training evaluation: level of satisfaction, navigation through the course (performance of the platform/ speed of the platform), interface of the course (aesthetic issues), learning outcome. Each module was accessed through the prism of each indicator. Additionally, within open answer questions, interviewees could identify difficulties encountered (if any), express what they liked the most about the training, suggest improvements, and finally declare whether or not they would recommend the course to others. Some partners have used other channels of communication like messaging apps. Level of Satisfaction on the Course. The results in Fig. 2 show that all the experts taking part in the validation session, that is, 100%, have been satisfied with the four modules constituting the Com On Training, considering them either better than what

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they expected and/or completely satisfactory. The Digital Narrative module is the one that reported higher rates of satisfaction, having 71,4% of participants considering it completely satisfactory.

Fig. 2. Level of satisfaction with the course-experts

Suggestions for Improvement. Overall, none of the experts reported difficulties when doing the training and all of them would recommend the training. They reported some suggestions such as updating contents periodically, due to the fact that audiovisual communication is changing and getting updated continuously. They have also suggested the improvement of technical inaccuracies and highlighted the significance of including more dynamic contents and making the user a protagonist. Likewise, a comment was also made on how the contents could be presented on mobile phones, taking into account its usability.

3 Conclusions and Next Steps Results of the questionnaires developed for the pilot training among adults show that, overall, the ComON training was highly gratifying for almost all of participants, who reported the aesthetic of the modules as well as the learning outcomes as the most satisfying aspects of the training. In the same line, it can also be concluded that the contents are adequate for the selected target group, as overall participants reported no difficulties when navigating the content. The best review gained was the fact that every single person was 100% sure it is worth recommending the course to other users.

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Although the ComOn training was rated as highly satisfying among participants, some reported some suggestions, which could be easily followed and implemented, in order to enhance the training prior to the final launching. Firstly, referring to the aesthetic issues, changing some fuzzy images and formatting the text was suggested, which could be easily done, and will be useful for enhancing the interface of modules, And secondly, including more activities. Regarding the inclusion of tips, these will be incorporated in the training itself. All in all, it could be concluded that adult learners have confirmed what experts from adult education, audiovisual communication, and ICT world considered during the validation session: that the ComOn training was adequately designed to the target group, considering the level of satisfaction with the course. Moreover, the used approach, the way in which contents were developed and the language used have also been adequate to the target group, as reported by experts. The ComON online course brought mainly constructive impressions. Acknowledgements. This paper is a result of the research project titled “COM ON – Unleash your potential for (audio)visual COMmunication”, reference, 2018-1-ES01-KA204_050782, under the Erasmus+ Programme (https://www.comon-project.eu/). Dates: – Onset of research: 01-09-2018. – Completion of research: 29-02-2020. We thank all our colleagues who provided insight and expertise that greatly assisted the research, although they may not agree with all of the interpretations/conclusions of this paper.

References 1. Castro, M.J., Peres, P.: Moving toward audio-visual narrative and communication-making skills on adults education. In: Proceedings of the ICOTTS 2019 Advances in Tourism, Technology and Smart Systems, pp. 189–198 (2020) 2. Peres, P., Castro, M.J.: Disseminating information on adults education-audio visual communication. In: Proceedings of the INTED 2020 14th International Technology Education and Development, pp. 1616–1620 (2020) 3. Com On Project Homepage. https://www.comon-project.eu. Accessed 19 June 2020

Activating Templar Heritage: Tourism, Narrative Strategies and Information Technologies Célio Gonçalo Marques1(&), Hermínia Sol1, João Pedro1, Lígia Mateus1,2, Hélder Pestana1, João Pinto Coelho1,2,3, and Manuela Silva1 1 Techn&Art, Polytechnic Institute of Tomar, Estrada da Serra, Quinta do Contador, 2300-313 Tomar, Portugal {celiomarques,hsol,j-pedro.techart,helder.pestana, manuelasofia.silva}@ipt.pt, [email protected] 2 Associação de Turismo Militar Português, Rua Gil de Avô n.14, 2300-580 Tomar, Portugal 3 Câmara Municipal de Tomar, Complexo Cultural da Levada, 2300-561 Tomar, Portugal [email protected]

Abstract. While fairly established in several western countries, military tourism is still in a grey area in Portugal. In order to bolster the notion that this concept can be a major contributor to tourism activation, an Information System is being developed with the Templar Order as basis. This project is a direct result of the work of the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar (Portugal), the Templars Route European Federation and Tomar’s local government. It uses the Rapid Application Development methodology and resorts mostly to a client-server web application, using web standards such as HTML, CSS and JS, and it’s operated by the PHP program language and SGBD Mysql for data persistence. The IS fills a void as far as military tourism heritage platforms are concerned. It’s user friendly design and architecture make for a pleasant research experience while the inclusion of more updated and historical narratives along with storytelling strategies increase its appeal among a non-academic audience. The recent COVID-19 outbreak brought about the need to adapt the original model to an ever-increasing virtual culture trend. Keywords: Military tourism


Technological interventions
Storytelling

1 Introduction Nowadays, the intersection of tourism and cultural heritage takes a central role in the creation and promotion of new experiences and in attracting new publics. As a segment of cultural heritage, historical-military heritage tends to follow this trend. A 900-year-old country, in which military and national history tend to blend, Portugal has adopted a clear stance towards military tourism in recent times. Incorporated in the National Tourism Strategic Plan (PENT) since its revision in 2013, © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 98–107, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_9

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military tourism has, slowly, been gaining momentum in Portugal. This strategy is grounded in the acknowledgement of tourism’s relevance for the country’s GDP growth, especially in the sparsely populated interior, as well as on the abundance of military heritage sites from north to south. A case in point is Portugal’s Templar heritage, the most notorious example being the Castle and the Convent of Christ in Tomar which attract thousands of tourists every year to this medium-sized interior city. Another rationale behind PENT is the assumption that military history has the potential to trigger tourism and cultural experiences by resorting to narratives and storytelling as pull factors. These can be key tools to secure the quality and memorability of available experiential products in an industry which heavily relies on surpassing tourists’ expectations [1]. Military tourism supply in the shape of historical recreations, pedagogical and scientific events, tourism infrastructure and, mostly, built heritage is quite significant in Portugal. However, due to national resources being scattered, there is a pressing need for a unifying brand or product. Likewise, an inventory is also essential to organize and present those resources as tourism products accessible to all. Despite the existence of cultural heritage inventory platforms, mostly architectural and religious heritage related, none of them specializes in historical-military heritage nor in the diversity of the existing resources. Likewise, none of these platforms is directed at heritage promotion or at the development of tourism products. Something that is quite true as far as Templar heritage is concerned. In an attempt to fill this void, a more encompassing Templar Route is being designed by the Templars Route European Federation (TREF), a trans-European cultural alliance forged within the matrix of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe programme [2], which aims at promoting primarily the Templar heritage of the cities of l’Aube (France), Tomar (Portugal), Ponferrada (Spain), Pérouse (Italy) and London (England) by resorting to a combination of cultural heritage enhancement strategies, tourism and academic research [3]. The Knights Templar are a deep-seated identitarian element in the cities which have hosted Templar commanderies. Tomar being no exception, the Templar heritage is one of its major sources of revenue, attracting tourists and connoisseurs from all over the world. In addition, it also features in the city’s branding ー the “Templar city” ー and event creation strategy [4]. Recently it has drawn additional attention for developing and implementing military tourism activities, for hosting the headquarters of the Portuguese Military Tourism Association and for being one of TREF’s founding members. Nevertheless, the consolidation of supply and subsequent development of Templar heritage as a tourism product, aims at developing an information system (IS) to list, present and promote Templar heritage, as well as equipment and services that integrate and contribute to product supply. This project is directed at providing indicators regarding the diversity, quality and location of the aforementioned resources, through the activation of a sustainable, innovative and inclusive business management model. Therefore, the European Templar Route project, in partnership with the municipality of Tomar, wishes to develop and provide TREF with a tool that allows for the tourism and cultural optimization of Templar historical-military heritage. The IS is based on an inventorying matrix that compiles existing historical and military heritage resources, tangible and intangible, with Templar pertinence. The said matrix is being developed so as to suppress the gaps found in similar platforms, thus

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incorporating a diversity of regional interest points and attractions, namely: mobile, built, archaeological and integrated heritage; cultural tourism equipment and services; activities and events; landscapes and green areas; food and wine. This IS displays geolocation information related to resources available in the country, allowing for the structuring of existing supply in partnership with several institutions and for communicating with other national and international platforms. Considering the current challenges posed by COVID-19 to the tourism and culture sectors, the IS uses technologies with a set of functions and services capable of developing military tourism products and activities, such as routes, didactic and pedagogical content, while involving different national regions. The system is a free-access tool that contributes to the safeguarding of heritage, to tourism promotion on a national and international level, to cultural heritage pedagogy and to research practices conducted within several project-related domains.

2 Background 2.1

Defining Military Tourism

As far as Portugal is concerned, the link between tourism and military heritage is key for the creation of a national tourism destination identity and brand. Still, the concept of “military tourism” was not recognized by the Portuguese academia until 2008. Similar concepts were already being used in countries such as France and England, under the labels of Tourisme de Mémoire and Battlefield Tourism. Despite differing in name, these products are akin to those now classified as military tourism in Portugal. The concept was officially recognized in PENT (2013), as a tourist destination enabler. This validation at governmental and business levels led to the consolidation and further implementation of military tourism in Portugal. As a result, the Decree Law nr. 146/2015 of August 3rd asserted that military tourism could be a source of revenue as well as a means to maximise optimal usage of military heritage and infrastructures, such as military units, military museums, battlefields, documental assets, necropolises, monuments and other built heritage under the custody of the Ministry of Defence. Also, in 2015, the Portuguese Military Tourism Association (ATMP) was established and a number of products, courses and research initiatives emerged. This relation between tourism and heritage must also be regarded as a survival and development solution for interior regions, as acknowledged in the Military Tourism National Charter [5]. With this in mind, memory becomes key in the use of tangible and intangible heritage for tourism intents seeing that it is an indivisible element in the tourism appropriation process [6]. This mindset has led to the assumption that the conversion of national historical-military heritage into military tourism assets can be a solution for tourism activation as it can boost the development of new activities and products to complement the already existing territorial dynamics [5]. A case in point is Tomar, which has been testing many of these postulations for a number of years. This is why this city has seized the opportunity to join TREF and is now developing an IS to document the country’s Templar heritage. A logical choice since the Templars present themselves as highly valuable ambassadors to the military

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tourism cause. On the one hand, they represent the quintessential military order and, on the other hand, they embody a proto-tourism consortium, along with the Hospitallers, given their role in “offering security, shelter, and safety”, not to mention valuables protection, to pilgrims travelling to the “Holy Lands” [7]. Since no similar project exists, this IS presents itself as a major opportunity within the military tourism domain. 2.2

State of the Art

There is a pressing need to document and list existing historical and cultural heritage resources on a regional level. In Europe there is a number of IS, targeted at different user bases which document, list, safekeep and preserve cultural heritage. Over the last few years some studies have emerged regarding information systems but, often, the diversity and complexity of the existing heritage presents management difficulties. As such, it is vital to understand how, why and who uses these systems. Examples include a study regarding a cultural heritage IS – the Cultural Heritage Information System (CHIS) –, which was conceived for the Italian region of Campania, with the aim of developing a technological infrastructure to support cultural heritage activities in a dynamic, flexible and sustainable way. This system allows for the insertion of data by project members and uses a context and region-oriented approach. Likewise, it favours the reuse of existing digitized contents and the use of new data collection technologies. On a different note, CHIS also allows for its replication in different regions and for the tracking of tourist fluxes through data analysis. Moreover, it enables the interoperability and scalability of the platform, making it possible for the collected data to be used by other platforms [8]. In Portugal there are several ISs focused on cultural heritage, mostly under the management of the Directorate-General for Cultural Heritage (DGPC), the national authority in cultural heritage affairs. However, they tend to be aimed at a highly educated public and are case-specific. It is also true that similar projects, in other fields of study, whose development was financed by national and international agencies have failed to succeed once financial support ceased. As for the IS being presented here, it uses the lessons learned from projects like CHIS, as well as less accomplished cases, to respond to the technological-infrastructure void regarding Knights Templar heritage and military tourism in general.

3 Topic Development 3.1

Making a Case for Narrative Renewal

While displaying cultural differences amongst themselves, the cities that comprise the Templar Route consider themselves unmistakably united by the tangible and intangible Templar heritage they share. The cultural value and economic benefits of the Templar label are a reality. That explains the abundance of tourism websites which display mostly fabled tales of Knights Templar’s military prowesses and freemasonry mystic rites. In addition, due to most of them having financial gains in mind, these contents inevitably fall short of historical accuracy.

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Despite the fact that the Order of the Temple was extinguished in 1312, it is still very much alive. During its 188-year-old existence [7], the Templars became a “state among states, as they could pass freely through all borders, answering only to the Pope” [9]. Much of their power and financial wealth came from their passive form of proto-banking, in which pilgrims to the Holy Land could safely deposit and withdraw resources according to their needs along the pilgrimage routes the Order secured [7, 10]. Moreover, their hybrid nature as warrior monks and abrupt violent extinction via the heresy Trials of the Templars (1307–1312) [10, 11] made for the maintenance of interest in popular imagination. The martyr/saintly warrior motif they promoted, is still a recurring theme in contemporary cultural production and political life. In addition, an abundance of narratives which emphasize the Order’s mystical and mysterious side have also contributed to the appeal of the Templars. Many of them derive from popular culture channels such as video games, novels and films [12, 13], where fact and fiction overlap leading to the perpetuation of evidenceless conspiracy theories and myths. Correspondingly, there has been a renewed interest in the Knights Templar within academia, thus leading to the emergence of new and more accurate perspectives on the topic [10]. With this in mind, and in an attempt to debunk fictive interpretations of history and challenge the appropriation and distortion of the Templars’ legacy for the political weaponization of the past [14], the aforementioned platform solely integrates scientific-based contents including, for the most part, the new insights that have been shared by reputed scholars over the last forty years. While doing so, it refrains from using academic jargon in order to be perceptible and appealing to the general public, yet without leading to a wikipediazation of knowledge. Moreover, this also provides the opportunity to go beyond merely belligerent or simplistic depictions of Templar military history and give visitors a more complex picture of the world the Templars inhabited. The rich history of the order and the tangible and intangible heritage these cities inherited goes beyond the clichéd image of an all-male “elite fighting force in Europe” [7]. For instance, cooperation with Muslim forces often proved to be preferable to combat, social relations between members of the order were as complex as any human relation [11] and specific dietary habits were followed [9]. All facts that need to be shared more broadly and that meet the current need for historical-military tourism products to go beyond battle recreations and technically-driven exhibitions, which, although valuable and relevant, are only a fraction of the creative potential that this segment can provide. The active construction of narratives and storytelling can be useful tools to achieve this potentiation of the historical-military tourism supply, particularly in the context of this platform. Literature abounds on the effects the creation of narratives has on the quality of tourism products [15, 16]. The use of storytelling as a valuable tool is based on the premise that “individuals listen to and create stories in order to understand the meanings of experiences” [16]. This tendency for people to organize information in narrative structures [17] also means that the knowledge produced by academia need not be restricted to the conventions of academic communication circles, but can, if done properly, be transmitted to wider publics without major losses of nuance and historical accuracy. This can be so, as long as it is articulated through the language of narratives and storytelling. A platform as proposed in this project is well suited for this purpose, as it allows for information to be conveyed in this manner to visitors, while

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simultaneously providing the tools for local agents to optimise their tourism products by taking advantage of the information and connections that are made readily available. 3.2

Methodology

This IS project began with the creation of an inventorying matrix, scientifically validated by experts in the field, aimed at collecting information regarding Templar-related resources ー material, immaterial or natural heritage ー that could fit a historicalmilitary tourism framework. For the development of the IS, the Rapid Application Development methodology (RAD) [18], which relies on short and incremental development cycles through the iterations of involved activities, was applied. This methodology was chosen due to being simple and convenient regarding prototype generation but also because the team developing it is small. Taking into account the goals of this project, a set of general characteristics was defined for the platform, namely the use of several technologies, the inclusion of a set of appealing functionalities (such as indexation and search tools), the availability of a set of services capable of developing historical-military products and activities, like routes, didactic and pedagogical contents, among others. A website-shaped public interface, the IS aims at promoting national and international Templar heritage, encouraging education and original research in the field, such as the availability of indicators regarding the diversity, quantity and location of Templar resources through analytics. With interoperability in mind, an application programming interface (API) based on a web service is being developed so that the IS may communicate with other domestic and international platforms.

4 Discussion/Findings 4.1

Survey of Functional Requirements

As a starting point, a survey of functional requirements was conducted. Meaning those requirements that express the expected functionalities or services that the system produces (input/output) as well as the non-functional requirements that reveal the expected quality, performance, safety, ease of use (usability), efficacy and efficiency. For the definition of heritage metadata and of their organization typologies, the aforementioned matrix was used. The general software functionalities were also identified, namely user authentication, search, consultation, editing of the listed heritage assets, as well as incremental levels of user permission requirements like typologies of guest, professional and admin. 4.2

Analysis and Design

In order to comply with the requirement analysis, a data structure study aimed at creating the IS database model was conducted. With that in mind, the relevant entities and attributes for the system were identified, namely entities, resources, multimedia, typologies, sub-typologies, civil parishes, municipalities, district, country and user.

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Subsequently, the study of relations between entities and their multiplicity degree was conducted. Figure 1 represents the entity relation (ER) model at the core of the system.

Fig. 1. Information system’s entity relation (ER) model

4.3

Prototype Development

Following the analysis and outlining phase, the IS prototype was developed, being supported by development in both layers involved in Web architecture, which integrate and interact among themselves: server-side and client-side (browser). The technologies chosen for the system’s development, rely fundamentally on a server-side perspective. This is because, on the client-server perspective, the choices are limited to web language standards, such as HyperText Markup Language (HTML) and their extensions, Cascade Style Sheets (CSS) and ECMAScript, commonly known as Javascript (JS). The operating software of the server is responsible for receiving and responding to browser HTTP requests. For the development of the server-side component, a LAMP (Linux, Apache, Mysql and PHP) open code type solution was adopted, both for its popularity and usability. The IS was developed using PHP programming language and SGBD Mysql for data persistency, since the Linux operating system and the Web Apache server constitute the ecosystem where the app developed in PHP is executed. PHP language has the important role of answering HTPP’s requests (input/output) placed by the bowser, of providing access/communication any time the SGBD finds it necessary and of managing and identifying each user’s sessions. Figure 2 displays the

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IS’s home page, where general information regarding the project, searches, datasheet, last uploaded heritage goods as well as a private information area, available through authentication, can be accessed.

Fig. 2. Project’s homepage

Identification functionalities will allow user and user privileges identification in the platform by redirecting them to their respective areas. Users with a professional account will be able to introduce/edit heritage assets entries, through an interactive form that automatically adapts to the entry of information in accordance to selected typologies and sub-typologies. The admin permission level allows users to access an admin task panel and, consequently, manage the whole website. The output of the registers of heritage assets is made by using JSON format, which favours the import of data by apps developed by other entities. 4.4

Verification, Validation and Testing

Following the development phase, the software entered an initial testing phase to verify if it complied with the specifications and to identify potential malfunctions. This phase is crucial for the system’s validation and includes several test levels (unitary, integration, system and acceptance) and diverse kinds of tests (functional, structural, usability, performance, safety, load bearing and regression). The tests results bring forth new interactions in the cycle of development which are vital to improve and refine the IS so that it can be made available to users.

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Information System Management

The platform is being designed to be updated by the entities that oversee the resources themselves. The participation of these entities will be under a logic of “reciprocity” (the more content is updated, the more publicity and more prominence it will get). The program will be underpinned by an agile methodology, so that it can be improved and optimized during this process. To solve issues that may emerge in the collection of information and validation of content, this model will resort to a system of user certification, through training of the different national entities, based on the sustainability of information management as shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 3. Information system management

5 Conclusion Overall, this IS presents itself as something similar to an open access technological intervention in heritage management. Moreover, it is also the result of the TREF’s call for academic participation in setting up the European Templar’s Route. This, in itself, is already a step up from many existing platforms that are either stagnated due to funding suspension or limited in terms of what the users can accomplish through them. This platform is still a work in progress and lacks thorough testing. Nevertheless, it should be up and running in 2021 as the outcome of an applied research project in the service of the community. By reason of this idea having unfolded in a pre-COVID-19 period, it became clear that some adjustments had to be made in order to adapt to an emerging new virtual culture reality. With that in mind, the relevance of this IS as a tourism activation and promotion mechanism is even more significant inasmuch as it induces tourist engagement both at a distance or by triggering visits to a specific site. At the same time, the fact that, once fully operational, the management of the IS’s contents is to be handed to and handled by local agents and local governments, makes for its sustainability in the long run. Thus, putting aside the risk of it becoming stagnant. Moreover, the required cooperation with academia regarding content validation, stresses its purpose as a local-identity fostering device as it allows for the replacement

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of mainstream narratives by more updated and accurate versions of history which will, inevitably, be more in touch with the local culture. Despite having been created with Templar heritage in mind, this prototype is versatile to the point that it can be adopted or replicated by other regions with different kinds of heritage on offer.

References 1. Chen, J., Prebensen, N., Uysal, M.: Dynamic drivers of tourist experiences. In: Prebensen, N., Chen, J., Uysal, M. (eds.) Creating Experience Value in Tourism, pp. 11–21. CABI, Oxford (2014) 2. Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe programme Homepage. https://www.coe.int/en/ web/cultural-routes. Accessed 15 June 2020 3. TREF Homepage. https://www.templars-route.eu/fr/. Accessed 15 June 2020 4. Sol, H., De Brito, M., Coelho, J.P., Figueira, L., Pratt, C., Lopes, E.: Rooting a new event in its place: the case of Festa Templária, Tomar Portugal. Int. J. Event Festiv. Manag. 8(3), 324–345 (2017) 5. Carta Nacional do Turismo Militar: Do Conceito à Operação - Proposta de Intervenção. CINAMIL. Military Academy Research Center. Instituto Politécnico de Tomar, Tomar (2015) 6. Coelho, J.P., Figueira, L.M., Costa, C.: O turismo Militar e a ativação turística do património: Conceitos, perspetivas e tendências. Revista Turismo e Desenvolvimento J. Tour. Dev. 1(21/22), 113–120 (2014) 7. Beveridge, E., O’Gorman, K.: The Crusades, the Knights Templar and Hospitaller: a combination of religion, war, pilgrimage, and tourism enablers. In: Butler, R., Suntikui, W. (eds.) Tourism and War, pp. 39–48. Routledge, London (2017) 8. Colace, F., Santo, M.D., Greco, L., Chianese, A., Moscato, V., Picarielo, A.: CHIS: cultural heritage information system. Int. J. Knowl. Soc. Res. 4(4), 18–26 (2013) 9. Franceschi, F., Bernabei, B., Malfertheiner, P., Gasbarrini, G.: The diet of Templar Knights: their secret to longevity? Dig. Liver Dis. 46(7), 577–578 (2014) 10. Nicholson, H.J.: The changing face of the Templars: current trends in historiography. Hist. Compass 8(7), 653–667 (2010) 11. Gilmour-Bryson, A.: Sodomy and the Knights Templar. J. Hist. Sex. 7(2), 151–183 (1996) 12. de Wildt, L.: “Everything is true; nothing is permitted:” Utopia, Religion and Conspiracy in Assassin’s Creed. In: Beil, B., Freyermuth, G.S., Schmidt, H.C. (eds.) Playing Utopia, pp. 149–182. Verlag, Bielefeld (2019) 13. Schaffrath, S.: Comparing Brown and Eco: Knights Templar in The Da Vinci Code and Foucault’s pendulum. Midwest Q. 52(1), 70–85 (2010) 14. Koch, A.: The new crusaders: contemporary extreme right symbolism and rhetoric. Perspect. Terr. 11(5), 13–24 (2017) 15. Moscardo, G.: Tourist experience design: a storytelling framework. In: Cai, L.A., Alaedini, P. (eds.) Quality Services and Experiences in Hospitality and Tourism, vol. 9, pp. 93–107. Bingley, Emerald (2018) 16. Mathisen, L.: Storytelling in a co-creation perspective. In: Prebensen, N., Chen, J., Uysal, M. (eds.) Creating Experience Value in Tourism, pp. 157–168. CABI, Oxford (2014) 17. Deane, P., Somasundaran, S., Lawless, R., Persky, H., Appel, C.: The key practice, building and sharing stories and social understandings: the intrinsic value of narrative. ETS Res. Rep. Ser. 2019(1), 1–51 (2019) 18. Martin, J.: Rapid Application Development, 3rd edn. Macmillan, Indianapolis (1991)

A Roadmap for Integrated Green Health EcoTourism Infrastructures, Safe Cultural Heritage Experience and AgriTourism Destinations in the Post Covid-19 Pandemic Era Tilemachos K. Koliopoulos1,2(&), Panagiotis Kouloumbis2, Krystyna Ciarkowska3, Jacek Antonkiewicz4, and Florian Gambus4 1

3

Department of Community Health and Public Health, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece [email protected] 2 Telegeco Research and Development, Athens, Greece Department of Soil and Agrophysics, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland 4 Department of Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland

Abstract. This study addresses a road-map on how information technologies can be used to enhance the safe cultural heritage experience throughout the visitors’ journey time within integrated health green ecotourism sustainable infrastructures and associated agritourism facilities for particular activities in space. As its main contribution, it presents a model of information communication technology to enhance effective project management for sustainable fast applied construction designs for environmental - public health protection and safe cultural heritage experience for tourists at ecological landscapes, forests and sea shore, coastal destinations. In the examining application of relative web project management technologies it is not limited to the onsite stage of the cultural experience, but is extended also to the integrated educational agritourism and ecotourism travel destinations for all stakeholders. The examining presented roadmap at a cultural heritage site provides insights into the opportunities to use a combination of applications in rehabilitation projects for enriching and facilitating the cultural visit in terms of a healthy environment with cultural, heritage life for renewable energy consumption from biofuels, wastewater units, landfill design emissions units. Also qualitative food, drink production activities should be promoted that are improving human health, promoting biological agricultural products, gastronomic healthy ones and biological drinks at the destination according to an extended, multi-stage perspective of the gastronomic heritage experience for all ages. In this way integrated green health tourism infrastructures and reclamation works are necessary for different ages and interests of tourists. Keywords: Sustainable resources in ecotourism
Green health tourism Construction management ICTs in tourism after covid-19 © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 108–119, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_10




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1 Introduction Nowadays, the emergence of smart technologies is becoming necessity in the post covid-19 pandemic era that has provided extraordinary possibilities to enrich and facilitate tourism experiences with relevant implications for the project management and marketing of unique travel destinations. Cultural tourism combined with health green ecotourism and educational agri-tourism is one key area of exploration and exploitation of the potential of information communication technologies (ICT’s) technologies for enhancing visitors’ safe experiences at heritage sites and gastronomic healthy food and drink products, attractions and thereby contribute to destination development and attractiveness. The widespread adoption of smart ICTs technologies, the development of Internet of Things (IoT’s), the real time update of web pages, simulation scenarios for augmented reality maintenance applications at sustainable projects have fueled the interest of researchers to investigate the application of smart ICTs, IoTs, monitoring technologies for enhancing tourism attractions like safe cultural heritage experiences linked with integrated community health green ecotourism interactive projects combined with alternative types of community tourism for the promotion of good health of tourists during their vacations [4, 19–24, 32]. However, the applications and studies in this area mostly focus only on the onsite stage of the cultural visit. Accordingly, a primary challenge is to understand a roadmap focused on the importance of integrated web project management ICTs utilities to enhance a safe cultural heritage experience for tourists. Safe travel destinations should exist with construction facilities and reclamation works that promote a well human health by extending its boundaries to include pre- and post-visit stages for all ages of tourists improving their health during their vacations in terms of clean environment, qualitative indoor, outdoor hotel accommodation spaces, applying proper room ventilation and building openings for safe hotels according to public health protection, applying regulations and protocols for prevention measures due to covid-19 post pandemic era, safe building designs in earthquakes, maintenance designs of remediation projects, biofuels production, protection of hotels from floods, fires, other extreme phenomena. Starting from this challenge, the examining roadmap presents an integrated project management model for public health protection in tourism planning policy and a tourism circular economy after covid-19 era with safe sanitary travel destinations. In this way it is aimed at supporting visitors’ experience in the pre-, during, and post-visit stages of cultural visits through a system of supported proper ICTs applications not only for tourists but also for relative professions in staff vocational training around health tourism, agritourism, ecotourism. The proposed model has been conceived and tested within a project aimed at developing new technological applications for enriching cultural heritage experiences at local sites and increasing the attractiveness of the mountainous forests, ecological landscapes, lakes and sea shore on islands, coastal travel attractions as a cultural tourism destination. The conceptualization of the model of technology enhanced cultural heritage experience combined with integrated health green ecotourism’s infrastructures and educational agri-tourism is examined through a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods of research on the role of web

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project management utilities for the enhancement of the experience at green health ecotourism qualitative destinations. Urban areas and particular alternative tourism destination sites next to them are complex social ecosystems, where ensuring sustainable development and quality of life are important concerns. In such urban, semi-urban, agricultural environments, local governments, citizens, stakeholders and companies experience specific demands and needs regarding key themes such as sustainable development, innovative business creation and employment. Moreover the next topics should be taken into account like effectiveness of rehabilitation works for tourism infrastructures; community healthcare; educational tourism; vocational education within physical activities and geo-tourism; integrated healthcare – medical tourism infrastructures; alternative types of tourism; sustainable energy; clean technologies and environments; public health protection; efficient operations management at community health care centers; the sustainable mobility environment; sustainable transportation designs of goods; safety at innovative construction designs related to environmental health, efficient sanitary designs due to post covid-19 era at outdoors/indoors spaces – efficient safe openings of buildings, sustainability, green economy and efficient operational mobility services for tourists. An integrated health policy is necessary in terms of sustainability of green health ecotourism centers within relative smart city growth infrastructures and efficient ICTs, tourism infrastructures growth planning within an effective circular economy, sustainable construction designs, proper water resources management, clean ecotourism – agritourism facilities, landfill emissions exploitation, promotion of renewable resources and operational management in future smart city ecosystems.

2 Web Project Management Utilities at Tourism Destinations The development of the proliferation of web information together with a smart perspective (IoTs) and communication technologies (ICTs) in all the contexts of human activities for future smart cities have encouraged the diffusion of technology also in the tourism sector [18], giving rise to the Smart Tourism concept applied to alternative types of tourism. Although there is still a lack of definitional clarity related to this term [5, 11], smart tourism that could be linked for integrated green health ecotourism infrastructures with associated alternative types of tourism encompasses three main components [11]: smart destinations, smart experience, and smart business for stakeholders using proper ICTs. In particular, the extensive use of ICTs supports efficiency and sustainability in the destination aspects; the personalization aspects and enrichment in the tourism experience; and the introduction of innovations in the aspects related to tourism business. The proper use of ICTs, IoTs and smart approach at destinations provides the needed utilities, safety tools for public health protection due to several epidemics, pandemics like SARS covid-2, covid-19, others and infrastructures to bridge the gaps between the physical world and the digital realm in the space and between different stages of the tourism for sanitary alerts in terms of indoor, outdoor quality, optimum openings in hotel buildings efficient sustainable with innovative health - safety stable designs for good aeration of closed spaces due to covid-19, safe

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structural designs of openings in shear walls and experience process in the time [24, 25, 30, 31, 41]. Furthermore, these advancements are becoming essential not only for the competitiveness of the destination as a whole, but also for tourism services providers that are confronted with the challenges related to the development of relative effective web project management utilities, ICTs, IoTs, geoinformation tools for safe infrastructures approach in integrated community health tourism destinations to be competitive in future smart cities [19, 20, 22–24, 32]. In particular, new technologies allow the enrichment of the tourism experience by favoring personalization of offers, applying properly quantitative, qualitative analysis of travel attractions, context-awareness, information aggregation, ubiquitous connectedness and real-time monitoring and synchronization [5, 20, 21, 28]. However, the smart approach acts on the tourists’ decision making process and contributes to create more satisfying tourism experiences, with relevant implications for the project management of safe – qualitative travel destinations and relative promotional marketing. Studies in this area identify three key technological components that influence the success of smart – web tourism experiences at destinations [41, 42]. Cloud Computing Services, Internet of Things (IoT), and End-User Internet Service Systems. The Internet of Things (IoT) is composed by a variety of always-responsive objects (tags, sensors etc.), which are able to interact with each other in order to achieve common goals, safety and optimum operational management especially in emergencies [42]. Cloud computing services are technological infrastructures able to collect, manage and store a large number of data that are useful for supporting the development of an integrated health tourism in many ways [24]. The value of ICTs, web project management utilities, IoTs technologies for stakeholders enhanced tourism experiences has a broader sense for all, being created not only during the visit phase, but also before and after the visit, during every interaction of the tourist with the tourism services providers and associated media like Facebook, linked-in, flickr etc. Therefore, destinations marketers need to focus on the entire tourism experience for the proper promotion of safe health ecotourism destinations next to forests, lakes, coasts, natural landscapes and invest into technologies that are able to enhance all the stages of the experience process. Moreover, cultural tourism, which is driven by visitors’ motivations to view the historical, artistic, scientific or lifestyle/heritage offerings of a community, region, or institution (Silberberg 1995; Laurajane et al. 2009; Jack et al. 2005), is an area of significant application of proper web technologies for enhancing visitors’ experiences. Cultural resources, including museums, theatres, archeological, historical, and religious sites, monuments, art galleries, cultural festivals and events related to local agricultural biological traditional food and drinks products combined with alternative types of tourism like walking, running,, cycling, fishing, river sports, other sports tourism events, planting forest trees, agricultural cultivation – educational agritourism should be promoted properly in terms of public health protection that can provide tourists unique experiences contributing to differentiate a destination from its competitors, learning about renewable resources, the meaning of circular economy, environmental – public health protection, reclamation works, soil protection at brownfield sites,

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rehabilitation projects and robust fast construction designs [1–3, 8, 10, 16, 19, 21, 22, 28–30, 33, 34, 40]. In more detail, the advent of ICTs, mobile-based augmented reality browsers and smart wearable devices has fueled the development of a variety of applications to provide information and contents to cultural visitors, support learning and involvement, facilitate the planning and management of itineraries, enable visitors to co-create and share their experiences. For example, Augmented Reality systems can help visitors to relive historic life or sustainable ecological health architecture facilities next to forests, lakes by revealing ruins or ancient buildings as 3D objects. These could be overlaid on the actual monuments creating new activities for sports tourism, interactive movements, local theaters and speeches about the meaning of integrated health tourism facilities. Furthermore, useful infrastructures could be related to agritourism and alternative types of tourism like sports tourism, swimming facilities for all ages from elderly people with disabilities to young families supported with innovative sustainable construction designs of integrated community health centers and maternity units for young families with kids during their travel vacations. Further, they provide opportunities to explore unknown areas in an enjoyable and interactive manner and to facilitate learning processes through the integration of proper ICTs, IoTs, Virtual Reality, vocational education training tools, e-learning tools like moodle-moot, sloodle, other associated educational - training online utilities for stakeholders and Augmented Reality gaming. Research in this field also emphasizes the potential of Virtual Reality as a tool for cultural heritage marketing, education and preservation for stakeholders [12, 14, 17, 31]. However, by contrast, the cultural heritage experience combined with agritourism interactive projects – associated alternative types of tourism for tourists is not limited to the time spent onsite, but begins before the actual visit and continues with memories and reflections after the visit taking an action like an asynchronous biomatic learning laboratory [24, 26, 27, 38]. Moreover, the effectiveness of an Environmental System within a smart tourism ICTs project management utility should be related to an Efficient Sustainable Design of a Health Care Communal Building Facility for elderly tourists or modern Maternity units for young families that are traveling both for long term destinations with babies, kids. Future infrastructures of health green ecotourism destinations associated with alternative types of tourism in order to get a competitive advantage in relation to other travel destinations should take into account the next relative road map activities. A public health protection in tourism planning policy should be taken into account in a roadmap for integrated green health ecotourism infrastructures. In this way can be achieved safe cultural heritage experience for tourists as well as safe agri-tourism travel destinations and interactions of tourists at indoors, outdoors spaces next to hotel accommodations in the post covid-19 pandemic era. According to the examining roadmap are demanded sustainable hotel facilities supporting proper sustainable building safe economic construction designs so as to recover a huge amount of raw energy resources, applying a right sustainable environmental health management. Renewable resources and clean technologies from landfill emissions can be exploited not only for saving energy consumption but also to minimize air pollutants, water pollutants – soil pollutants’ emissions. Landfill

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emissions like biogas and leachates treatment can be exploited properly for electricity, heating consumption, irrigation and lighting respectively for landscape upgrade, recovery of waste emissions for biofuels cultivations, support of renewable resources in quality assurance of polluted soil reclamation and efficient supply chain – project management of renewable resources [22–24, 35, 39]. In this way the examining roadmap will provide assistance for stakeholders in efficient use of water resources for a sustainable ecotourism growth in relation to clean technologies at particular semi-urban tourism facility designs next to agri-tourism destinations. Moreover, the examining roadmap will be helpful to establish the right guidelines not only for staff training at hotels but also for stakeholders to support integrated effective sustainable services, environmental sustainable designs in relation to proper use of renewable resources from landfill gas – waste water treatment units of landfill leachates, sustainability on roof garden designs, recovery of waste emissions from hotels and public health protection at outdoor and indoor spaces next to community health ecotourism centers. Therefore, taking into account the examining roadmap characteristics for an integrated public health protection in tourism planning policy should be established not only to conserve our natural resources for qualitative ecotourism facilities but also to support clean technologies at agri-tourism travel destinations with the consumption of renewable resources utilizing efficient sustainable transportation design infrastructures protecting environmental eco-tourism’s resources and public health.

3 Health Policy for Efficient Environmental Resources’ Management of Green Health Ecotourism – Agritourism Infrastructures Nowadays, an effective sustainable design system of a communal health care facility not only for elderly people with disabilities like Alzheimer’s disease or Muscoloskeletal Disorders but also for young families with babies and kids that have been survied from recent covid-19 pandemic should identify potential locations that construction projects will support innovative fast applied construction designs’ combinations of construction materials in terms of sustainability providing efficient sports tourism – associated alternative types of tourism services like swimming or other ones for qualitative healthcare to tourists. The latter fact could be combined with agritourism activities focused on educational training tourism activities for stakeholders not only for biological agricultural food and drinks products but also phytoremediation applications – biofuel production and atmospheric protection which is semantic especially for traveling tourists who belongs in populations living in urban centers with atmospheric pollution and they have been recovered from covid-19 pandemic disease. Moreover, a good planning and web marketing is necessary to promote unique travel destinations of access into and around the spaces within the health care facility focused on the safe mobility, sustainability in construction design not only for the maintenance but also the proper construction design in emergencies that environmental hazards could probable exist like floods, earthquakes or landfill gas fires, landfill

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leachate leakage etc. at associated alternative types of green tourism that promote an integrated health tourism [6, 13, 19, 21, 22, 33–35, 37]. However, in the last decades for the optimization of Environmental Resources’ Management several system analysis methods in constructions for mobility, sustainable airport designs and economic means in transportation for shipment of goods to integrated health tourism destinations, efficient hotel building design facilities in energy consumption should be used properly including proper web utilities in supply chain project management, numerical schemes and Input-Output analysis. The latter should be combined with several tools like digital spatial databases, I.S.O. standards during the use of several monitoring methods or devices collecting data for Environmental Impact Assessments combined with web G.I.S tools and G.P.S. Devices for the right decision making in time, protecting environment and public health. Based on the above in Fig. 1 is presented a roadmap that should be applied in integrated Health Eco-tourism Policies combined with integrated Agri-tourism facilities and alternative types of tourism.

Fig. 1. Integrated public health protection in tourism planning policy for implementation on sustainable future green health eco-tourism within efficient community-based healthcare infrastructures combined with agri-tourism ones and associated alternative types of tourism.

According to the roadmap presented in Fig. 1 for an integrated public health protection in tourism planning policy, proper investments by hotel owners should be made not only for staff training but also for stakeholders applying properly sustainable safe designs and clean technologies for environmental health protection in the post

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covid-19 pandemic era as well as water resources project management ICTs utilities for sustainability and support of construction management solutions in emergencies like flood control, fire protection. Moreover, is needed support in renewable resources, cleaning with water-chlorine jets for sanitation, spa and beauty services, construction physical activities’ designs for recovery of elderly people and others that have been survived in the post pandemic covid-19 era, swimming pool facilities and other integrated sanitary designs. Furthermore, efficient designs can promote green health ecotourism services like waste water units for water – sludge exploitation in agricultural cultivations, reclamation projects of demolition waste, soil upgrade, upgrade of other polluted inert materials for economic hotel’s roof building thermal insulation, effective irrigation designs for biofuels’ productivity, associated green geotechnical reclamation projects of brownfields, landscape upgrade supporting sports facilities for physical activity at unique travel destinations, environmental health design protection to support agri-tourism activities – promotion of local food products, drinks, proper use of clean technologies for sustainability and public health protection in supply chain of associated agri-tourism’s products. Moreover, based on the roadmap presented in Fig. 1 the content of such project management ICTs utilities can be used also in proper useful visual e-learning reading portals in educational virtual reality tourism and web project management ICT utilities demonstrating travelling interactive attractions – associated training not only for tourists but also for staff at hotels and stakeholders supporting green health tourism in the green economy and associated innovative construction – sanitary designs, clean technologies for sustainable development and public health protection [7, 15]. In this way could be achieved sustainable solutions at hotel accommodations that could be used as marketing tools promoting at their web advertisement pages the associated offered facilities to tourists including public health protection services for safe travel destinations. Festivals, bazaars, safe enhanced experiences and activities for tourists should exist at eco-tourism, agri-tourism destinations supported by renewable resources, safe designs for public health protection, safe cultural travel ecological tourism destinations, clean technologies so to promote local traditional cultural products, gastronomic goods and social health eco-tourism services, sports tourism activities in clean environments without air pollution or other types of pollutants. New opportunities, jobs should be created based on green economy for associated alternative tourism facilities for unemployed population, immigrants, other social groups under particular risks not only that they need moral support due to their recent recovery from covid-19 pandemic disease but also to other ones that should be empowered for employment like immigrants or other social groups, business communities that they are in economic risks in the post covid-19 pandemic era.

4 Conclusions The paper is framed within the current debate on the public health protection in tourism planning policy using proper project management ICTs and efficient web technologies for the creation of safe cultural travel ecological tourism destinations. Efficient water resources ICT’s management utilities as well as safe construction designs for

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sustainable tourism facilities are necessary so as to identify particular investments that are demanded at eco-tourism, agri-tourism as unique travel destinations within an integrated tourism circular economy after covid-19. In this way applying efficient hotel sustainable construction designs, transportation designs, exploitation of waste emissions from hotels and landfill emissions a qualitative environmental health level will exist that could be presented at web pages of hotels including alternative types of tourism, associated services offered to tourists. In this way tourists can search in the web for hotel accommodations that they support safe eco-tourism facilities with quality assurance in terms of public health protection so as to be achieved enhanced experiences at the destination, focusing on the visitors’ experience at cultural heritage sites. The creation of positive tourism experiences with new technologies is a strategic challenge for destination competitiveness and smart development related to integrated green health eco-tourism infrastructures combined with agri-tourism and alternative types of tourism for environmental - public health protection in the post covid-19 pandemic era. Safe relative tourism services that follow proper ISO standards should be presented at particular hotels’ web pages as a marketing tool for tourists so as to be promoted unique travel eco-tourism and agritourism destinations. Moreover, travel visitors experience should become an important notion in cultural heritage marketing related to safe environments with associated educational tourism activities for stakeholders as well as qualitative traditional goods like biological foods, drinks, wines and other activities ones related to alternative types of tourism in health services and environmental protection. As its main contribution, the paper presents a model of modules with ICTs technology-enhanced cultural heritage experience, which follows the recommendation of cultural heritage researchers to consider a multi-stage perspective of the visit experience in relation to health services that promote a good healthy life. According to the presented roadmap based on an investment budget by a hotel owner investor the return of incomes goes to competitive services and goods to tourists. Tourists will have the opportunity to increase their knowledge around sustainable development solutions and unique activities in onsite experience for agritourism products, gastronomic goods, drinks etc. The presented roadmap health policy in terms of technological enhancement is not limited to the actual encounter in the onsite experience stage, but is extended also to the pre- and post-stages of the whole visitors’ journey in relative actions for environmental protection and public health protection. The results could be useful for future adoptions of emerging environmental design technologies in future smart sustainable tourism infrastructures; innovative construction designs; simulations of tourists at interactive web virtual travel visits as a marketing promotional tool so as to learn tourists what will be the benefit for them at travel destinations at particular hotels with unique services and integrated investment of facilities of alternative types of eco-tourism, agri-tourism; proper project management ICTs utilities; water resources management in a climate change; construction management of reclamation works for soil protection; educational e-learning content; material for vocational education, training for hotel staff, stakeholders and operations management within sustainable designs. All the above should be taken into account for future sustainable integrated environmental management services in associated alternative types of tourism that promote circular economy

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growth within tourism industry and integrated health eco-tourism, agri-tourism facilities for environmental - public health protection and sustainability in the post covid-19 pandemic era.

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The Relevance of Internet as an Information Source on the Accessible Tourism Market Celeste Eusébio1,2(&) , Leonor Teixeira1,3 , Andreia Moura2,4,5 Elisabeth Kastenholz1,2, and Maria João Carneiro1,2 1

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Department of Economics, Management, Industrial Engineering and Tourism, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal {celeste.eusebio,lteixeira,elisabethk, mjcarneiro}@ua.pt 2 GOVCOPP – Research Unit on Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policies, Aveiro, Portugal [email protected] 3 Institute of Electronics and Informatics Engineering of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal 4 Coimbra Education School, Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal 5 CITUR – Centre for Tourism Research, Development and Innovation, Coimbra, Portugal

Abstract. A multiplicity of online information sources are used to plan, book, evaluate and share tourism experiences. However, a limited number of studies examine the online information sources used by the accessible tourism market. To extend knowledge in this field the present study analyses the heterogeneity in the Portuguese accessible tourism market regarding online information sources used, applying a survey to 504 people with special needs (PwSN). Six segments with different types of special needs (people with hearing disabilities – PwHD -, people with visual disabilities – PwVD -, people with motor disabilities – PwMoD -, people with mental disabilities – PwMeD -, people with multiple disabilities – PwMuD and people with other special needs – PwOSN) that had participated in tourism activities are studied regarding the information sources used in a tourism trip. Results highlight the relevance of the Internet as one of the most important information sources to plan a tourism trip. However, differences among the six segments were observable. Moreover, results reveal the need to provide accessible information sources to increase the participation of PwSN in tourism activities. Keywords: Accessible tourism market Heterogeneity


Online information sources


1 Introduction The potential of the accessible tourism market is unquestionable. The widespread ageing of population in most tourist-generating countries, which often implies the development of some form of disability, and the fact that travelers with disabilities © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 120–132, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_11

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travel mostly accompanied by family or friends, translates into growing tourism consumption with a marked economic impact. More developed economies, namely within the European Union, have made efforts to implement legislation to address the special needs of people with disabilities, at a national and supranational level [1]. In the last 20 years, much effort has been dedicated to and progress made in removing barriers, so that today transport, accommodation and attractions are already thoroughly accessible. However, a large part of the population with disabilities is still not travelling and there is little demand for accessible facilities [2]. This lack of interest from individuals with disabilities is partly explained by the poor integration of these products and the lack of communication between supply and demand in a reliable and up-to-date manner. Conveniently, at the same time, digital tools emerge as an effective low-cost communication instrument with worldwide reach [3], making it possible to develop accessible communication tools even on a limited budget. Moreover, the ‘consumer revolution’, which has led to the increase of non-conventional tourism products and services and the rise of more informed travelers with higher quality standards and wide access to mobile technology, has provided significant opportunities [4]. The internet is a preferential source of information in the tourism industry [5]. The effect of the Internet, social media and mobile technology on information and product differentiation, communication and consumer attraction, and also on networking and partner engagement, permits and requires new solutions, approaches and practice, also for accessible tourism [6]. Since there are very few studies about this topic, the analysis of such opportunities, based on an understanding of the accessible tourists’ information requirements, is therefore an important knowledge gap to fill. The present work seeks to contribute to this goal by responding to the following objectives: (i) to analyse the importance of the Internet as a source of information in the case of the accessible tourism market; (ii) to identify the different channels within the Internet, mostly used by the accessible tourism market; (iii) to check if there is heterogeneity within the accessible tourism market in the use and relevance of online information channels. To this end, a survey to Portuguese individuals with special needs was carried out. 1.1

Relevance and Specificities of the Accessible Tourism Market

According to the latest World Disability Report, published in 2011, it has been estimated that more than one billion people, or approximately 15% of the world population, would be in a situation of disability [7]. This proportion rises to around 40% of the world population when including other categories of people who may temporarily need accessible services. In Europe, the population with disabilities reaches 80 million people [8]. This number has an effective growth trend due to the world population’s ageing [9], associated with technological and medical advances that extend and preserve life [8]. In this context, the population with disability will no longer be considered a population niche or a minority, while it must be recognized that the situation of disability does not only affect the individual, but also his/her family and friends. Therefore, the number of people directly or indirectly affected by disability issues will

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tend to grow exponentially in percentage. The World Bank [10] points out one-fifth of the estimated global total, or between 110 million and 190 million people, experiencing significant disabilities. According to the European Commission [11], in 2011, there were 49.8 million people with disability in Europe, aged between 15 and 64 years, with this rate rising to 80.8 million individuals, with the addition of those over 65. However, it should also be noted that the figure rises to 138.6 million when the entire European population with special needs is taken into account [11], with the figure expected to be around 154.6 million by the end of 2020. Given these numbers in Europe alone, the European Commission [12] points out that the disabled population alone represents approximately 22 million hikers, 25 million domestic trips and 8 million international trips. Additionally, it should be noted that the vast majority of these people do not travel alone, since on average every 2 disabled guests will bring one companion, so that in total it can be estimated that about 130 million people benefit from accessible tourism [13]. According to Buhalis, Eichhorn, Michopoulou and Miller [14], about 59% of Europeans have a family member with disability and 38% have a friend with disability. Furthermore, the same authors [14] also highlight the demand for accessible services and spaces, corresponding to 27% of the European population, about 127 million people, with estimated revenues from accessible tourism amounting to 80 billion euros. On the other hand, it is important to highlight that PwD have particular social, economic and demographic specificities, which are clearly a disadvantage compared to their peers [15], which should be taken into account in the development of tourism for all or accessible tourism. Darcy and Dickson [16] stress that the higher the level of disability, the lower the rate of participation in leisure activities outside home, i.e. in tourism. However, considering the European Commission report [11], despite the type or severity of the disability, the propensity to travel of this public is 50% for one-day trips (excursions) and 58.1% for overnight trips (tourism). In this regard, considering that the number of people with some kind of disability is expected to double by 2030, it is believed that the disability market segment should be taken seriously by the tourism industry. It is largely recognized that adequate and reliable information about destinations is the main basis for the decision to choose a destination. If travel is still a challenge for people with disabilities, the lack of information represents a failure in the destinations’ ability to attract these visitors and, consequently, a loss of business opportunities [14, 15]. Buhalis et al. [14] state that sources of information about destinations vary according to the country of origin and the type of disability of the tourist. Packer, McKercher and Yau [17] conclude that PwD perceived as most reliable sources of information personal previous experience and/or recommendation of another person with disability. This trend is perpetuated and verified today in Europe, as the study developed by the European Commission [11] finds that the advice of friends and family is the pillar of decision making for a tourist trip (referred to by 51% of all respondents with some kind of limitation or special need), followed by personal experience (49%) and tourism websites (46%). Specifically, it is important to note that the most common booking channel is the Internet (used by 67% of people with any limitations) followed by booking in person (52%) and by phone (42%). In terms of information and booking,

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family or friends and the Internet (hotel websites or tourism websites) are the most common information sources. Most participants were active internet users, others would ask friends or family to take care of the online information search or booking for them. The use of travel agencies remained limited. Information was considered accessible, since hotel websites include information on the hotel itself and the surrounding area, which can be completed by additional internet searches. In short, the results of some studies on the accessible tourism market show the existence of a market of relevant size, whose needs are not being fully met, but which could be addressed by the development of new technologies through innovative internet features. This channel is nowadays central to tourist destinations, since it represents a more inclusive solution, respecting the special needs of the disabled tourist, potentially permitting total accessibility, satisfying all tourists. 1.2

Internet as an Information Source for the Accessible Tourism Market

The ICTs, of which the Internet is part, have a significant role in promoting accessible tourism, helping in spreading information and, at same time, improving accessible conditions for tourism practices. Additionally, the Internet represents the most universal technology used by large numbers of users in the most varied contexts, with the Web being one of the most often used services as a source of information. Besides, accessible tourism represents a market with a strong dependence on information, both from the point of view of quantity and specific format. Buhalis and Michopoulou [18] classify the accessible market requirements into three categories: physical accessibility, information about accessibility, and information accessible online. Particularly in the last two categories – information about accessibility and information accessible online – the Internet plays a very important role, not only because it makes the information needed for this type of market more accessible (at a click away), but as it can also present the information in different formats, thus serving the needs of a wider group of people. Michopoulou and Buhalis [19] state that “while accessible infrastructure is critical for participation, information regarding the accessibility of tourism facilities and destinations is another fundamental requirement for the disabled market”. Nowadays, the accessible market needs very detailed information on tourism products and services, mainly information about accessibility, which places the Internet/Web as a privileged source of information. However, for this information to reach everyone correctly, the information content must itself be accessible, a matter of web accessibility. Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the Web, stated that the power of this big technology is in its universality and in the principle that all people, regardless of their condition and disability, must have access to the information made available therein [20]. Ideally, this information should be tailored to special needs, since not all persons with disabilities are the same and have the same requirements [21]. In fact, the function of the web is to efficiently supply the right information, at the right time to the right people, highlighting the importance of web accessibility. The literature defines web accessibility as the degree to which a web allows access to its content to the largest possible range of users, including those users who have visual, auditory, motor or cognitive disabilities or people who experience some kind of

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environmental constraints [22]. Today, to evaluate this Web accessibility several tools and guidelines promoting web inclusiveness are available, being the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), developed by the World Wide Web Consortium [23], one of the main foundations for assuring accessibility of web contents.

2 Methodology In this section, the methods used to collect the data and the methods used to analyse the results will be presented. 2.1

Data Collection Methods

A survey directed to the Portuguese population with special needs (people with disabilities – PwD – and people with other special needs – PwOSN), aged above 17 years, was carried out. In this study, the concept of accessible tourism proposed by Darcy and Dickson [16] was used to identify the market segments analysed (people with mobility, vision, hearing and cognitive dimensions of access, seniors, people with respiratory allergies, pregnant and people using strollers). Given the general difficulties to inquire PwD, the study adopted a combination of a snowball sampling technique with a convenience approach. The data were collected between 23 of July of 2019 and 31 of January of 2020. During this period, the questionnaire was administered using interviewers, as well as the Internet (online questionnaire). The questionnaire used in this research was developed in the scope of a broader research project (ACTION: Accessible tourism: co-creation of tourism experience through a web-based Intelligent System), that aims to develop an innovative instrument to provide communication, information sharing, suggestions based on user profiles and knowledge transfer among all stakeholders of the accessible tourism market. For the present study, only the questions related to the information sources used by the accessible tourism market were examined and only those cases that had previously undertaken a tourism trip were considered, leading to a total of 392 questionnaires responded by Portuguese PwSN. The questions included in the questionnaire relate to information sources used by were designed based on an extensive literature review in this field [18, 19, 24–27]. A five-point Likert-type scale, ranging from 1 (never) to 5 (very frequently) was used to examine the frequency level of using various types of online information sources. An identical scale assessed the frequency of online information sources used to obtain information for planning a tourism trip, to book tourism services, to collect information during a trip, to evaluate the tourism products consumed and to share the tourism experiences. Moreover, the satisfaction with the information disseminated by online channels and the satisfaction with the accessibility level of these channels used were evaluated through a five-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (very unsatisfied) to 5 (very satisfied). To examine the validity and reliability of the questionnaire, a pilot study with a group of PwSN was carried out. Moreover, due to difficulties of applying the questionnaires to people with visual disability, the questionnaire was translated to braille.

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2.2

125

Data Analysis Methods

Data were analysed using the SPSS software. Univariate and bivariate techniques were used. First, frequencies and mean values were calculated to characterize the sample and the segments of PwSN analysed in this research. Chi-square tests and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare the segments and assess statistically significant differences among them in terms of the variables analysed. The non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis tests were used when the assumptions of the one-way ANOVA were not observed. In both the tests a 5% level of significance was used.

3 Findings In this section, the sample profile of the respondents will be analysed, as well as the results regarding the use of Internet as an information source in the tourism trips. 3.1

Sample Profile

The sample includes people with different special needs, with 69.8% being PwD and the remaining 30.2% persons with other special needs (PwOSN) (Table 1). As for PwD, there is a prevalence of motor disabilities (PwMoD) (24.3% of the sample) and mental disabilities (PwMeD) (22.0%), followed by people with multiple disabilities (PwMuD) (10.0%), people with visual disabilities (PwVD) and people with hearing disabilities (PwHD) (4.6%). Table 1. Sociodemographic profile of the sample, by type of special need Total Profile Gender Male Female Marital status Single Other EducaƟon level Less than secondary educa on Secondary educa on Higher educa on Economic status Employed Re red Other Age Younger than 39 years Other Need of help to move Yes No

Type of special needa Chi-square test Motor Mental MulƟple Other (N = 95, (N = 86, (N = 39, (N = 118, Value p-value 24.3%) 22.0%) 10.0%) 30.2%)

N

%

142 239

36.3 63.7

61.1 38.9

45.7 54.3

41.1 58.9

45.3 54.7

38.5 61.5

18.6 26.088 81.4

0.000

200 190

51.3 48.7

77.8 22.2

40.0 60.0

57.9 42.1

76.5 23.5

46.2 53.8

28.8 54.344 71.2

0.000

139 95 152

36.0 24.6 39.4

11.2 44.4 44.4

22.9 40.0 37.1

33.0 29.8 37.2

77.4 20.2 2.4

29.8 29.7 40.5

18.7 14.4 120.801 0.000 66.9

140 64 179

36.6 16.7 46.7

47.1 5.9 47.0

37.1 25.7 37.1

37.2 23.4 39.4

4.9 2.5 92.6

48.7 12.8 38.5

52.1 21.4 98.198 26.5

0.000

172 214

44.6 55.4

66.7 33.3

37.1 62.9

32.6 67.4

65.9 34.1

34.2 65.8

41.5 26.950 58.5

0.000

84 307

21.5 78.5

11.1 88.9

48.6 51.4

46.3 53.7

3.5 96.5

35.9 64.1

3.4 95.317 96.6

0.000

Hearing (N = 19, 4.6%)

Visual (N = 35, 9.0%)

Values in bold correspond to the highest values when sta s cally significant differences exist. a

Percentage in column

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Analysing the global sample, a considerable variety of sociodemographic profile of respondents is observable. Although there is a predominance of female (63.7%), there is quite a balance regarding civil status – namely between single (51.3%) and other (48.7%) –, and regarding age – specifically between those with less than 39 years (44.6%) and others. In addition, there are people with different educational levels (with a prevalence of people with less than secondary education or higher education, representing 36.0% and 39.4%, respectively), and a predominance of employed respondents (36.6%). Most respondents do not need help to move (78.5%). Nevertheless, chi-square tests reveal some statistically significant differences among people with different needs. Some of the most remarkable are that the groups of PwVD, PwMoD and PwMuD have more persons requiring help to move (48.6%, 46.3% and 35.9%, specifically) and that PwMeD have more people with less than secondary education (77.4%). In addition, for example, PwVD, PwMoD, PwMuD and PwOSN have a higher percentage of older people (between 58.5% and 67.4%). This highlights the higher probability of the seniors having special needs and acquiring some of the before mentioned disabilities. 3.2

The Use of Internet as an Information Source

Although the majority of the respondents state that they search for information about destinations on their own (52.9%), many of them also have the help of relatives

Table 2. Information sources used, by type of special need

Informaon sources

Who searches informaon to plan tourism trips* Own Relatives Friends Social organizaons Other Informaon sources used* Previous experience Travel books / guides Recommendaons of relaves and friends Magazines and newspapers Television and radio Internet Social networks (e.g. Facebook, Twier, Instagram, Linkdln) Social organizaons Travel agencies Other tourism organizaons

N

Total %

Hearing (N = 19, 4.6%)

Visual (N = 35, 9.0%)

Type of special needa Motor Mental (N = 95, (N = 86, 24.3%) 22.0%)

Chi-square test Mulple (N = 39, 10.0%)

Other (N = 118, 30.2%)

Value p-value

207 145 54 86 31

52.9 37.1 13.8 22 7.9

50 .0 55 .6 33.3 5.6 11 .1

57.1 25.7 17.1 17.1 25.7

63.2 37.9 16.8 17.9 5.3

15.1 3 8.4 9.3 54.7 4.7

46.2 41.0 2.6 20.5 0.0

73.7 34.7 14.4 5.9 2.8

74.867 5 .196 12.471 75.496 b)

125 43

46.1 15.9

31.3 12.5

52.4 4.8

37.0 19.8

21.7 4.3

58.6 17.2

56.4 17.8

16.095 0.007 b)

133

49.1

56.3

52.4

48.1

39.1

37.9

53.5

21 18 208

7.7 6.6 76.8

6.3 18.8 81.3

0.0 0.0 90.5

7.4 9.9 81.5

13.0 0.0 56.5

0.0 3.4 58.6

10.9 5.9 79.2

84

31.0

43.8

19.0

34.6

30.4

20.7

31.7

24 49 51

8.9 18.1 18.8

12.5 12.5 18.8

4.8 19 23.8

9.9 19.8 18.5

21.7 13 8.7

13.8 20.7 13.8

4.0 17.8 21.8

Values in bold correspond to the highest values when stascally significant differences exist. a

Percentage in column b) The assumpons of Chi-square test were not observed * Only the values corresponding to people who said 'yes' are presented

3.579

0.000 0.39 2 0.029 0.000

0.611

b) b) 13.374 0.013 4.568 b) b) b)

0.471

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(37.1%), social organizations (22%) and friends (13.8%), among others, in this process (Table 2). The Internet emerges as the information source used by most respondents (76.8%) revealing the outstanding role it plays for people with special needs. Other sources also used by respondents are the recommendations of relatives and friends (49.1%), previous experience (46.1%) and social networks (31.0%). Nevertheless, travel agencies (18.1%), other tourism organizations (18.8%) and travel books/guides (15.9%) also seem to play a major role. Once more, chi-square tests highlight some statistically significant differences among people with different needs. PwOSN and PwMoD are those most likely to search for information by themselves, probably reflecting few constraints to consult the sources made available by most destinations, followed by PwVD (Table 2). The higher likelihood of PwVD for searching information by themselves may certainly be related to the abilities of this group, but it may also mean that there has been a greater effort in making information accessible to this group than to other groups of PwD, including the development of assistive technologies. It is very interesting to observe that PwMeD, when compared with other people, rely more on information collected by social organizations, while PwHD seek for information provided by their friends, that may even be people having the same disabilities and, therefore, the same needs. In all the other cases, chi-square tests are not valid or a statistically significant association does not exist (p-value > 0.05). There are also some groups most likely to use the Internet to get information when engaging in tourism – PwHD, PwVD, PwMoD and PwOSN – eventually because these persons are most able to use and explore this source and perhaps because the Internet is most likely to provide information for people with this kind of needs. It is also interesting to note that PwVD, PwMuD and PwOSN, tend to rely more on their previous experiences than other groups. It was also found that the computer was the device most often used for searching information on the Internet (72.6% of respondents), followed by the smartphone/mobile phone (62.8%), with the tablet not having such a crucial role in this context (only used by 19.2% respondents) (Table 3), with some respondents using multiple devices to have access to online information. No differences are detected among groups with different needs regarding devices used to access information on the Internet (p-value > 0.05). The online sources most frequently consulted by respondents are specialized platforms for consulting and booking tourism products (e.g. Booking, TripAdvisor, Airbnb) (3.78 in a Likert-type scale from 1 = never to 5 = very frequently), websites of tourism suppliers (e.g. hotels, travel agencies, restaurants) (3.51) and social networks (2.80) (Table 4). Online sources specialized in accessible tourism – either blogs or platforms such as Tour4all – are not very frequently used yet (2.03 and 1.62, respectively). Kruskal-Wallis tests show that specialized platforms for consulting and booking tourism products (e.g. Booking, TripAdvisor, Airbnb) are more often consulted by PwOSN. One possible explanation for that is that these sources have more appropriate information for these people than for those with disabilities. Blogs specialized in accessible tourism are also more frequently used by PwOSN, PwHD and by PwMoD

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Table 3. Devices used for searching information on the Internet, by type of special need Devices used for Internet search, including social networks* Computer / Laptop Smartphone / Mobile Phone Tablet

Type of special needa Motor Mental MulƟple

Total N

193 167 51

%

72.6 62.8 19 .2

Hearing

Visual

(N = 16)

(N = 20)

68.8 56.3 25 .0

(N = 81)

85 70.0 20.0

(N = 21)

76.5 60.5 25.9

(N = 29)

52.4 57.1 9.5

62.1 51.7 17.2

Chi-square test Other (N = 99)

Value p-value

74.7 8.452 0.133 68.7 4.200 0.521 b) 15.2

Values in bold correspond to the highest values when sta s cally significant differences exist. a Percentage in column b) The assump ons of Chi-square test were not observed * Only the values corresponding to people who said 'yes' are presented

Table 4. Frequency of consulting different online sources, by type of special need

Types of online informaƟon sources

N

Total Mean Hearing

Visual

Type of special needa Motor Mental MulƟple

Kruskal-Wallis test Other

(N = 14) (N = 19) (N = 69) (N = 17) (N = 20) (N = 85)

Value

p-value

Websites of tourism suppliers (e.g. hotels, travel agencies, restaurants)

225

3.51

3.00

3.53

3.54

2.88

3.15

3.77

7.617

0.179

Websites of official tourism organiza ons (e.g. Turismo de Portugal )

222

2.57

2.29

2.11

2.73

2.59

2.60

2.59

3.805

0.578

Specialized pla orms for consul ng and booking tourism products (e.g. Booking, TripAdvisor, Airbnb)

224

3.78

3.14

3.11

3.74

2.35

3.65

4.37

29.790

0.000

Social networks (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Twi er, Snapchat, Linkdln)

223

2.80

3.14

2.11

2.82

3.29

2.70

2.80

6.597

0.252

Blogs specialized in tourism

219

2.26

2.29

2.16

2.13

1.88

2.15

2.49

7.385

0.194

Blogs specialized in accessible tourism

220

2.03

2.14

1.47

2.22

1.47

1.70

2.19

13.209

0.021

Specialized pla orms in accessible tourism (e.g. Tour4all)

220

1.62

1.79

1.53

1.65

1.12

1.30

1.76

16.114

0.072

Other

19 5

1.31

1.20

1.47

1.27

2.00

1.12

1.2 6

7.517

0.18 5

Bold values represent the highest mean values when the differences between the segments' mean ranks are sta s cally significa nt. Mean

a

* 5-point Likert-type scale where 1 = never....5 = very frequently

than by the other groups. This may suggest that there are blogs more useful and directed to these groups. However, additional research is needed to gain further insights on these results. When doing tourism trips, respondents much more frequently use online information sources in the planning stage - for planning the trip (4.33 in a Likert-type scale from 1 = never to 5 = very frequently) and book tourism products (4.05) - and during the trip to obtain information (3.75), than to evaluate the trip (3.19) or share the experience they had (3.01) (Table 5). No statistically significant differences were detected among people with different special needs concerning the use of online information sources when planning and sharing experiences (p-value > 0.05), with PwOSN and PwMoD being among the most likely to use online sources for other purposes.

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Table 5. Functions performed by online information sources, by type of special need

N

FuncƟons of online informaƟon sources

Total Mean

Type of special needa Motor Mental

Hearing

Visual

(N = 14)

(N = 19)

(N = 69)

(N = 17)

Kruskal-Wallis test MulƟple

Other

(N = 20)

(N = 85)

Value

p-value

Get informa on to plan a tourism trip

224

4.33

4.00

4.16

4.33

4.18

4.25

4.48

2.985

0.702

Booking tourism products (e.g. accommoda on, transports)

224

4.05

3.57

3.16

4.03

3.47

4.05

4.47

21.624

0.001

Get informa on during a tourism trip

224

3.75

3.29

3.16

3.54

2.94

3.85

4.24

21.686

0.001

To evaluate tourism products and the tourism trip carried out

223

3.19

3.07

2.37

3.36

2.53

2.55

3.55

17.789

0.003

Sharing their tourism experience

224

3.01

2.86

2.58

3.12

3.29

2.90

3.01

2.835

0.725

Other

185

1.23

1.00

1.12

1.26

1.00

1.20

1.29

3.130

0.680

Bold values represent the highest mean values when the differences between the segments' mean ranks are sta s cally significa nt. a Mean * 5-point Likert-type scale where 1 = never....5 = very frequently

Respondents are not very satisfied with the information provided on the websites and with the level of accessibility of websites, reporting a satisfaction a little bit above the average of a 5- point Likert-type scale from 1 = very unsatisfied to 5 = very satisfied (3.51 and 3.50, respectively) (Table 6). Nevertheless, statistically significant differences are found, with PwOSN showing a higher level of satisfaction in both aspects, suggesting that these websites are not so appropriate yet, in terms of content and accessibility, for PwD. Table 6. Satisfaction with websites, by type of special need

SaƟsfacƟon

N

Total Mean Hearing (N = 14)

Visual (N = 19)

Type of special needa Motor Mental MulƟple (N = 69)

(N = 17)

(N = 20)

Kruskal-Wallis test Other (N = 85)

Value

p-value

Sa sfac on with the informa on provided on the websites

225

3.51

3.43

3.26

3.17

3.41

3.20

3.93

22.957

0.000

Sa sfac on with the accessibility level of the websites used

225

3.50

3.29

2.89

3.30

3.06

3.40

3.94

23.566

0.000

Bold values represent the highest mean values when the differences between the segments' mean ranks are sta s cally significa nt. a Mean * 5-point Likert-type scale where 1 = very unsaƟsfied ....5 = very saƟsfied

4 Conclusions and Implications Today the importance of the so-called disability market is recognized, globally and particularly in Europe, as its size and potential of growth is indisputable. However, there is still a great need to empower PwD to engage in tourism, with accessible, reliable, detailed and wide-ranging information on accessible tourism offers being a crucial requirement [19].

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The State, together with those responsible for and providing services in the area of tourism, plays a leading role in promoting support services tailored to the specific needs of the population with disabilities. Indeed, Smith [28], Daruwalla and Darcy [29] and Kastenholz et al. [30] argue that despite all the architectural changes to improve physical accessibility, these changes will not bring any benefits to people with disabilities unless global awareness is raised, and truly inclusive policies are implemented in many fields. This should include the awareness of the central role of good quality and accessible information, particularly on the internet, made available by destinations and tourism businesses, which may thereby achieve a more competitive position for the, increasingly important, accessible tourism market. As a matter of fact, the Internet plays an important role, not only for the dissemination of information about tourism products and services, but also for the dissemination of information about accessibility. The data analysed in the present study of Portuguese individuals with special needs attests the relevance of the Internet, not only for the population in general [5], but also and particularly for people with special needs (76.8% of the sample). Interestingly, persons with motor, visual and other disabilities reveal relatively greater autonomy in such searches which may reflect both already gained habits and experience, as well as already existing online information availability (for those with visual disabilities). When analysing more specific types of information search and online interaction, it becomes clear that those with motor and other kind of disabilities are more active than others when booking tourism products, searching information during the trip and evaluating trips online. Especially those with ‘other special needs’ stand out as a quite autonomous and active group on the internet, also using travel blogs and platforms for exchanging travel information more frequently, which may also be related to their higher level of education, within the current sample. Some questions as to internet usage and particular requirements are still open and would require additional qualitative research to better understand some reasons and conditioning factors for engaging more or less with the Internet in the tourism consumption context, as well as regarding specific requirements for each group. However, the importance of the Internet as a tool for empowering persons with disabilities to engage more actively, frequently and without anxiety in accessible tourism experiences, is unneglectable, while technology development is certainly an important tool for including these publics in a domain that should, in fact, be accessible to all [16, 30]. Acknowledgments. This work was financially supported by the project POCI-01-0145FEDER-030376, funded by FEDER, through COMPETE2020 - PROGRAMA OPERACIONAL COMPETITIVIDADE E INTERNACIONALIZAÇÃO (POCI), and by national funds, through FCT/MCTES

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3. Yau, M.K.S., McKercher, B., Packer, T.L.: Traveling with a disability - more than an access issue. Ann. Tourism Res. 31(4), 946–960 (2004) 4. Li, S., Robinson, P., Oriade, A.: Destination marketing: the use of technology since the millennium. J. Destination Mark. Manage. 6(2), 95–102 (2017) 5. Xiang, Z., Magnini, V.P., Fesenmaier, D.R.: Information technology and consumer behavior in travel and tourism: Insights from travel planning using the internet. J. Retail. Consum. Serv. 22, 244–249 (2015) 6. Moura, A., Mónico, L., Mira, M.R.: Measuring quality regarding destination marketing: perceptions from local public stakeholders in Portugal. Tourism Manage. Stud. 15(1), 44–53 (2019) 7. WHO: Relatório Mundial sobre a Deficiência (2010). https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/ handle/10665/70670/WHO_NMH_VIP_11.01_por.pdf;jsessionid= 5BBD98488DC0CF3AD13E7C780D460A2F?sequence=9 8. European Commission: Communication from the commission to the European Parliament, the council, the european economic and social committee and the committee of the regions European disability strategy 2010–2020: a renewed commitment to a barrier-free Europe (2010). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52010DC0636& from=EN 9. United Nations: World population ageing (2015). https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/ population/publications/pdf/ageing/WPA2015_Report.pdf 10. World Bank: Disability Inclusion and Accountability Framework (2018). https://www. worldbank.org/en/topic/disability 11. European Commission: Economic impact and travel patterns of accessible tourism in Europe – Final report (2014). http://ec.europa.eu/DocsRoom/documents/7221/attachments/1/ translations/en/renditions/native 12. European Commission: Parecer do Comité Económico e Social Europeu sobre Para um turismo acessível a todas as pessoas e socialmente sustentável. Jornal Oficial da União Europeia C-32, 1–14 (2004) 13. Neumann, P., Reuber, P.: Estímulos económicos do turismo acessível para todos. Munique e Berlim: Ministério Federal da Economia e do Trabalho Alemão (BMWA) – versão portuguesa, não publicada, disponibilizada pelo Secretariado Nacional de Reabilitação e Integração da Pessoa com Deficiência (2004) 14. Buhalis, D., Eichhorn, V., Michopoulou, E., Miller, G.: Accessibility market and stakeholder analysis. OSSATE, University of Surrey (2006). https://www.accessibletourism.org/ resources/ossate_market_analysis_public_final.pdf 15. Darcy, S.: (Dis)Embodied air travel experiences: disability, discrimination and the affect of a discontinuous air travel chain. J. Hospitality Tourism Manage. 19(1), 1–11 (2012) 16. Darcy, S., Dickson, T.J.: A whole-of-life approach to tourism: the case for accessible tourism experiences. J. Hospitality Tourism Manage. 16(1), 32–44 (2009) 17. Packer, T.L., McKercher, B., Yau, M.K.: Understanding the complex interplay between tourism, disability and environmental contexts. Disabil. Rehabil. 29(4), 281–292 (2007) 18. Buhalis, D., Michopoulou, E.: Information-enabled tourism destination marketing: addressing the accessibility market. Current Issues Tourism 14(2), 145–168 (2011) 19. Michopoulou, E., Buhalis, D.: Information provision for challenging markets: the case of the accessibility requiring market in the context of tourism. Inf. Manag. 50, 229–239 (2013) 20. Shawn, L.H., McGe, L.: Accessibility, World Wide Web Consortium (2020). https://www. w3.org/standards/webdesign/accessibility 21. Figueiredo, E., Eusébio, C., Kastenholz, E.: How diverse are disabled tourists? A pilot study on accessible leisure tourism experiences in Portugal. Int. J. Tourism Res. 14(6), 531–550 (2012)

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22. Akgül, Y., Vatansever, K.: Web accessibility evaluation of government websites for people with disabilities in Turkey. J. Adv. Manage. Sci. 4(3), 201–210 (2016) 23. W3C: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 (2018). https://www.w3.org/TR/ 2018/REC-WCAG21-20180605. Accessed 9 June 2020 24. Allan, M.: Accessible tourism in Jordan: travel constraints and motivations. Eur. J. Tourism Res. 10, 109–119 (2015) 25. Ray, M., Ryder, E.: Ebilities tourism: An exploratory discussion of the travel needs and motivations of the mobility-disabled. Tour. Manage. 23, 57–72 (2003) 26. Var, T., Yesiltas, M., Yayli, A., Öztürk, Y.: A study on the travel patterns of physically disabled people. Asia Pac. J. Tourism Res. 16(6), 599–618 (2011) 27. Zajadacz, A.: Sources of tourist information used by deaf people. case study: the polish deaf community. Current Issues Tourism 17(5), 434–454 (2014) 28. Smith, R.W.: Leisure of disable tourists: barriers to participation. Ann. Tourism Res. 14(3), 376–389 (1987) 29. Daruwalla, P., Darcy, S.: Personal and societal attitudes to disability. Ann. Tourism Res. 32 (3), 549–570 (2005) 30. Kastenholz, E., Eusébio, C., Figueiredo, E.: Contributions of tourism to social inclusion of persons with disability. Soc. Disabil. 30(8), 1259–1281 (2015)

The Influence of Tourist Photographic Narratives and Communication on Social Networks from the Perspective of Creative Tourism Annaelise Fritz Machado1, Bruno Barbosa Sousa2(&), Frederico Ferreira de Oliveira3, and Alexandra Maria de Abreu Rocha4 IPCA – Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave, Barcelos, Portugal [email protected] 2 IPCA – Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave, CiTUR and UNIAG, Barcelos, Portugal [email protected] 3 CEFET Rio de Janeiro (Petrópolis), Petrópolis, Brazil [email protected] 4 Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica Celso Suckow Da Fonseca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil [email protected] 1

Abstract. Photography is a type of art, represented by codes that transform moments into images, with the freezing of time and space. In tourism, photographic narratives aim to present information and/or moments lived in destinations, in addition to transmitting subjective meanings capable of influencing the construction or deconstruction of stereotypes of spaces visited and disseminated on social networks. The use of stereotypes in tourism is understood as a way to influence people regarding the visitation of tourist spaces. Creative tourism, a distinctive tourism niche, offers visitors the opportunity to develop their creative potential, through more active and immersive experiences, where they do not feel like mere spectators, but co-creators of situations and moments. In this context, the tourists’ narratives through their photographs may contribute to the construction and deconstruction of the stereotypes mentioned here. The main objective of this study is to understand the influence of tourist photographic narratives on the construction and deconstruction of stereotypes of spaces visited and disseminated on social networks under the eyes of creative tourism. One wonders, what is the influence of tourist photographic narratives on the construction and deconstruction of stereotypes of spaces visited and disseminated on social networks under the eyes of creative tourism? A quantitative research was carried out in order to identify whether or not photography influences the creation of stereotypes about the places visited. As well as a qualitative research of a descriptive nature on experiences lived by creative tourists, using photographs of situations lived at the time of their experiences on social networks. This study represents an important contribution to the area of communication and tourism.

© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 133–143, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_12

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Stereotypes
Creative tourism
Social networks

1 Introduction In the 21st century, with technological advances, it became simpler to have access to information, maps, programs, photographic images of visited spaces/tourist destinations [1]. There are several factors that can influence the decision to purchase a tourist destination, these depend on: motivation, needs and individual desires [2]. In recent years, interest in the study of social networks has grown, whose mode of relationship represents a favorable context for the creation of opportunities [3]. These means of digital communication have been considered one of the greatest representatives of the change that the communicative process has undergone, which is why online social networks have transformed society and the way of consuming itself. Therefore, studies indicate that these digital platforms, influence travel consumption, mainly for the choice of tourist products [4–6]. With the sharing of photographic images of trips and texts, posted by tourists on social networks, they can be seen at any time by their followers. It is observed in this context, the influence of their photographic narratives, in the construction and deconstruction of stereotypes of spaces visited and disseminated under the look of creative tourism [7]. When dealing with creative tourism, it emerges from a new paradigm of cultural tourism, where people, in addition to knowing destinations, want to live unique experiences and learn. [8, 9]. In this context, the present study has as main objective, it consists in understanding the influence of tourist photographic narratives in the construction and deconstruction of stereotypes of spaces visited and disseminated in social networks under the eyes of creative tourism. The research problem is to ask, what is the influence of tourist photographic narratives on the construction and deconstruction of stereotypes of spaces visited and disseminated on social networks under the eyes of creative tourism? The choice of the theme is justified, due to the scarcity of articles dealing with this theme. In the first part of the study, questions about photographic narratives and stereotypes will be addressed; in the second section, general understandings about social networks were presented, in the third section, the conceptual bases on Creative Tourism were pointed out, and finally, in the fourth section, described the methodology, analysis and discussion of the results of the quantitative research carried out and the conclusion of this study.

2 Photographic Narratives and Stereotypes The images of places, cities and nations are strongly influenced by the portraits promoted by the means of dissemination and commercialization of media images used directly or indirectly for the purposes of promoting and advertising a destination. Through the photographic camera, images can be produced and given meaning to them, based on chosen clippings, it is decided on how and when to photograph and what is desired when producing a certain image. However, it hardly results in a completely faithful reproduction of reality, as the camera can change appearances and reinterpret the world around us, making it possible to see other frames. When

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photographing, clippings are made, attention is paid to certain details, the best angle is chosen, a scenario is set up and certain bodily attitudes are staged, to build a narrative that, when seen by other people, will be reconstructed, reinvented or reneged [10]. In addition to new positions of the photographic gaze, the incorporation of dynamism is one of the hallmarks of the new photographic visuality that is inaugurated alongside a set of changes that cities have undergone in the modernization process. In photography, there is a latent knowledge, needing an interpretive look, a look that is stimulated for a dialogue, driven by a scan over the photographed act, in search of knowledge or clarification. Photography stimulates reflection, leads the spectator, the one who observes, to decompose what the photographer composed, to focus his gaze on each significant point that can tell something, to clarify what is exposed [11]. The use of stereotypes in tourism can be understood as an attempt to identify how many representations are created, shared and disseminated using the means of communication to present a destination [12]. The concept of stereotype is seen as a cognitive scheme used in social perception when processing information about places, things and people. In addition to reflecting social roles, the degree to which members share specific characteristics, implies a quantity of information beyond what is presented immediately, generating expectations about people’s behavior. The images generated by the different looks of tourists become a system of illusions, which self-perpetuate and provide tourists with a basis for them to select and evaluate the potential places they will visit. In other words, the stereotyped image allows the tourist to be judged in advance, and this judgment can be positive or negative [12]. In the context of tourist advertising, the prevalence of stereotyped images is even greater, because, unlike reports on websites and blogs, where the concern is the formation of a tourist narrative, there is an intention to sell the destination as merchandise. In tourism, it is the stereotype that attracts the tourist’s attention, as [13] demonstrated, with the tourist’s eye turning incessantly to the typical elements of different cultures. The images published on social networks by the tourists themselves, present a repertoire of narratives that are interpreted as inserts and are influential for many who view them.

3 Social Networks The rise of the Internet has introduced profound changes in society. With this new means of communication, it is revealed in a symbolic environment of interfaces, multiple images and sounds that make virtuality a reality. In this way, the information that is made available through the internet, represents the main element for the social organization of humanity [14]. The term “social network” has become synonymous with information and communication technology; its use spanned areas and destroyed borders, being appropriated, today, by many social actors, it is understood as the most popular Social Media and its popularity continues at an increasing pace worldwide [15]. In social networks, photographs are highlighted and become a resource widely used by companies and people. In the 21st century, two factors have changed the relationship between people and photography: the accessibility of digital cameras and the sharing of photographs on

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the Internet. With the compact amateur cameras present in both cell phones and in professional and semi-professional cameras, and the strong popularization of the Internet and social networks, a large section of the population started to express themselves through them, sharing content of all types, especially photographs [16, 17]. In the minds of potential tourists, the image of the “tourist destination” may be susceptible to changes over time. One way to establish this image is to use the communication channels and the internet comes to help. The use of images on the internet has been gaining volume and importance for “internet users” to the point of creating spaces on the internet whose purpose is to share images [18]. In the technical language of computing, platform is understood as the basic technology of a computer’s operating system. Apps (a reduction to the expression mobile apps) are software developed to be installed on mobile devices, to run on the platforms of each operating system. A simplified and technical way, this is how Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, among others are configured. On Facebook, for example, photographs represent 68% of all content on the network, including links, texts and videos. What can contribute to the dissemination of positive or negative information [19]. People’s relationship with their Social Media applications (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, among others) is increasingly being seen as an important part of their lives, whether for their professional career or for being updated on events in real time. or for leisure including travel in this aspect, these applications being strong tools for influencing consumers. Since the photographic narratives produced by tourists during creative tourism, they can have a major impact on the construction of stereotypes of tourist spaces visited and disseminated on social networks.

4 Creative Tourism Culture, understood as a source of attraction for cities, is increasingly used as a means of social and economic development. The cultural tourism market is being flooded with new attractions, cultural routes and historic centers. However, many consumers, tired of finding serial reproduction of culture in different destinations, are looking for alternatives. The rise of qualified consumption, the importance of identity formation and acquisition of cultural capital in (post) modern society point to the use of creativity as an alternative to conventional cultural tourism [20]. One of the aspects of tourism that has grown the most is creative tourism, understood as authentic and participatory experiences that allows tourists to strengthen their capacities as well as their creative potential, through contact with local people and their culture. Creative tourism enables tourists to acquire knowledge about the traditions, customs, heritage, arts and wealth of the place “establishing connections with the resident population creating living culture” [21] (p. 249). The concept of Creative Tourism was developed by Crispin Raymond and Greg Richards in the 2000s, however, it was in the 90 s that Richards began to dedicate himself with more effort to analyze this theme. The authors state that there are tourists who wish to contact and learn more about specific aspects of the community culture they are visiting through active participation and interaction with the local community, expressing and developing their creative skills [20]. Creative tourism therefore appears

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as an essential development option for several reasons and can serve different purposes. First, it responds to the need for tourism to reinvent itself as well as the need for destinations to do something different in a saturated market [22]. [23] (p. 39) warned of the importance of focusing Creative Tourism on creative experiences, based on production, and from a perspective of “learning by doing and feeling”, or “do it yourself” and learn, that is, the focus it must be in the experience and in the tourist, with a sense of living the experience, learning from it. The difference between Cultural Tourism and Creative Tourism is that the first is based on observing, seeing and contemplating and the second is based on experience, participation and learning. The authors also point out about the model created to explain the process of development and implementation of creative tourism, which fits into the tourism strategic management paradigm, called the product-space model, dividing into four blocks: the territory, the production process of tourism, the process of interpretation and co-creation and the study of sending markets (visitors) [24]. The creative tourist actively creates his own narrative journeys, without just watching, or ‘being there’, in a reflexive interaction on the part of tourists interacting, feeling and learning. This is an important difference between creative tourism and classic, more refined modes of cultural tourism, usually involving groups of tourists traveling with a specialized guide who interprets the culture that the tourist is seeing. In creative tourism, the responsibility lies with tourists to actively learn about their surroundings and apply that knowledge to develop their own skills [25]. Creative tourism encourages the expression of tourists, provides an interactive tourist experience in which participants learn a new skill and can create something to take with them. It is a type of non-passive tourism that engages tourists in the community so that they learn by experiencing their culture [20]. This is an innovative approach to tourism, whose main input is the cultural heritage of the receiving communities. It stands out in the 21st century for offering unique, creative, innovative experiences that contribute to the learning of tourists [21, 24, 25]. As tourism is an activity that occurs in a certain space and time, it is necessary to think about the cocreation of value from the perspective of all those involved, that is, to include both tourists in this process - due to the importance of knowing their desires, needs and expectations for that destination so that resources can be adapted and offer better services - as well as the various other Stakeholders involved, from the public, private sector and the local community itself [26]. Thus, the DNA Model of the Tourism Innovation System [DNA Model for Tourism Innovation System] proposed by [27], points out that the main task to be carried out to enable the co-creation of value in tourism, as well as its development, is the creation of collaborative networks where everyone involved in the activity can share knowledge, ideas and visions of the future. Creative tourism involves more than just looking for niche markets in the broader field of cultural tourism. It reflects a fundamental shift in the creation of value in production (the tourism industry) towards consumption (the ‘tourist’), with the essential link between the two being provided by the meeting, in the space (event) that stimulate the new social networks tourism. In the network society, value is created collectively through relationships and the circulation of relational forms and other forms of capital through networks. Creative tourism is a form of network tourism, which depends on the ability of producers and consumers to relate and generate value from their meetings.

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Creative tourists are cool hunters “in search of creative” hot spots “where their own creativity can feed and be nurtured by the creativity of those they visit [21]. Creative tourism depends on the tourist as a creative co-producer and consumer of their experiences [20]. This paradigm is justified because people today are more decisive in the process of building their narratives, a phenomenon that they prominently develop during leisure and tourism and that results in numerous original stories of tourism experiences; the tourist gets involved in creating things in the destination painting, cooking, making crafts - the interest in having more creative experiences during the holidays is growing. Creative tourism lies especially in an interconnected mode of tourism that depends on the ability of producers and consumers to relate to each other and generate value from their encounters [22].

5 Metholodogy and Discussion For the methodology of this article, an exploratory quantitative research was carried out, in order to identify whether the photographs published on social networks, influence or not the creation of stereotypes of the places visited under the eyes of the creative tourist. Thus, a questionnaire was created, using the google forms form, where 12 closed questions were inserted, to conduct a survey, which was made available on the authors’ social networks, for the purpose of data collection in Brazil and Portugal, between 07/09/2020 to 07/13/2020, totalling 5 days of research. The survey had a nonprobabilistic sample of 258 respondents. According to [28], through the survey, the researcher will obtain rich and in-depth information on a given topic, correlating the data acquired with the theoretical contents presented. When dealing with social networks, it was seen that they are a structure formed to connect people according to their interests and values. With the emergence of smart phones, access to these networks has become easier. Of the 258 respondents, only 255 answered this question. Of these, 98.8% said they had social networks. Which allows us to say that people are connected to social media, following the various posts made by people or companies. As for the posts of friends and relatives on social networks, they stand out as a priority, among the posts and news of companies, brands, media and celebrities, allowing social relations between their peers to gain prominence. Therefore, in the survey conducted, it was asked whether respondents follow posts from friends or their travels on social networks. Of the 258 respondents, only 255 answered this question. Of these, 93.7% said they follow friends’ posts on social networks during their travels. Which allows us to say that social networks allow people to socialize virtually. With the incessant growth and the increasingly fierce dispute between social networks, many users are even confused by so many options for interaction. According to a study carried out by Marktest on the preferred social network of the Portuguese, the study indicates that Facebook remains the leader, both in terms of notoriety and usage 95% of social network users say they have an account there. According to the same study, WhatsApp, whose analysis started in 2016, occupies the 2nd position, with 74.2% penetration, double the values of three years ago. Analyzed for the first time this year, Messenger enters the 3rd position, with 70.8%, which puts Instagram in 4th, with

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67.9%, a value that, however, is equivalent to more than a quadruplication of that observed in 2013. YouTube maintains a stable trajectory but with a positive trend, registering 53.9% of penetration and ending the top 5 of 2019. According to data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), 79.9% of Brazilians live in homes with access to the internet, whether fixed or mobile. Considering that the number of inhabitants in Brazil already exceeds 210 million people, this means that there are almost 168 million people connected throughout the country. No wonder, according to data from the company GlobalWebIndex, Brazil occupies the second position in the country ranking who spend more time on social media, second only to the Philippines. YouTube passed Facebook and, in 2019, became the most used social network by Brazilians. More specifically, 95% of Internet users, occupying the first place in the ranking. Facebook may have lost its supreme position in Brazil, however, it still figures in the 2nd position of the most used social networks, with 130 million users. WhatsApp ranks 3rd, 89% of Brazilian Internet users. In 4th place, instagram appears and in 5th messenger [29]. Of the 258 respondents, only 253 answered this question about the preferred social network. Unlike the survey presented above on Portugal and Brazil, 66% of respondents returned in this survey, commenting that the preferred social network is instagram to follow the posts of friends on social networks during their travels; 29.6% said that the preferred social network is facebook; the other social networks are subdivided into the remaining 4.4%. In the online environment, conversation (interaction) overcomes the sense of orality. Thus, verbal communication via text now takes place through any action that symbolizes participation, such as likes, sharing, tagging people, comments and using a hashtag. The transmission of images, especially photos, on social networks, also enables interaction between its users. Photo sharing, for example, works as a new communication, etiquette and courtesy system [30]. In an article in the newspaper Folha de São Paulo, a travel agency owner explained that, for the new generation, digital devices are now part of the interpretive experience of travel. Therefore, it is common for 31 to post numerous photos in a few hours, when individuals are on vacation trips. In this context, the beginning of the 21st century was the stage for the explosion of social networks on the Internet, environments in which images through photographs have become vehicles for representation, communication, socialization and the creation of meanings, symbols and social imagery. Of the 258 respondents, only 255 answered this question. Of these, 62% said that friends’ posts on social networks during their travels, influence them in some way in the choice of tourist destination. 32.2% of respondents said that the posts have no influence on their choices and 5.6% said that depending on the post, they may or may not influence their choices. Analyzing the data, it appears that the contents posted are influencing in the vast majority. According to [31], image as a means of commercializing tourist destinations presents great value when used as a differential in the promotion of destinations. Gastal (2005) comments that the promotional materials used in the advertisements of tourist places, strongly prioritize the use of photographs, overlapping even the texts. Thus, it is evident that, if the image is not to the liking of those who see it, or if the text portrays something bad, they have an influence on the choice of a tourist destination. It is through the photographs made available in different media and in this case the

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emphasis is on those posted on social networks, that the tourist raises his expectations to the point of wanting what he sees or denies. Therefore, it is understood that investigating the factors that drive the decision of the destination to be traveled contributes to the way of disseminating and promoting it, reflecting on the decision-making process. Of the 258 respondents, only 255 answered this question. Of these, 56.1% said that posts of negative photographic images or texts that point out bad comments from friends on social networks during their travels, influence them in some way in the choice of tourist destination. 35.7% of respondents said that the postings of negative photographic images or texts, do not influence their choices and 8.2% said that depending on the post, perhaps they may or may not influence their choices. Analyzing the data and comparing with the false ones of the authors referenced above, it appears that the posts are influential in the decision of tourists. Considering the scores from 1 to 5, where the sum of people who evaluated with grades 5 and 4, are considered results of positive influence; 3 an intermediate influence, and the sum of 2 and 1, do not influence, the following results demonstrated that only 254 answered this question. Of these, 52.3% said that the photographic images and texts published on social networks, influence the decision to purchase a trip; 35.8% of respondents said that depending on the post, they may or may not influence their choices and 11.9% of respondents said that photographic images do not influence their choices. Tourists of the 21st century are very different from tourists of the 20th century in terms of experiences to be lived in the tourist destinations chosen during their leisure time. These become strictly personal and involve their relationship/involvement at different levels (rational, emotional, sensory, physical and spiritual). The evaluation of the experience depends on the comparison between the customer’s expectations and the stimuli resulting from the interaction between product/service and its offer at different moments of the trip. In addition, another factor that has become relevant has already been mentioned by several authors in the section on creative tourism, which is learning at every moment experienced. Of the 258 respondents, only 254 answered this question. Of these, 67.3% pointed out that they travel to visit places, live experiences and obtain learning on the trips made; 16.5% said that they like to know places and live experiences provided by travel; 10.6% like to know places; the remaining 5.6% of respondents mix among the other options available.

6 Conclusion Currently, with technological advances and the speed in obtaining information, promoting and disseminating tourist destinations to the world, it has become more viable. However, just as a locality can awaken a positive image in the tourists’ imagination, negative factors can influence in a way that the destination does not attract the expected public [1]. With the media increasingly present in people’s daily lives, photographic images, regardless of the medium in which they are published (internet pages, folders, newspapers, magazines, postcards or in cinemas) have the power to motivate or discourage demand regarding the decision-making process. Able to be assimilated more

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easily and quickly by a larger number of people, the narratives of photographic images of tourists have considerable influence in the construction and deconstruction of stereotypes of spaces visited and published on social networks under the eyes of creative tourism. Often, the photographic image is the first contact between the tourist and the destination to be visited. When it comes to tourism, the photographic image is essential in the decision-making process. In general, photographs value the existing attractions, capable of arousing the desire of those who see them, in other situations it can present unfavorable situations, causing a certain resistance of the tourist to know the tourist destination. According to the survey developed and based on the respondents’ responses, it was observed that: 98.8% of the respondents have social networks; 93.7% follow friends’ posts on social networks during their travels; The highlight for the most used social networks in Brazil and Portugal, in the first place was instagram and second place was facebook; 62% of respondents said that friends’ posts on social networks influence their decision to purchase a destination and 32.2% said that it can influence depending on the context; 56.1% of respondents said that negative posts influence decision-making for the purchase of a tourist destination and 35.7% comment that they may be influential but that it depends on the context. 52.3% of the respondents said that the images and texts posted on social networks influence the purchase decision and that 35.8 said that they may be able to influence it depends on the context. 79.1% of respondents said that they believe that the photos posted on social networks influence the construction of stereotypes (preconceived image) of spaces visited under the view of creative tourism. 67.3% of respondents said that the main reason for the trip is to visit places, live experiences and learn from travel. The photographic narratives of tourists, influence the construction and deconstruction of stereotypes of spaces visited and disseminated in social networks under the eyes of creative tourism. Acknowledgement. This work is financed by national funds through FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology, IP, within the scope of the reference project UIDB/04470/2020”.

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Competitiveness of the Travel and Tourism Industry in Latin America Carmen Luisa Vásquez1(&) and Carlos Llorach2 1

Universidad Nacional Experimental Politécnica Antonio José de Sucre, Av. Barquisimeto, Caracas, Venezuela [email protected] 2 Universidad de La Costa, Barranquilla, Colombia [email protected]

Abstract. Latin America is a prosperous and competitive region based on the activity of its travel and tourism. Globally, it is ranked third in competitiveness, after of Europe and Asia-Pacific, according to the publication of the WTTR 2019. This article shows an analysis of the competitiveness of their countries, using WTTE published from 2007 to 2019 by the WEF. For the first publication of these reports, 20 countries in the region were located, located in quartiles 2, 3 and 4 of the global position. For 2019, 21 countries are positioned, highlighting Mexico and Brazil in Quartile 1 worldwide. When making a detailed analysis of the subscripts scored in this last report, an important proximity is observed between New Zealand and Costa Rica in Conditions and policies in T&T. When performing this same analysis of the pillars, Mexico ranks first globally and in the region in Natural Resources are Malta and Jamaica have the same score in T&T Prioritization. It is shown that the region and its countries have managed to position themselves competitively worldwide. Keywords: Travel and tourism industry competitiveness index
World report travel and tourism competitiveness
Travel and tourism industry: Latin America

1 Introduction Latin America is an important and emerging region with a great future. In the last three (3) decades of the twentieth century, important changes have occurred in its urbanization process, which affected the structure of the existing society (Quijano, 1976) [1]. The first thing that stands out are the high urbanization rates, especially when comparing these with growth in other similar regions. By 1989, 67% of the Latin American population lives in cities, compared to 31% in Asia (Zarate, 1989) [2]. Research on Latin America and the Caribbean has revealed the behavior and trends of the countries affected by the various contexts of industrial, economic and political development locally and regionally. The identification of factors, to increase their competitiveness, acquires greater relevance for the design of public policies and improvements in the quality of life of their population (Estrada & Pacheco-Vega 2009) [3] (Zurbriggen 2014) [4] (Vásquez, Torres-Samuel and Viloria 2017) [5]. It stands out for the competitiveness of its industries in various economic sectors. According to © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 144–151, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_13

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(Vidal 2008) [6], eight (8) countries are positioned in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela) led by the World Economic Forum (WEF). Due to its tourist attractions, Latin America is ranked as the third region in the world by the activity of its travel and tourism industry (T&T), according to the latest report published by the 2019 WEF (WEF 2019) [7], lagging only behind the Europe and Asia-Pacific regions. Since 2007, The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) (WTTC 2020) [8] hand in hand with the WEF (WEF 2020) [9], publish The World Travel & Tourism Report (WTTR), with the approximate positioning of 140 countries of the world according to The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI). This index shows the activity carried out by the T&T Industry in each country and is considered to serve governments and investors in decision-making to increase competitiveness (Domareski and Chim 2019) [10] (Domareski, Chim and Dos Anjos 2019) [11]. According to (Buendía 2013) [12], a nation is competitive if it is able to efficiently use its resources and achieve its productivity and, within this framework, provide a high level of living suitable for its population and respond to its productive sector. Given the importance of the Latin American region and its countries, this article shows an analysis of the competitiveness of their countries, using WTTR published from 2007 (WEF 2007) [13] to 2019 (WEF 2019) [7].

2 The World Travel and Tourism Report Since 2007, the WEF together with the WTTC publish the WTTR. Until 2009 annually and subsequently biannually, corresponding to odd years. In WTTR, the position of approximately 140 countries in the world based on the competitiveness of the T&T industry is published. In addition, they publish the TTCI, which is a complex index that is estimated based on subscripts, pillars and indicators that are a reflection of tourism activity. Tables 1 and 2 show a summary of the variables considered for the calculation, for the publications 2009 and 2015, respectively. The number of indicators used for each pillar are indicated in parentheses. The subscripts have the same percentage weight or contribution for the calculation of the TTCI. The indicators are classified as qualitative (survey data) and quantitative (hard data). The qualitative ones are obtained from the executive opinion survey, with responses from the WEF directors and main business leaders. On the other hand, the quantitative ones are taken from recognized and public international bases, such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA 2020) [14], World Tourism Organization (UNWTO 2020) [15], United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCATD 2020) [16], United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO 2020) [17] and WTTC (WTTC 2020) [8], among others.

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TTCI Subindex A T&T Regulatory framework • Regulatory framework and policies (8). • Environment sustainability (7). • Safety & security (4). • Health & hygiene (4). • Prioritization of T&T (4).

Subindex B T&T Business development and infrastructure • Port infrastructure (7). • Ground infrastructure (5). • Tourist infrastructure (3). • ICT Infrastructure (5). • Price competitiveness T&T (5).

Subindex C T&T Human, natural and cultural resource • Human resources (10). • Afinidad por los T&T (3). • Natural resources (4). • Cultural resources (4).

Table 2. Subindex, pillars and indicators for estimation of TTCI (WEF, 2015) [19] TTCI Subindex A Enabling environment • Business environment (12) • Safety & security (5). • Health & hygiene (6). • Human resources & labor market (9). • ICT readiness (8).

Subindex B T&T policy & enabling conditions • Prioritization of T&T (6). • International openness (3). •Price competitiveness T&T (4). • Environment sustainability (10).

Subindex C Infraestructure

Subindex D Natural & culture resources

• Airtransport infrastructure (6). • Ground & port infrastructure (7). • Tourist service infrastructure (4).

• Natural resources (5). • Cultural resources and business travel (5).

3 Industry T&T de Latin American As the diversity and variety of measures represented by the TTCI, sub-index, pillars and indicators are rich, its analysis is propitious for the Latin American region during the period 2007 to 2019, both inclusive. During this period, around 20 countries in the region have been positioned in each WTTR. Table 3 shows in the colors yellow, green, blue and orange the countries that positioned themselves globally in quartiles 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. Here it can be detailed, that from WTTR 2015 begins to appear in quartile 1, Brazil, Mexico and Panama, with increasingly higher TTCI, demonstrating the progress of the region in relation to competitiveness. Tables 4 and 5 show the clusters that have been formed according to the WTTR 2007 and 2019, respectively. These WTTRs are compared to observe the evolution of the T&T industry in the region during this 13-year period. For the first year, 20

2007

50

55

56

59

DO

PA

UY

BR

EC

111

97

NI

PY

89

HN

99

88

TT

109

85

PE

BO

81

SV

VE

72

77

CO

64

49

MX

69

48

JM

GT

45

CH

AR

41

CR

3.44

3.46

3.62

3.64

3.76

3.78

3.79

3.86

3.90

3.96

4.00

4.18

4.20

4.28

4.28

4.35

4.38

4.41

4.58

4.60

2008

115

106

103

99

97

86

75

74

71

70

68

63

61

58

57

55

51

50

49

44

RAN

3.24

3.44

3.47

3.53

3.57

3.66

3.79

3.79

3.86

3.87

3.89

4.05

4.10

4.17

4.18

4.18

4.27

4.29

4.29

4.35

TTCI

PY

BO

VE

NI

EC

SV

HN

TT

PE

CO

GT

DO

AR

UY

JM

CH

PA

MX

BR

CR

CON

2009

122

114

104

103

96

94

83

75

74

71

70

67

65

63

60

57

55

51

45

42

RAN

CON: Country; RAN: Positioning

PY

BO

VE

NI

SV

EC

HN

TT

CO

PE

GT

DO

UY

AR

JM

MX

CH

PA

BR

CR

CON RAN TTCI CON

3.16

3.33

3.46

3.49

3.62

3.63

3.77

3.75

3.88

3.89

3.90

4.03

4.08

4.09

4.13

4.18

4.23

4.29

4.35

4.42

TTCI

PY

BO

VE

NI

SV

HN

EC

GT

TT

CO

DO

PE

JM

AR

UY

CH

PA

BR

CR

ME

CON

123

117

106

100

96

88

87

86

79

77

72

69

65

60

58

57

56

52

44

43

RAN

2011

3.26

3.35

3.46

3.56

3.68

3.79

3.79

3.82

3.91

3.94

3.99

4.04

4.12

4.20

4.24

4.27

4.30

4.36

4,43

4,43

TTCI

2013

115 140

HA

113

110

104

97

95

93

86

84

83

81

73

67

61

59

56

51

47

44

37

RAN

PY

VE

BO

SV

GT

NI

HN

DO

CO

TT

EC

PE

JM

AR

UY

CH

BR

CR

MX

PA

CON

2.59

3.39

3.41

3.46

3.59

3.65

3.67

3.72

3.88

3.90

3.93

3.93

4.00

4.08

4.17

4.23

4.29

4.37

4.44

4.46

4.54

TTCI

HA

PY

VE

BO

NI

SV

HN

DO

GT

JM

UY

TT

CO

PE

AR

CH

CR

PA

MX

BR

CON

133

113

110

100

92

91

90

81

80

76

73

69

68

58

57

51

42

34

30

28

RAN

2015

2.75

3.11

3.18

3.29

3.37

3.41

3.41

3.50

3.51

3.59

3.65

3.73

3.73

3.88

3.90

4.04

4.10

4.28

4.36

4.37

TTCI

PY

SV

VE

BO

NI

HN

GT

UY

TT

JM

CO

EC

PE

AR

CH

CR

PA

BR

MX

CON

110

105

104

99

92

90

86

77

73

69

62

57

51

50

48

38

35

27

22

RAN

2017

3.15

3.28

3.28

3.34

3.44

3.49

3.51

3.61

3.67

3.71

3.83

3.91

4.04

4.05

4.06

4.22

4.37

4.49

4.54

TTCI

HA

VE

PY

SV

GT

HN

NI

BO

TT

JM

UY

DO

EC

CO

CH

AR

PE

PA

CR

BR

MX

CON

Table 3. Positioning and TTCI of the Latin American countries according to the WTTRs for the period from 2007 to 2019

133

117

109

108

99

94

91

90

87

76

74

73

70

55

52

50

49

47

41

32

19

2,8

3,1

3,2

3,2

3,4

3,5

3,5

3,5

3,6

3,7

3,8

3,8

3,9

4,0

4,1

4,2

4,2

4,2

4,3

4,5

4,7

RAN TTCI

2019

Competitiveness of the Travel and Tourism Industry in Latin America 147

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C. L. Vásquez and C. Llorach

Table 4. Cluster of Latin American countries according to the TTCI published in the WTTR 2007 Cluster A B C

TTCI Number of Country Country 4,20  TTCI Eight (8) CR, CH, JM, MX, DO, PA, UY, BR 3,60  TTCI < 4,20 Eight (8) AR, GT, CO, SV, PE, TT, HN, NI TTCI < 3,60 Four (4) EC, VE, BO, PY

Table 5. Cluster of Latin American countries according to the TTCI published in the WTTR 2019 Cluster A B C D

TTCI 4,50  3,90  3,40  TTCI
500€. Respondents were selected based on a non-probability, convenience sampling (Bryman 2001). Questionnaires were distributed in the specific places (beaches) where the event was taking place. Both visitors and residents attending the event were

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considered as valid respondents. Residents were asked about their perceptions regarding the economic contribution of the event to the community, whilst visitors were asked different aspects of their visit, including the main reason and their overall satisfaction. In total, 186 questionnaires were returned after the event by the organization team, but only 180 were considered valid, with missing values being carefully considered when doing the statistical analysis. The data retrieved from the questionnaires is mainly quantitative, so a descriptive analysis has been performed to identify respondents’ profile, their behaviour, satisfaction with the event itself and its economic impact. Additionally, an exact logistic regression analysis has been performed to infer about the importance of some variables on the visitors’ expenditure pattern. The logistic regression allows calculating the probability of a visitor to spend more than a given amount of money, assuming some specific characteristics. Since the sample size is very small, the exact logistic regression is a method of testing and estimation that uses conditional methods to obtain exact tests of parameters in binary logistic models (Wilson and Lorenz 2015). The option for a binary model is due to the qualitative nature of the variables of expenditure. Such analysis will allow inferring about which factors may have a greater economic impact and, therefore, strategically act on them on when organizing further events is considered. 3.2

Sample Profile

The respondents can be divided into residents (32,78%) and visitors (67,22%). Both groups are composed mainly by men with ages ranging from 13 to 73, and the average age, was approximately 28 years for visitors, and around 33 for residents. In both groups, students are more represented than other professional activities, representing nearly 19% of the residents and about 30% of visitors. It should also be noticed that among the visitors, it is possible to find some professional athletes (especially related to bodyboard and surf, as would be expected) which are not observed among the residents. A significant number of participants has a level of formal education at the undergraduate. As for the family income level, 29 (52,5%) of residents earn up to 1500 Euros and 26 (47,3%) have an income above 1500 Euros. Concerning visitors, 71 (73,2) have an income of up to 1500 Euros, and 26 (26,8%), above.

4 Data Presentation and Analysis Residents perception about the event is that it enhances tourism by bringing visitors to the city (namely from other nationalities), which then spend at sleeping and eating in local facilities. Moreover, the event mobilizes the local population, and promotes the region as a tourism and sport destination. A more detailed analysis of the visitors group presents several insights on the economic importance of the World Bodyboard Championship event held in Viana. Almost 72% of the visitors identify the event as the main reason to be in Viana, and

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about 80% mentioned the likelihood of revisiting the city. Furthermore, 52% of the visitors were in Viana do Castelo for the first time. As can be observed in the table below (Table 1), the visitors spend more money on the event itself, followed by accommodation, restaurants and bars, supermarket and transportation. Visitors stay around a week in the city, and 10% of them spend, on average about 500€, although 90% spend less than 200€ (namely in tourism attractions, souvenirs, parking or nautical equipment acquisition and renting).

Table 1. Distribution of answers by the level of expenditure regarding its type Types of expenditure Event [n = 84] Accommodation [n = 78] Restaurants and bars [n = 91] Supermarket [n = 85] Transports [n = 89] Parking [n = 67] Souvenirs [n = 69] Acquisition of equipment for nautical sport [n = 60] Renting equipment for nautical sports [n = 62] Tourism attractions [n = 63] Other [n = 13]

Level of expenditure 0–200€ 201–300€ 46 11 (54,8%) (13,1%) 52 6 (66,7%) (7,7%) 69 14 (75,8%) (15,4%) 70 12 (82,4%) (14,1%) 7 70 (78,7%) (7,9%) 3 64 (95,5%) (4,5%) 3 63 (91,3%) (4,3%) 55 3 (91,7%) (5,0%)

62 (100,0%) 60 (95,2%) 13 (100,0%) Source: Authors’ elaboration.

301–400€ 12 (14,3%) 8 (10,3%) 7 (7,7%) 2 (2,4%) 4 (4,5%) ——— 3 (4,3%) 2 (3,3%

401–500€ 1 (1,2%) 4 (5,1%) 1 (1,1%) ———

> 500€ 14 (16,7%) 8 (10,3%) ———

5 (5,6%) ———

1 (1,2%) 3 (3,4%) ———

———

———

———

———

———

———

———

———

3 (4,8%) ———

———

———

———

——

———

———

Most of the visitors are in Viana with family (in a total of 2 or 3 pax) and friends (1 to 4 pax) and stay between 6 to 7 days (25%) in the city. For accommodation, most of the visitors stayed in the High Performance Centre of Surf in Viana (24,7%), at camping sites (25,8%), local tourism facilities (23,6%) and hotels (11,2%). There are also the ones that stay at private residences (almost 15%). Some visitors participated in other activities (Table 2) namely cultural events or practiced other outdoor activity (52%). Several visited historical sights (around 30%) and visited museums (18%). Even if just a few visitors made particular activities it is

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229

important to notice the visit to Viana do Castelo made some to participate in workshops, visit wine farms or do other activities like experience the local gastronomy. Table 2. Visitors’ participation in other activities during the stay in Viana do Castelo [n = 108] Visit museums

Workshops

Other outdoor activity 19 7 56 (17,6% (6,5%) (51,9%) Source: Authors’ elaboration.

Cultural events 56 (51,8%)

Visits to wine farms 4 (3,7%)

Historic sightseeing

Other

28 (25,9%)

9 (8,3%)

As most of the participants were visiting the city for the first time, a bigger probability to return will be associated with their satisfaction level. Measuring the satisfaction through a Likert type scale (from 1 = very unsatisfied to 5 = very satisfied), it is evident that most visitors are very satisfied (almost 60%) or satisfied (around 35%) (Table 3), and the ones more satisfied are more likely to return (almost 90% wants to return) and recommend to others (almost 97% of the sample).

Table 3. Visitors overall and partial satisfaction with the event Level of satisfaction 1 2 3 Overall satisfaction 1 2 3 (0,8%) (1,6%) (2,5%) Safety [n = 98] 1 1 11 (1,0%) (1,0%) (11,2%) Organization [n = 98] 2 2 6 (2,0%) (2,0%) (6,1%) Structures/equipment [n = 99] 1 3 5 (1,0%) (3,0%) (5,1%) Spot [n = 98] 1 2 25 (1,0%) (2,0%) (25,5%) Location [n = 99] 1 3 8 (1,0%) (3,0%) (8,1%) Source: Authors’ elaboration.

4 43 (35,3%) 25 (25,5%) 22 (22,5%) 29 (29,3%) 32 (32,7%) 21 (21,2%)

5 73 (59,8%) 60 (61,2%) 66 (67,4%) 61 (61,6%) 38 (38,8%) 66 (66,7%)

Mean (SD) 4,53 (0; 71Þ 4,5 (0; 81Þ 4,5 (0; 86Þ 4,5 (0; 81Þ 4,0 (0; 91Þ 4,5 (0; 85Þ

If we consider specific aspects of the event, the factors that contribute to a greater extent to the overall satisfaction of visitors (Table 4), is safety, organization, structures and equipment, spot (wave) conditions and location. The satisfaction is, for all items, very high (on average rounds 4,5 points). For the application of the exact regression analysis, the expenditure will be divided into two groups. Expenditure until 200 euros and expenditure higher than this value.

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Table 4. Exact logistic regression estimation results by category of expenditure (cont.) Odd ratio

Statistical significance

Expenditure on the event Sex [men]

1,565

Age

1,035

**

Nationality [not Portuguese]

6,222

***

First-time visitor

1,722

Overall satisfaction

0,912

Satisfaction with the safety

5,269

***

10,571

***

Satisfaction with the organization Satisfaction with the structure and equipment

9,530

***

Satisfaction with the location

4,758

***

Expenditure on accommodation Sex [men]

0,717

Age

1,050

Nationality [not Portuguese]

2,974

**

First-time visitor

2,586

*

Overall satisfaction

1,385

Satisfaction with the safety

2,023

Satisfaction with the organization

2,401

Satisfaction with the structure and equipment

2,171

Satisfaction with the location

2,521

**

Expenditure on restaurants and bars Sex [men]

1,303

Age

1,066

***

Nationality [not Portuguese]

3,732

**

First-time visitor

1,330

Overall satisfaction

1,052

Satisfaction with the safety

4,845

**

Satisfaction with the organization

9,300

**

Satisfaction with the structure and equipment

8,474

**

Satisfaction with the location

9,732

**

Expenditure on supermarket Sex [men] Age Nationality [not Portuguese] First-time visitor

1,502 1,045

**

12,317

***

2,940

Overall satisfaction

0,695

Satisfaction with the safety

3,046

Satisfaction with the organization

5,993

Satisfaction with the structure and equipment

2,433

Satisfaction with the location

2,791

*

Expenditure on transports Sex [men]

0,836

Age

0,998

Nationality [not Portuguese]

7,752

First-time visitor

1,068

Overall satisfaction

0,928

Satisfaction with the safety

2,534

Satisfaction with the organization

3,679

Satisfaction with the structure and equipment

2,008

Satisfaction with the location

3,852

***

Note: * indicates a statistical significance at a 10% level of confidence; ** indicates a statistical significance at a 5% level of confidence; and, *** indicates a statistical significance at a 1% level of confidence Source: Authors’ elaboration.

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Since expenditures higher than 200 euros only happen when they are related to the event, the accommodation, the restaurants and bars, the supermarket and the transportation, only these categories will be analysed. A higher economic impact (measured by a higher expenditure made by visitors) may be explained by sociodemographic characteristics, and also by the satisfaction obtained by the event (overall and with specific event factors like security, organization, structure and equipment and location). In Table 4 is possible to observe the ratio of probability (the odd-ratio) of spending more than 200 euros in each expenditure topic if the visitor is a man, has a certain age, is an international visitor and is in the city for the first time, is overall satisfied or very satisfied, and it is also satisfied or very satisfied with specific event factors. It is also presented the statistical significance of each odd-ratio result. Sex and satisfaction level do not interfere with the event’s economic impact. However, satisfaction with particular aspects of the event is important not only regarding money spent in the event itself but, particularly, on the money spend in restaurants and bars. Safety and location, together with the structure and organization, are fundamental aspects to make visitors spend more money. Better organised events, together with the location and safety of the city, are fundamental to induce higher economic impacts. The variable that shows statistically significant results on all types of expenditure and contributes a lot for explaining spending more than 200 euros either in the event, accommodation and food is being an international visitor. This is particularly true for the explanation of bigger spending on transports. These visitors came from further away, and they spend almost eight times more than 200 euros than Portuguese visitors.

5 Conclusions The study results present a number of insights that can be of use to sport events tourism planners. First, hosting sport events is a way to promote the region and its tourism facilities, enhancing direct and indirect economic benefits to the community, through spending at local businesses. In line with the literature (Silva et al. 2020; Gibson et al. 2003) the Body Board event brought worldwide visitors to the host city, Viana do Castelo, some of which for the first time, and would not visit the city otherwise. International visitors spend a significant number of days, with average consumption levels ranging up to 500€, when accommodation is included. These results are consistent with previous studies (Duglio and Beltramo 2017) that emphasize the increasing of visitors’ expenditures during the event. Also, visitors are in general very satisfied with all aspects of the event, and therefore, they are more likely to return and recommend to others. These results are supported by the literature, as it has been noted that higher levels of satisfaction with the events contribute to increase revisit intentions and the word of mouth effects (Papanikos 2015). Also, following previous research (Gibson 1998), the results of this study reinforce the importance of this type of events for organizations, responsible for similar events, and to the positioning and attractiveness of the host region as a tourism destination. Better organised events, together with the location and safety of the city, are fundamental to induce higher economic impacts. Moreover, and as estimated, and

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according to the literature, spending patterns is not independent of factors as the nationality and age of participants, gender, family income, overall satisfaction with the event or the satisfaction with particular event factors. Satisfaction with particular aspects of the event is important not only regarding money spent in the event itself but, particularly, on the money spend in restaurants and bars, increasing indirect and induced economic impacts. Safety and location, together with the structure and organization, are fundamental aspects in two different directions: to make visitors spend more money, and to reinforce the positioning of the region. Overall, the goals of the study were attained, but some aspects could be worth of improvement, such as the small sample size. Future research should also consider to ways to assess the total number of visitors, putting bigger efforts on the collecting of data. But more importantly, a broader focus on the nature and extent of impacts is worth of attention. Economic benefits of sport events extend beyond the perceptions of participants regarding creation of value-added and employment, and thus, other intangible benefits such as productivity returns to individuals and organisations, quality of life returns to individuals need equally to be considered. Acknowledgment. This project is carried out within the scope of the TURNOUT Project Development of Outdoor Tourism of the Northern Portugal, POCI-01–0145-ERDF-032289 financed by the European Investment Fund Regional Development (ERDF) through the Operational Program Competitiveness and Innovation (POCI) and the Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P. (OE). This work is also funded by National Funds through the Foundation for Science and Technology under the Project no. UIDB/04752/2020.

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Deery, M., Jago, L., Fredline, L.: Sport tourism or event tourism: are they one and the same? J. Sport Tourism 9(3), 235–245 (2004) Duglio, S., Beltramo, R.: Estimating the economic impacts of a small-scale sport tourism event: the case of the Italo-Swiss mountain trail CollonTrek. Sustainability (Switzerland) 9(3) (2017) Getz, D.: Event tourism: definition, evolution, and research. Tourism Manag. 29(3), 403–428 (2008) Getz, D., Page, S.J.: Progress and prospects for event tourism research. Tourism Manage. 52(52), 593–631 (2016) Gibson, H.J.: Sport Tourism: a critical analysis of research. Sport Manage. Rev. 1, 45–76 (1998) Gibson, H.J., Willming, C., Holdnak, A.: Small-scale event sport tourism: fans as tourists. Tourism Manage. 24(2), 181–190 (2003) Gratton, C., Dobson, N., Shibli, S.: The economic importance of major sports events: a casestudy of six events. Managing Leisure 5(1), 17–28 (2000) Gursoy, D., Kim, K., Uysal, M.: Perceived impacts of festivals and special events by organizers: an extension and validation. Tourism Manage. 25(2), 171–181 (2004) Papanikos, G.T.: The economic effects of a marathon as a sport Tourism event. Athens J. Sports 2(4), 225–239 (2015) Preuss, H.: Calculating the regional economic impact of the olympic games. Eur. Sport Manage. Q. 4(4), 234–253 (2004) Preuss, H.: The economic impact of visitors at major multi-sport events. Eur. Sport Manage. Q. 5 (3), 281–301 (2005) Ritchie, B., Adair, D.: The growing recognition of sport tourism. Curr. Issues Tourism 5(1), 1–6 (2002) Saayman, M., Saayman, A.: Appraisal of measuring economic impact of sport events. South Afr. J. Res. Sport Phys. Educ. Recreation 36(3), 151–181 (2014) Silva, G., Correia, A.I., Vieira, E., Soares, L.A.: Perceived impacts of running events in protected areas: the case of trans Peneda-Gerês at Peneda Gerês National Park, Portugal. In: de Almeida, C.R., Quintano, A., Simancas, M., Huete, R., Breda, Z. (eds.) Handbook of Research on the Impacts, Challenges, and Policy Responses to Overtourism, pp. 347–363 (2020) Taks, M., Kesenne, S., Chalip, L., Green, B.C., Martyn, S.: Cost benefit analysis: the case of a medium-sized sport event. Int. J. Sport Financ. 6(3), 187–203 (2011) Weed, M., Bull, C.: Sports Tourism: Participants, Policy and Providers, 2nd edn. Elsevier, Oxford (2009) Wilson, R.: The economic impact of local sport events: significant, limited or otherwise? a case study of four swimming events. Managing Leisure 11(1), 57–70 (2006) Wilson, J.R., Lorenz, K.A.: Exact logistic regression model. in modelling binary correlated responses using SAS, SPSS and R. ICSA Book Series in Statistics, vol 9. Springer, Cham (2015)

The Potential of Nautical Tourism as a Strategic Product for Regional Tourism Development: The Case of Alto Minho and Esposende, Northwest Portugal Filipe F. Taveira1(&), Alexandra I. Correia1,2, Goretti Silva1,2, and Joel Pereira1,3,4 1

Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Praça General Barbosa 44, 4900-347 Viana do Castelo, Portugal 2 Unidade de Investigação Aplicada em Gestão, Praça General Barbosa 44, 4900-347 Viana do Castelo, Portugal 3 Unidade de Investigação e Treino em Trabalhos em Altura e Atividades de Ar Livre, Complexo Desportivo e Lazer Comendador Rui Soalheiro – Monte de Prado, 4960-320 Melgaço, Portugal 4 Research Center in Sports Science, Health and Human Development, CIDESD, Quinta de Prados, Ed. Ciências de Desporto, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal

Abstract. Nautical tourism has seen exponential growth on the European coast, and its importance as a strategy for local development and the diversification of the tourist offer widely acknowledged. However, there is still no effective knowledge of the phenomenon in all its dimensions, aspects and characteristics. This study aims to contribute to fill this gap by analyzing the potential of nautical tourism as a strategic product in Alto Minho and Esposende, in Northern Portugal, and get to know the sociodemographic and behavioral profile of nautical practitioners. The methodology used is based on a mixed methods approach, including secondary data and primary data through a questionnaire survey to practitioners of nautical activities, and semi-structured interviews to private agents who provide nautical-related activities and services. The results of the study allow us to conclude that nautical tourism represents an opportunity for regional development, based on the tourist’s behaviors and average level of expenses. In addition, it can be considered a differentiation factor in terms of tourism, responding to the growing demand for more active experiences. The creation of new businesses and the improvement of the results of existing ones, are also some of the benefits associated to Nautical Tourism. As a strategic tourism product, it contributes to the decrease of seasonality and the valorization of environmental and natural resources, and as such, to regional development. Keywords: Nautical tourism Northwest portugal


Strategic products
Tourism destination


© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 234–244, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_21

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1 Introduction Tourism is an activity with a significant impact on the economy, not only through direct visitor spending at the destinations, but also its multiplier effect [1]. Moreover, Tourism has impacts on the natural and built environment, populations, and visitors themselves, being an effective tool for diversification of activities and regional development [2]. Of the different reasons that motivate visitors to travel to certain destinations, the practice of sport-related activities has gained increasing prominence in recent decades, particularly water-based activities. These are associated with different services and experiences, contributing to the growth of tourism in coastal areas, often referred to as nautical, adventure or active. The contribution of this phenomenon to regional development is anchored in the “high consumption of services and intermediate goods” and associated to high multiplier effects [1]. Nautical tourism also includes services associated with local experiences, culture, gastronomy, and traditions, integrating composite experiences, and distinctive products. These experiences contribute to the enhancement of the overall quality of destinations, and as determinants of tourists positive perceptions, boosting promotional activities [3–6]. However, despite the recognition of its growing importance, there is still no comprehensive knowledge of the phenomenon of nautical tourism in its entirety, in different destinations [4, 7]. In some cases, a detailed analysis of its demand, supply, challenges and its potential as a strategic product for economic development is still missing [8]. Therefore, this study aims at contributing to the knowledge of nautical tourism as a strategic product for the development of the northwest coast (Alto Minho and Esposende), in the North of Portugal. Several investments, both public and private, made recently, can be identified, which reinforce the perceived importance of nautical tourism. The municipality of Esposende is part of the sub-region of Cávado1, but was integrated in this study because it was part of the Urban Community of Valimar (now extinct)2 and because it integrates joint projects with the Intermunicipal Community of Alto Minho, such as the Polis Litoral Norte Program3. In addition to the introductory chapter, this paper is organized in four different sections. The literature review focuses on the concept of nautical tourism and related activities, its relationship with coastal tourism and sports tourism, its impacts on destinations and the reflection of its potential as a tourism product. In the following section, the methodology adopted is presented, followed by the overview of the destination Alto Minho and Esposende. The results from the analysis are then presented. Finally, in the conclusion, data is discussed, followed by proposals aiming at strengthening the role of nautical tourism as a tourism product.

1 2 3

https://www.cimcavado.pt/, last accessed 2020/06/13. https://valicom.pt/company/valimar/, last accessed 2020/06/13. https://www.polislitoralnorte.pt/, last accessed 2020/06/13.

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2 Literature Review The European coast is the first choice for 63% of European tourists, and accounts for 35 million people and 1.1% of employment in the European Union (EU) [9], and has led to an increase in international tourists, particularly on small islands between 2000 and 2013 [10]. Nautical tourism occurs when the tourist moves away from the usual environment [3, 11], for a tourist experience [3], with incidence in marine waters [11] and the main motivation being the practice of nautical leisure or competition-related activities [3, 12]. The main activities associated with nautical tourism are: sailing, windsurfing, diving, rowing, cruise charter (30–40 people capacity), yacht cruising, surfing, snorkeling, sport fishing, bodyboarding, motorboating, rafting, canoeing, kayaking, water skiing, spearfishing, hydrospeeding, kitesurfing, stand up paddle and waterboarding [1, 7, 12–14]. Although there is no definitive concept, following the six elements defined by Postma [15], some of these activities (canoeing, fishing, kayaking in sea or white waters, kitesurfing, rafting, sailing, diving, stand up paddle and surfing) are also considered adventure tourism activities [16]. Nautical tourism is undeniably closely linked to coastal tourism [7], as it includes recreation and beach-based activities (e.g. swimming, surfing, sunbathing); but it is also linked boating and other non-beach related activities, that take place in the coastal area (including marinas) [17]. In addition to sports, other activities and services are considered as an integral part of nautical tourism and are fundamental for the positioning of destinations, namely those that are dependent of the sea or close to the sea [17]. Trade, food industry [7], accommodation, second homes, restaurants [7, 18], and other recreational and leisure, and cultural activities are good examples [18]. Although the practice of nautical tourism is not only restricted to the coast, but also to inland water courses and water plans, with strong association to sports tourism, as the context in which the set of tourism and sports practices intersect [19]. Nautical tourism aims the visit of sports facilities, stadiums and/or museums; the practice of sports activities [20, 21], mainly in natural areas [21]; and participate [21] or attend sports events [20]. Pereira [22] identifies as tourism activity advantages the following: balance of payments; job creation; creation of opportunities for the development of rural areas, balancing the construction of new infrastructure and equipment in territories; increase in tax collection; and growth of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). As a specific form of tourism, nautical tourism adds a complement to leisure facilities and to economy [3, 4], directly and indirectly. Its contribution lies mainly in the dynamization of ports and marinas, which allow for an increase in the income of local companies and, consequently, an increase in employment and a decrease in emigration [4]. In addition, it has the great advantage of reducing seasonality, occurring at different times of the year [3]. Nevertheless the success of a tourist destination is also guaranteed by the capacity to innovate and adapt [5, 23], with visible impacts in the quality of the tourist experiences [5]. In addition to the existing challenges, such as globalization, and pressure to reach “urban regeneration, social inclusion, economic development and environmental

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sustainability” [23], destinations must have the capacity to use their resources efficiently in order to offer attractive and perceived quality tourism products and services [24]. Some studies suggest that to enhance the economic potential to develop nautical tourism, includes to gather chartering, nautical stations and nautical recreational activities and to create nautical products with complementary tourism activities [25]. Different initiatives, at European or national level, can be identified, which reflect the action and recognition of public authorities, in favor of the nautical potential as a tourism product. In the “Action Plan for a Maritime Strategy in the Atlantic Area”, the European Commission [26] launched, as one of its priorities, the creation of a sustainable and socially inclusive regional development plan, with the following objectives: the preservation and promotion of the Atlantic cultural heritage, by investing in leisure activities and nautical sports; port services (including cruises); identification, protection, recovery and promotion of coastal and underwater attractions with archaeological, cultural, ecological and historical value with potential for tourism activities [26]. This plan is a milestone at European level, as an initiative to create a differentiated image, and experiences able of increasing revenue and employment levels [6]. Tourists expect differentiated destinations, as landscapes, attractions, heritage and people are no longer sufficient, requiring the use of tangible or intangible attributes [5, 6]. In this line of thought, Bernard [3] adds that nautical activities are advantageous to destinations for their natural and sporting components. Studies reveal 63% of European tourists elect European coast as their favorite holiday destination, and Europe being the second largest cruise destination after the Caribbean [9]. Both facts constitute strong opportunities for the development of nautical tourism at European level, a fast-growing industry with several ongoing coastal tourism projects (representing a substantial part of the 500 million euros available by the Community-Led Local Development - CLLD) [27]; At national level it is also important to highlight the fact that the “Tourism 2027 Strategy” intends to strengthen Portugal’s image as a nautical sports and leisure destination, through the promotion and enhancement of nautical tourism infrastructures, equipment and services [28]. Considering the country has 183 places with wave potential for nautical sports [29], with 10 976 mooring places [30], is not surprising that 1.2% of tourists come to Portugal for nautical reasons [31]. Due to the excellent natural conditions and infrastructure, national and international championships are held regularly in Portugal, which are seen as qualifying tourist assets [28]. For instance, Peniche (Portugal) receives Rip Pro Curl, a surf competition included in the World Championship Tour, and because of it, the town has largely increased the number of companies that offer maritime tourism activities (mainly surf); increased the average stay for five days and increases in tourism demand and the value of tourism exports. The practitioners of nautical activities are from Portugal (Lisbon area and Centro region), Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the USA and Australia [32]. Similar to Peniche, the region of Finistère, in France, is a destination for the practice of competitive nautical sports, mainly kayak, sailing car, surf and sailing. These are responsible for 4 million tourists, which 300 thousand practice supervised nautical activities, and represents 29 million overstays. Tourists are mostly

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French (82%), but as well from the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands [33].

3 Methodology Bearing in mind the objectives of the study, an analysis of secondary data was made using the National Tourism Register of Turismo de Portugal I.P., accessed between 24th and 25th May 2020. The purpose was to analyze the geographical dispersion of the various tourist leisure businesses in the studied region. Data concerning the total number of companies in the Alto Minho and Esposende region (AM + E), and how many dedicate to maritime-tourist activities, was collected from the National Register of Tourist for Leisure Companies. Additionally, primary data was also collected, through the use of questionnaires, distributed in several companies of the studied region. This questionnaire was developed based on the literature review [19, 34–36]. The objective was to know the sociodemographic and behavioral profile of nautical practitioners namely the reasons and activities that makes them to visit the AM + E. The questionnaire was made available in three languages (Portuguese, English and Spanish), and the translation was done by the author (back translation) and validated by academics who are fluent in the respective languages. In total, one hundred and two (102) self-completion questionnaires were collected, after a pilot test was made, in Melgaço, where one company has facilitated the access to their customers. Here, people had no difficulties with filling the questionnaire, but it was necessary to include some activities which were missing in the first draft. In the first phase, the completion of the questionnaires was requested directly by the members of the eight (8) companies, at the end of the activity. Other companies were contacted to help in this study, but they declined or did not answer. In a second phase, in order to increase the number of answers, the questionnaire was applied directly by one of the authors of this paper, in places considered as relevant for the practice of nautical activities. The collection sites were on the banks of the Minho and Lima rivers, and on the beaches of Esposende, Cabedelo and Moledo, between 10th February 2019 and 31st May 2019. The resulting data were processed using the IBM SPSS Statistics 25 program. Finally, thirteen (13) semi-structured interviews were also conducted between 11th March 2019 and 24th May 2019. Four interviews were conducted to the responsible person of public sector institutions, eight to the private sector (agents of tourism leisure with activities such as surf, stand up paddle, kitesurf, canoeing and rafting), and one to a person linked to both sectors. Most of the institutions are located in coastal municipalities, while businesses are spread throughout the region. The interviews included questions on demand, supply, and promotion of nautical activities and on the potential, opportunities and challenges of developing nautical tourism for the territory under study. The Alto Minho and Esposende region are located in the region of North of Portugal (NUT II) and comprises the entire Alto Minho sub-region (NUT III) and the municipality of Esposende which integrates the Cávado sub-region (NUT III). It comprises a total area of 2314.25 km2 [37], with the largest municipalities: Arcos de

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Valdevez (447.6 km2), Ponte de Lima (320.25 km2) and Viana do Castelo (319.02 km2) and a population of 266 000 inhabitants [38], with the largest municipalities: Viana do Castelo (85 000), Ponte de Lima (42 000) and Esposende (34 000).

4 Results Alto Minho and Esposende have several equipment dedicated to nautical activities, namely: 1 High Performance Surf Center; 3 Nautical Centers in Esposende, Ponte de Lima and Viana do Castelo; 5 Nautical Posts in Arcos de Valdevez, Valença, Vila Nova de Cerveira and 2 in Esposende [39]; and 1 marina with a capacity of 307 moorings for boats with a maximum length of 18 m [30]. The port of Viana do Castelo received, irregularly, between the years 2009 and 2018, only 7 cruises and 1749 passengers [39]. In 2018, Portugal registered a total of 67 662 103 overnights. The Alto Minho and Esposende region were responsible for 855 402 of those overnights, which represents 1.26% of the national total. The municipalities with the highest demand were Viana do Castelo (253 070), Esposende (129 882) and Caminha (93 196) [40]. The accommodation capacity (number of beds) of the region encompasses tourist villages, tourist apartments, tourist complexes, housing tourism complexes, rural tourism complexes, hotel establishments and camping and/or caravanning parks, are mainly located in Viana do Castelo (21.76%), Caminha (17.53%), Esposende (14.16%) and Ponte de Lima (11.58%) [41]. Regarding the capacity of local accommodation (LA), which includes apartments, accommodation establishments, villas and bedrooms, the municipalities of Esposende (22.10%), Caminha (21.97), Viana do Castelo (15.36%) and Ponte de Lima (14.12%) stand out [41]. Table 1 presents the Tourism Leisure Agents (TLA), whose headquarters are located in the municipalities under analysis. The TLAs are the companies that provide services of Outdoor/ Nature and Adventure Activities, Maritime-Tourism Activities (MTA), and Cultural Activities/Landscape and Cultural Touring. It can be verified that, the TLAs with MTA services are located predominantly in the coastal municipalities of Viana do Castelo (30,77%), Caminha (20%) and Esposende (16,92%) [41]. Viana do Castelo, Caminha and Esposende are the three coastal municipalities where the main tourist activities (nautical and non-nautical) are located in the AM + E region, which also correspond to the municipalities where there is a higher concentration of beds and overnights in the territory. The questionnaire shows that the practitioners of nautical activities in AM + E are male with 18–41 years old and high educated. They come from Portugal (mainly), Spain, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. Also, they travel in groups (family/friends) and lonely; with an average stay of 5 nights; in hostels, hotels and rural tourism complexes; to enjoy new experiences, nature, beaches and friends. Considering sporting activities, the practitioners spent an average of 100€, specially surf and variants, canoeing and rafting. Among these activities they practice other sports since they practice sports on a regular basis (3–4 times a week), specially fitness activities, running and surfing.

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F. F. Taveira et al. Table 1. Distribution of Agents of Tourism Leisure with Maritime-Tourism Activity TLA Frequency (n) (%) Arcos de Valdevez 13 9,35% Caminha 17 12,23% Esposende 21 15,11% Melgaço 9 6,47% Monção 4 2,88% Paredes de Coura 2 1,44% Ponte da Barca 7 5,04% Ponte de Lima 18 12,95% Valença 2 1,44% Viana do Castelo 40 28,78% Vila Nova de Cerveira 6 4,32% Total (N) 139 100,00%

MTA Frequency (n) (%) 3 4,62% 13 20,00% 11 16,92% 4 6,15% 2 3,08% 0 0,00% 3 4,62% 5 7,69% 0 0,00% 20 30,77% 4 6,15% 65 100,00%

On the other hand, the results of the interviews add some inputs that can support the results above. The interviewees were agents of leisure nautical activities, and from local public institutions in order to complement the information from the questionnaires. So, by their experience, the practitioners come specially between May and September, and they are from Portugal (mainly), France, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Benelux, and Scandinavia. There are some DINK clients (Double Income No Kids) between 30–55 years old. The interviewees consider that identifying a single client’s profile is challenging due to the diversity of clients who practice different activities. For example, kite surfers have higher income and can stay longer periods than a person who just practices once an experience of canoeing, which is more affordable. According to the interviewees, the possibility of practicing different activities in the same area, with different levels of intensity or handicap, and the existence of physical structures are the region’s most positive aspects and/or strong points. In addition to these aspects, the natural heritage (the beaches, the landscapes, the protected areas and the short distance between sea, mountain and river), the cultural heritage (the built heritage, the historical centers, the monuments, the traditions and the ethnography), the people, the gastronomy, the competitive prices and the non-massification of the destination were also identified as reasons to visit the region. However, in order to increase the competitiveness of the destination, aiming at increasing, diversifying and boosting the nautical tourism offer, the interviewees recognize that it is necessary to invest in the maintenance of marinas and ports and in the mouths of the rivers Minho, Lima and Cávado to facilitate navigation. Investment in the construction of boarding piers and beach locker rooms as well as the reinforcement of cleaning and maintenance of accesses would enhance the practice of nautical activities by members of clubs and tourists. Moreover, to guarantee the sustainable growth of nautical tourism, it is necessary to find a balance between human and nature

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activities. Green mobility and public transport network at the destination is considered as fundamental. The duplication of licenses in areas where there is overlapping jurisdiction (Captaincy of Ports, National Environment Agency, Municipalities, Port Administration), and the slowness in obtaining them should be avoided. Finally, the reinforcement of a collaborative destination communication is desirable, to diversify activities and markets, with local, national, and international impact.

5 Conclusion The nautical activity in the Alto Minho and Esposende region has a greater expression in the coastal municipalities of Viana do Castelo, Caminha and Esposende. Bearing in mind that nautical practitioners are essentially looking for local accommodation and hotels for their stays, it is not surprising that most accommodations are located in these municipalities. The main nautical structures are also located in the coastal municipalities, especially the High Performance Surfing Centre and the nautical center in Viana do Castelo and the nautical center in Esposende and two nautical posts in Esposende, which, besides the tourist activity, has a role in nautical education in the territories, mainly in Viana do Castelo and Caminha. These structures are also important for national and international championships, namely in canoeing, rowing, sailing and surfing. The most sought-after modalities are surfing and canoeing that takes place in any of the coastal municipalities. However, canoeing and stand up paddle are also practiced in inland waters, in which other municipalities stand out, particularly in Ponte de Lima, and rafting in Melgaço. However, it was possible to understand that the practitioners of nautical activities are characterized by having sporting habits and also for choosing the destination Alto Minho and Esposende for the practice of non-nautical activities such as hiking, motorized activities (jeep rides, four-track and buggy), nature tours, cycling, mountain biking, and horse riding. Based on the results of the questionnaire, length of stay of about 5 nights, the direct expenses with accommodation and food, and money spent with activities (average 100 €), it can be considered that nautical tourism has significant positive impacts on the destination Alto Minho and Esposende. Besides the expenses made in the territory by the practitioners, which has an indirect and induced multiplying effect on the local economy, nautical tourism reduces seasonality, and the number of tourists in certain periods of time. It is estimated that the set of activities that directly integrate the nautical offer, and those that directly or indirectly complement the value chain, allow the creation, consolidation and diversification of the tourist offer, generate sustainable employment in tourist and non-tourist companies, boosting the development of new investments. Additionally, the nautical industry also contributes to the valorization of natural resources, through the awareness and support to their preservation by public bodies and private companies. These are critical for the practice of activities and to guarantee their sustainability. When local experiences, culture and gastronomy are associated with nautical tourism services and products, a distinguishing factor is created in relation to other destinations.

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Therefore, it can be concluded that all the municipalities, have the potential for growth, as long as the improvements identified above are verified, namely at the level of reinforcement and qualification of infrastructures, especially in the inland municipalities. Despite the efforts already made to participate in relevant international bodies such as the European Network of Outdoor Sports, and to attract medium-sized international events, the strengthening of integration and networking by public and private agents, and the strengthening of communication with strategic markets are recommended priority actions to enhance the destination awareness. Finally, the results reinforce the recommendations presented at “Nautical 2020: action plan for the development of nautical activities in Alto Minho” and to update some data regarding the practitioners of nautical activities. Acknowledgement. This project is carried out within the scope of the TURNOUT Project Development of Outdoor Tourism of the Northern Portugal, POCI-01–0145-ERDF-032289 financed by the European Investment Fund Regional Development (ERDF) through the Operational Program Competitiveness and Innovation (POCI) and the Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P. (OE). This work is also funded by National Funds through the Foundation for Science and Technology under the Project no. UIDB/04752/2020.

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Analyzing Tourism Agents’ Perceptions of the Use of Artificial Intelligence H. A. Sampaio1,2,4,8(&) , A. I. Correia3,4,5 , C. Melo4,6,7 L. Brazão8, and S. Shehada9

,

1

Instituto de Ciências Sociais, Universidade do Minho, Braga, Portugal [email protected] 2 Laboratório de Paisagens, Património e Território, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal 3 Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Gestão, Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Viana do Castelo, Portugal 4 Escola Superior de Hotelaria e Turismo, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Porto, Portugal 5 Unidade de Investigação Aplicada à Gestão, Bragança, Portugal 6 Centro de Investigação em Turismo, Inovação e Desenvolvimento, Coimbra, Portugal 7 Centro de Investigação Para a Valorização de Recursos Endógenos, Portalegre, Portugal 8 Escola Superior de Hotelaria e Turismo, Instituto Politécnico do Cávado e do Ave, Barcelos, Portugal 9 Faculty of Arts, Department of Archaeology, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt Abstract. In Tourism, artificial intelligence already has numerous applications, facilitating processes, adding value to experiences, and improving competitiveness. However, its use raises several questions for companies and tourist destinations. As this research subject in tourism is still limited, the present study, based on nine semi-structured interviews, aims to identify and analyze the perceptions of tourist agents (companies and destinations) about the advantages and/or disadvantages, challenges, implications of use, and also of non-use, of artificial intelligence in the current situation of COVID-19 and in the future. The results underline the unanimous perception of the importance of using technology that does not replace the human component but adds value to it. The implications and suggestions for future work will also be presented. Keywords: Tourism


AI
Tourist offer
Technology
Portugal

1 Introduction Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly used in tourism, both in the context of destinations [1, 2] and in companies [3]. Given its range and potential impacts, AI is considered to be advantageous because, for instance, it allows large amounts of information to be collected, stored and processed [2]. However, the use of technology also raises several issues, such as the (potential) replacement of jobs by machines [4] and the reduction of tourist value [5]. Research on the impact of the use of autonomous services is still scarce in tourism [2, 6]. Thus, there is the need to better understand the dimension and complexity of its © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 245–254, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_22

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use and its multiplicity of applications. It is also important to better understand the perceptions of consumers and employees, how companies may adopt these technologies [4] and their future impacts on the industry, also considering the current COVID19 context [7]. This paper aims to analyze tourism agents’ perceptions concerning the use of AI, and its potential role in the future of the sector, also within the context of COVID-19. The research questions are: do these agents recognize the potential applying AI in different areas of the sector? What are their perceptions of its advantages, disadvantages and challenges? And what are the potential consequences of not adopting it? How has it been used in tourism and how can it contribute to the recovery of tourism in the COVID-19 scenario? This study is structured in five sections: introduction, literature review, methodology, data analysis and conclusions, including the implications, limitations and recommendations for future research.

2 Literature Review Since the 1960s, the use of AI has brought about the most modern and efficient use of technology in different areas [8], including tourism [9]. Advances in robotics, processing large amounts of information simply, fast and efficiently [10], improved robot performance and low acquisition and maintenance costs have contributed to its growing application in the tourism sector [6]. The use of AI in tourism has been developed in several domains, from activity recommendations systems [11], destination management and marketing [1], smart destination implementation [12], restaurants, hotels, theme parks, events, museums, art galleries and travel agencies [3, 6], mobile devices and human mobility [12] to transportation [13]. The use of AI in tourism brings several advantages, such as more efficient planning of tourist services, data on tourists [15] including consumption patterns [12], the quality of service and customer experience [2], improved competitiveness and management of human resources, infrastructures and costs [4, 12]. The combination of information and technology has contributed to the enhancement of experiences and to efficiency of service [3, 6]. Regarding customer experience, technology is used to customize and monitor service in real-time [2, 14], based on online customer interaction [10]. On the other hand, by using big data and based on demographic data, length of stay and tourist feedback [14], it is possible to provide appropriate services to customers, according to their needs and preferences [12, 14]. Technological development improves the capacity of companies and stakeholders who, with no technological training, can know tourists’ needs, expectations and motivations [12, 14]. Regardless of improvements, the use of AI raises certain questions, in particular in the field of data protection. Some opinions hold that tourism entities should make the information produced by the use of technologies available free of charge [14]. Even if data can be shared, the possible risks of such sharing should be minimized [14]. On the other hand, the adoption of AI can suggest replacing workers with machines, resulting in employees resisting it. However, the application of AI does not necessarily imply

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replacing the human component [4], as it reinforces the need to take different perspectives on AI in tourism into account. Therefore, since there is limited research on the future use of AI and its impact on the tourism industry [2, 6], a better understanding is needed of the phenomenon and also how it is accepted by customers, companies and employees [4], and destinations. Further, considering the current pandemic context, it is also imperative to seek understanding of the applications of AI in the industry [7].

3 Methodology This exploratory study used semi-structured interviews for data collection. Despite the initial identification of the questions, the interview was conducted in a flexible way, allowing different aspects to be explored [16, 17]. Based on the literature review, eleven questions were devised. They aimed to understand: (Q1) the level of awareness with AI in general and in the tourism sector; (Q2) the most interesting examples of AI for respondents’ specific activity; (Q3) the current use of AI in the business/organization and its objective [3]; (Q4 and Q5) the impacts of the use and advantages and disadvantages of technologies in tourism [6]; (Q6) the main challenges in implementation and use [5]; (Q7) examples considered most important intended for use in the future [2]; (Q8) customer responsiveness [14]; (Q9) the role of AI in the recovery of the sector in the current context of COVID-19 [7]; (Q10) the main challenges of future applications of AI in tourism; and (Q11) the (potential) consequences of its non-use in tourism [12]. Respondents were also given the opportunity to add relevant information, considering their experience and the specific characteristics of their activity. In total, nine interviews were held with agents from different areas of the tourism sector, as data that would reflect a comprehensive view of the sector needed to be obtained. Of these, eight were responsible for 4-star and rural hotels, leisure, restaurants, a travel agency and tourist attraction (museum). An interview was also conducted with a stakeholder with responsibilities in destination planning and management, in particular, the context of smart destinations. Companies and respondents were selected through a convenience sampling method [18]. They were selected based on different criteria: the legal classification and their positioning. In addition to their willingness to participate in the study, the selected companies are renowned in Minho, northern Portugal, the region where the interviews were applied. The interviews were conducted in person, from June 22nd to 26th, 2020, and recorded with authorization from all respondents. The interviews lasted an average of 50 min each. The content of the interviews was transcribed and later interpreted through a collaborative software for qualitative analysis (webQDA, www.webqda.com). This software was considered suitable for the present exploratory study, as it is not dependent on a specific type of research design and allows qualitative data resulting from interviews to be explored and analyzed, while creating relationship maps between the analyzed aspects to answer the research questions [19]. Moreover, the software gives full and flexible control over the data and analysis without bias. The choice of software was also based on its use in qualitative studies in tourism [20]. A thematic analysis was carried out to identify recurrent messages and dominant themes and relate them to the typology of respondent organization, when relevant.

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The themes which emerged from the global analysis of the responses were later crosschecked with the literature review to ensure consistency. Analysis and codification were conducted by the multidisciplinary authors. Codification based on the typology of the organization was used to ensure the anonymity of the participants.1

4 Data Analysis In Q1, all agents state they are familiar with the use of AI, in general and in tourism.’Robots’ are the most cited, particularly their use in customer service. Facial recognition applications and check-in procedures are the second most cited, followed by weather forecasts (2 references), big data (1), digital marketing (1), robotics (3), chatbots (1), logistical planning (1), machine learning (1) and driverless vehicles (1). In Q2, a brief initial contextualization was made of the main existing and projected applications of AI in tourism. When asked about which examples they consider the most interesting for their activity, they indicated big data (TA, R, D), reservation applications, (self-)check-in and check-out (4-starH, RH, R), and augmented reality (M, L). Sensors (M), chatbots (L) and car parking systems (D) were also mentioned. The main reasons for their answers are related to information optimization and operations management. The former was mentioned by eight interviewees, given its decisive role in getting to know customers better, improving and personalizing service. In operations management, simplification of procedures and time reduction allow users “to resolve some issues and above all also end up saving time and directing our activity and our relationship with the customer” (TA). In Q3, all respondents mentioned the use of some form of AI in their companies/organizations, although in different degrees and complexities (Table 1). The agents of 4-starH, M and L listed the largest number of technologies. However, they were greatly concerned about the possible reduction in human interaction and emphasized the need for personalization and proximity to customers (4-starH). The type of technology used by each of the companies is related to its activity: weather forecasting applications (LS), audio guides (M) or food automation (R). The specific use of each of the applications is related to service customization (M, 4-starH, LC), information management (D and TA) and visitors flow management (D). In Q4, respondents pointed out the main advantages of using AI as the contribution to information management, operation management, market segmentation and attraction of new tourist markets. In information management, “technologies allow agents to access specialized information (…) about the client” (TA); and “evidence collection (…), analysis and management are important to achieve better results” (4-starH). They also allow “reducing costs and labor” (TA), “saving time” (LN) and “dematerializing services” (4starH), clear advantages in operations procedures.

1

TA-Travel Agency; 4-star Hotel-4-star H; R-Restaurant; LS-Leisure Surfing; LC-Leisure Cultural Tours; LN-Leisure Nature-based; M-Museum; RH-Rural Hotel; D-Destination.

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Table 1. AI applications used in the companies/organizations interviewed Companies/organizations Museum Rural Hotel 4-star Hotel Travel Agency Leisure Restaurant Destination

AI applications Audio guides | interactive sensors | interactive displays | 4D movie Online check-in | online wine and meal menus QR codes | apps | smart TV | customer relationship management | newsletter | body temperature measurement by image Website analytics | big data Chatbots | weather forecast apps | billing management with customer history | augmented reality QR codes | online reservation systems | automation systems (food processing) Destination dashboard (big data) | flow management apps

The segmentation and attraction of new markets are other advantages mentioned since technology contributes to knowing the consumer profile, and adapting supply: “The customer’s profile, what he seeks, main trends, how much he intends to spend, allows us to be more assertive” (TA). AI also allows attraction of specific markets, “people with reduced mobility and intellectual disability, visually impaired” (M) and adapting “positioning and distribution” to the specific characteristics of different markets (LC). Reference is also made to the consumer experience, “richer and differentiated” (M), monitoring of visitor flows (LC), cost reduction (R) and market promotion (LC). References to human interaction show that the advantages of using AI do not result in the possible replacement of the human aspect by technology, because in some situations it is human presence that gives technology its greatest value (M, TA, D). The contribution of AI also improves the market segmentation, monitoring of visitor flows (D) and information management (TA, D). In Q5, the disadvantages related to the possible reduction of human interaction are highlighted: “Tourism is about feelings, emotions; people look for the experience, sensations and machines cannot transmit those sensations” (TA). The use of AI is seen as a complement: “there will always have to be some human contact” (4-starH). Security/privacy issues are also seen as drawbacks: “[we must] be aware of how we access customer information because we may be invading privacy”; one cannot “be too invasive, which is also related to data protection” (4-starH). From another perspective, “democratization and access to information bring a lot of people” and “those who do sports like to do so with few people around, because they have more freedom” (LS). The cost of technology is another disadvantage: “it’s not always financially possible to follow the evolution of technology” (LN). By company typology, the results show that maintenance/assistance seems to be particularly relevant for M, but moreover that human interaction is important for TA and HR. The impact of AI on human resources seems to be more relevant for R and cost/investment for L. In Q6, the need for knowledge and/or training in technologies is pointed out as the main challenge when using AI in tourism, either from the perspective of the customer

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(M, TA) or that of human resources (4-starH). For customers to benefit from the technological background, they must have knowledge about it: “many visitors, not being directed and accompanied, give up because handling these technologies implies some kind of explanation” (M). As for human resources, “access to training increases. If people feel that this helps the work process and improves service, there is no resistance” (4-starH). In addition to the abovementioned, cost is also seen as a challenge, as “many of these technologies are inaccessible” (LC); “the main challenge is the investment, which is not small. In the short term it can bring a return” (M). Selecting appropriate technologies and monitoring their evolution are other challenges. It is crucial to “identify the most useful technologies” and assess the “suitability of their application to certain types of services” (HR). Identification and evaluation must consider change, because “ technology is always evolving, while the client wants something modern and attractive” (LC). Its useful life is short and often, “When the company can meet the conditions necessary to acquire it (…) another more advanced one has already been developed” (LC). It should also be noted that it is L that shows the greatest concern regarding the challenges of knowledge/training, technology cost and evolution. In Q7, regarding the intention to adopt/reinforce the future use of AI, only one agent stated that “According to the service concept and quality, our objective is to assure human interaction more than technological components” (RH). The others show interest in adopting other AI technologies, underlining apps related to information management and optimization of consumer behavior. Information management through apps is the most mentioned domain that may contribute to quality and personalized/tailor-made services: “Having a technology that informs us about the time that a certain client usually has a meal, if he/she eats dessert (…), would be useful” (R); managing and disclosing internal information to the hotel team (4-starH); analyzing markets, allowing updated evaluations, and being more efficient when allocating human resources to different tasks: “if I need to analyze market trends, I would lose too much time, and I will not be able to focus on other management aspects or attending clients” (TA). Consumer experience, the second-most mentioned domain, relates the potential contribution of AI to enhancing experiences linked to interactivity and adaptation to specific needs: “In the future we expect the use of new technologies, interaction of characters; updating the 4D movie with different languages selected by the users; improving audio guides with sensors and equipment; making the room more interactive” (M). It is worth mentioning the real-time and relevant information offered for tourists to enjoy the experience: “Something that may help to supply all types of geographic information in real-time (…) so that during the journey, the tourist could access the route, have information about fire risks, etc.” (LN). In addition, management and monitoring of tourist flows is also mentioned: “An app monitoring the level of saturation, managing flows” (LS). Service personalization, safety, operation and customer management and market analysis are also cited. Generally speaking, information management is the area most underlined by TA, L and R and consumer experience by L.

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Clients’ receptivity to AI, the topic of Q8, shows that the majority seem receptive, although levels vary according to the market segment and the price of the product/experience. From different market segments, “the feedback is positive, especially families with children” (M). For seniors or honeymoon tourists “it will depend on the technology” (TA). Acceptance “depends on the client profile. Some look for sport to disconnect. Others could easily adhere, even if only for some moments, for example, after doing sport” (LS). The price influences acceptance: “Usually yes, but it also depends on the price”, and this is why “we specify what they can afford when paying” (M). Transversely, all the agents underline personalization and the human component in attendance as priorities: “our clients still prefer contact and direct information” (LN), since “clients need to be in a physical space” (TA). Relating the contribution of AI to recovery after COVID-19, only one answer in Q9 considers a limited input: “AI itself no, I think it would be a complement, a support tool, as it has been so far” (D). The remaining answers consider AI important, especially to re-establish consumer confidence and to promote competitive positioning. Concerning promotion and competitive positioning, L representatives emphasize that AI is “important during the post COVID-19 context, because it can help to distinguish and promote places that have good security and health policies, especially in Europe” (LS). RH shares this opinion since AI “helps to quickly boost destinations’ image, for example, at the level of Safe & Clean certification, already advertised online”. AI can also contribute to recovering consumer confidence with “body temperature reading video cameras with alarm sounds” (4-starH). However, “it is also crucial to have confidence in people, not in technology” (TA). Companies of L recognize the efficiency of AI for recovering tourism activity (8 in 16 references): “I think it will be decisive to the revival” (LC); “it can facilitate contact with the client and secure maintenance of activities” (LN); “it can help to quickly reach important information” (RH), and helps “reinforce confidence” (R). In Q10, the main challenges in adopting AI in tourism, costs and investment, are the utmost references, tuned to the nature of each business: “Mainly the costs and access to these technologies. Small companies do not have the financial capacity” (RH), they “will not have conditions to acquire these tools, maybe at a collective level” (D). The importance of technical knowledge and training skills in the future adoption of such technologies is also mentioned: “adaptation at the level of skills of human resources to function with those equipment” (RH); “the challenge will be to gather necessary conditions to technically and financially create and implement those technologies” (LS); “training and access to companies that may present solutions” (R). A list of other challenges, like loss of human interaction, conditioning service personalization, safety/privacy, and reaching new markets, is also referenced. Comparing the analysis of challenges related to implementation and use of AI until the present/recent past (Q6) and future uses (Q10), it turns out that the volume of investment and necessary knowledge are, in both cases, the most relevant challenges. However, a variation is observed according to the relative importance given: future use is based on the dimension of costs, while past/current use is based on knowledge.

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Finally, Q11 approaches the consequences of not adopting AI in tourism. Perceptions are unanimous related to companies and destinations losing competitiveness. “There should be an increasing investment, otherwise they will stop being competitive” (TA); “they will lose market share” (LN); “it will be even more difficult to catch the train” (LC). In the COVID-19 context it seems even worse, whereas “companies not prepared for this reality will experience less demand” (4-starH). It is generally accepted that “compilation of and access to data about clients’ histories” (LC) implies consequences that need to be considered, “especially in terms of collection and analysis of client information” (D). Summing up, generalized ideas assume that “AI is here to stay and evolve” (LS), due to the “tendency of tourism modernization using AI” (M) and “it will also be important to revitalize urban centers by using new technologies” (M). Some comments reinforce the role of AI as an easy complement (not a substitute) to tourism operations and experiences, and the need to adapt the level of technology to each market segment (D). The perspective of 4-starH and LS support this idea: “there will always be a public that wants to disconnect, like others preferring to be online” (4starH) and “we need to know what clients value more” (LS). Finally, and considering the total amount of references by those interviewed, each domain of analysis shows the relation with the specific company activity. This is the example of the concentration of references by D (flow management, 9 references), M (consumer experience, 7), or L (information management, 8).

5 Conclusions This paper aimed to analyze the perceptions of tourist stakeholders about the advantages and/or disadvantages of AI and the challenges and implications of its use and non-use in the current COVID-19 scenario and also in the future. The results show that respondents are familiar with AI in tourism. All recognize the potential application of AI in different areas of the industry and associate its usefulness with their specific business area. It is generally perceived that its use can improve businesses’ performance in different tourism activities. Amongst the main advantages are information and operation management, and issues associated with markets (segmentation, the capture of new tourist markets and customer experience). These results are in line with the literature review, notably in collecting and processing large amounts of information [10] and reaching customers more quickly [12], influencing consumer behavior and planning the tourism offer [15]. The worth of the human aspect is underlined, even without denying or resisting the introduction of technologies. They add value to tourism supply. This does not imply replacing the human component with technology, but the opposite in some cases, as it is the human presence that adds the greatest value to technology. This is in line with other studies [2, 14] that show that the application of technology serves to personalize, improve services, monitor and optimize experiences. As for the disadvantages, the results underline the existing concern about the possible reduction of human interaction, the cost of technology and safety/privacy-related

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issues. Risks of information sharing are identified by [14], which reinforces the importance of these issues for tourism stakeholders. The main challenges are associated with the cost of acquisition and selection of the most interesting and suitable technology. These results are in line with other studies that note the importance of investing in AI to create and/or reinforce service quality and competitiveness [12]. The results show that tourism stakeholders already use certain forms of AI, although with different degrees and complexity. In line with the literature review, the most mentioned examples are QR codes and online check-in, for instance regarding activity recommendation systems [11] or the use of mobile devices [12]. AI is important in the recovery of confidence and of the sector, as it is perceived as a competitive advantage in the post-COVID-19 scenario and especially useful in strategic positioning for companies and destinations. Considering the inevitable technological progress and its increasing use in tourism, companies and destinations that do not adopt AI in the future will lose competitiveness. Given the current pandemic situation and its significant impact on the tourist sector, this study has practical implications. The data provided can help organizations in the sector to identify and implement initiatives, such as training on the range, diversity, trends, and applicability of technologies that can be used in the sector. Some limitations of this study should be addressed. First, the small sample and representativeness of the different types of companies, as not all areas of the tourism sector are covered (e.g. events). This implies some attention in the data analysis and its non-generalization. The delimited geographical context of the sample may influence the perceptions analyzed, so it can also be considered a limitation. Regarding future research, a more detailed analysis of the supply perspective of AI is suggested, by comparing perceptions through the size and typology of the company, within different territories. Also suggested is an exploration other stakeholders’ involvement in a collaborative process of co-creation of technological and monitoring solutions with varied applications, for example to perceive the impact on the different areas of the tourism sector (e.g. visitor flow management). Moreover, and given the critical role of the human component in tourism, it is important to understand the perceptions of AI of both demand and human resources.

References 1. Stalidis, G., Karapistolis, D., Vafeiadis, A.: Marketing decision support using Artificial Intelligence and Knowledge Modeling: application to tourist destination management. Procedia – Soc. Behav. Sci. 175, 106–113 (2015) 2. Tsaih, R.H., Hsu, C.C.: Artificial intelligence in smart tourism: a conceptual framework. Artificial Intelligence (2018) 3. Law, R., Buhalis, D., Cobanoglu, C.: Progress on information and communication technologies in hospitality and tourism. Int. J. Contemp. Hospitality Manage. 26(5), 727– 750 (2014)

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4. Ivanov, S., Webster, C.: Adoption of robots, artificial intelligence and service automation by travel, tourism and hospitality companies - a cost-benefit analysis. In: International Scientific Conference “Contemporary tourism – traditions and innovations”, pp. 1–9 Sofia University, Sofia (2017) 5. Sigala, M.: New technologies in tourism: From multi-disciplinary to anti-disciplinary advances and trajectories. Tourism Manage. Perspec. 25, 151–155 (2018) 6. Ivanov, S., Webster, C., Berezina, K.: Adoption of robots and service automaton by tourism and Hospitality. Revista Turismo Desenvolvimento 27(28), 1501–1517 (2017) 7. Sigala, M.: Tourism and COVID-19: impacts and implications for advancing and resetting industry and research. J. Bus. Res. 117, 312–321 (2020) 8. Minsky, M.: Steps toward artificial intelligence. Proc. IRE 49(1), 8–30 (1961) 9. Mondal, B.: Artificial Intelligence: State of the Art. In: Balas, V., Khumar, R., Srivastava, R. (eds.) Recent Trends and Advances in Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things, pp. 389– 425. Springer International Publishing, Cham (2020) 10. Kazak, A.N., Chetyrbok, P.V., Oleinikov, N.N.: Artificial intelligence in the tourism sphere. In: IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, vol. 421(4), pp. 042020. IOP Publishing, Krasnoyarsk (2020) 11. Moreno, A., Valls, A., Isern, D., Marin, L., Borràs, J.: SigTur/E-Destination: Ontologybased personalized recommendation of Tourism and Leisure Activities. Eng. Appl. Artif. Intell. 26, 633–651 (2013) 12. Lamsfus, C., Martín, D., Alzua-Sorzabal, A., Torres-Manzanera, E.: Smart tourism destinations: an extended conception of smart cities focusing on human mobility. In: Tussyadiah, I., Inversini, A. (eds.) Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism, pp. 153–162. Springer, Cham (2015) 13. Zheng, W., Liao, Z., Lin, Z.: Navigating through the complex transport system: a heuristic approach for city tourism recommendation. Tour. Manag. 81, 104–162 (2020) 14. Buhalis, D., Amaranggana, A.: Smart tourism destinations enhancing tourism experience through personalisation of services. In: Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism, pp. 377–389. Springer International Publishing, Cham (2015) 15. Minazzi, R., Mauri, A.G.: Mobile technologies effects on travel behaviours and experiences. A preliminary analysis. In: Tussyadiah, I., Inversini, A. (eds.) Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism, pp. 153–162. Springer, Cham (2015) 16. Smith, S.L.J.: Practical Tourism Research, 2nd edn. CABI International, Oxfordshire (2017) 17. Rubin, H.J., Rubin, I.S.: Qualitative Interviewing: The Art of Hearing Data. Sage, California (2011) 18. Robinson, O.C.: Sampling in interview-based qualitative research: a theoretical and practical guide. Q. Res. Psychol. 11(1), 25–41 (2014) 19. Souza, F.N., Costa, A.P., Moreira, A.: Análise de dados qualitativos suportada pelo software WebQDA. In VII Conferência Internacional de TIC na Educação: Perspetivas de Inovação, pp. 49–56. Universidade do Minho, Braga (2011) 20. Costa, C., Bakas, F.E., Breda, Z., Durão, M.: ‘Emotional’ female managers: How gendered roles influence tourism management discourse. J. Hospitality Tourism Manage. 33, 149–156 (2017)

A Framework for Customer-Oriented Solution Applied to the Tourism Sector Firmino Oliveira da Silva(&) CEOS.PP, Organizational and Social Studies Centre of the Polytechnic of Porto, Porto, Portugal [email protected]

Abstract. Tourism is a very sensitive economic sector and depends heavily on the stability of market variables such as the political and social conditions of regions, as well as terrorism threats, natural disasters, nuclear or industrial risks (pollution) and epidemics or pandemics. In times of great uncertainty and volatility in the market, when the customer quickly demands new services or products, it is essential that tourism operators use information platforms that enable and agile these new responses to the market. New models of crossorganizational business collaborations have emerged to allow the integration of companies in a consortium to rapidly seize market opportunities. ServiceOriented Computing and Cross-organizational Business Processes provide the means to create and execute dynamic business environments, meeting constantly evolving customer requirements and support for current challenges in a turbulent market. This paper describes the basis of a conceptual adaptive framework that supports a method of service selection and ranking applied to Tourism sector relying on a set of services that satisfies the customer specific requests. The framework will provide the means to engage a collaborative network of tourism partners, taking into consideration mechanisms to deal with business process constraints and the dynamic environment. In a future work, a prototype oriented to Tourism sector will be developed and implemented. Keywords: Service-Oriented Computing
Cross-organizational Business Processes
Tourism customer-oriented solution
Tourism risks and threats

1 Introduction The global business environment is constantly changing and has become increasingly complex. These changes are reflected in the way companies interact with customers, how business services and products are conceived, and how companies are organized and managed, according to variables and market conditions. It is assumed for all that the Tourism sector is a very sensible sector, that is highly vulnerable to the impact of the global or local threats and risks. The recent Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, natural disasters and/or terrorism attacks have posed an unprecedented threat to the global Tourism sector. Concerning the Covid-19 pandemic and according to UNWTO1,

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World Tourism Organization – A United Nations Specialized Agency https://www.unwto.org/.

© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 255–265, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_23

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Tourism is among the most affected industries with an overwhelming impact on the economy as well as on the social aspect, with million direct tourism jobs at risk. The current high level of uncertainty in the markets derived from all the circumstances that are occurring, the volatility of information and the speed with which the phenomena occur and the complexity of their management, oblige companies to look for flexible and agile organizational structures that can quickly respond to these challenges. In addition, tourism operators are constantly under pressure to reduce operational costs, facing increasingly shorter margins, while are committed to promote new and innovative customer-oriented solutions according to their criteria and preferences. The new circumstances triggered by the Covid-19 forced companies to rethink the strategy and the offer of new services adapted to the new reality. Customer’s needs and requirements change quickly, according to the market offer that is widely diversified and enables the customer to choose alternatives in one click, which leads the business to adopt constant efforts to competitively improve services. Such market volatility requires business to rapidly adapt to survive, and organizations must enable the businesses’ abilities to adapt. These facts strongly emphasize the added value of the implementation of collaborative business models [1]. The spread of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) leverages this global process and provides support for an economy format in which business tends to adopt practices for enhanced collaboration as response to new challenges. New models of cross-organizational collaborations [1, 2] have emerged in different industry sectors and allows the integration of companies in a consortium to rapidly seize market opportunities. Market products and services are nowadays composed of several nested parts [12] that may be obtained from collaborating enterprises across multiple supply-chain tiers that are geographically distributed [13]. This implies a decentralization of the business activities of an organization [14]. The product or service developing business process is distributed by the company’s consortium that share responsibilities, knowledge, skills and resources, costs and risks, and contribute with their specialist know-how by carrying out the part of the process for which they are responsible. Collaborative Network (CN) environments [3] involving a consortium of companies (partners) are suitable to effectively achieve common strategic objectives, with an expected high level of quality standards and service provision [4] in a dynamic context, with all the synergistic effects and advantages of its implementation [5]. Cross-organizational Business Processes model (CBPs) [6] cover the full scope of activities regarding a business goal. A CBP is characterized by different parts of a business process are performed by different organizations. This means that different organizations can outsource certain processes enabling those organizations to focus on their core business [7]. Strict monitoring and assessment [8] of each part of a CBP is of the utmost importance to monitor and assess the quality and performance of the service provided by each of the partners involved in the collaboration. Despite the benefits of a CN, the challenge for partners involved in the consortium is high as they need to maintain high levels of performance within the partnership to remain part of the collaborative network and must promote innovative and complex customer-oriented solutions in dynamic services environments aligned by a common collaborative strategy. In a highly competitive market, innovative solutions are dimensioned according to customer expectations and profiles to ensure that they have

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the custom functionality, the global quality, in time- and cost- effective manner, to satisfy the customer’s business service request which can range from Transportation, Accommodation, Food and Beverage to Entertainment services. To ensure these conditions for the customer, the partnership needs to agree on the alignment of a set of dashing metrics for monitoring and assessment so that the distributed business process is reliable and highly revealing of the performance behavior of each partner in the subprocess that it is responsible for. Having prior information on the performance of specific collaborative service networks, considering the customer’s criteria and preferences, allows companies to dynamically create the partners network in the most appropriate conditions to provide customers with personalized service for their specific request. This leads to a constant redefinition of the partnership schemes which implies the addition, replacement, or elimination of partners from the partnership. This approach allows the CN to offer tools to customers that allow them to customize the requested service, and to allow an accurate estimate of the results based on their expectations (e.g.: service cost and quality level estimates), which is, nowadays, of great importance to face and differentiate from the competition. The ICT evolution allowed, in parallel, the evolution of business developing architectures that aim at responding to these new market challenges [15]. To overcome restrictions in a CN imposed by the heterogeneity, interoperability and permanent volatility of the requirements, computational architectures contemplate platforms for the construction of weakly coupled services, transparent location, and protocolindependent [14]. Service-Oriented Computing (SOC) [9–11] and CBPs provide the means to create and execute dynamic business environments, meeting constantly evolving customer requirements and support for current needs and challenges of business in this context [16, 17]. Service computing acts as a linker between CBPs and Information Technologies (IT) so that business processes can be automated using software services [18]. This paper proposes a conceptual adaptive framework that supports a method of service selection and ranking [19, 20, 24] applied to the Tourism sector relying on a set of services that satisfies the customer specific requests, considering business process constraints and the execution environment. Based on this framework, it is possible to provide customized solutions to customers to purchase services or tourism products, and to respond quickly to market variations, immediately dynamizing new offers grounded on new or different partners of the collaborative network. The rest of this paper is organized as follows. The proposed framework for Customer-oriented solutions is presented next. Related work is briefly analyzed in Sect. 3. The paper ends addressing conclusions and future work.

2 Framework Description The proposed framework architecture is based on several components that include responses to the needs of the Tourism sector, in order to quickly manage changes in market variables such as political and social crises, terrorism attacks, natural disasters, nuclear or chemical risks, pollution, epidemics or pandemics [22]. Whenever these variables become unstable or change, it is necessary to quickly transform and/or

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recreate new services or products if the information system of the tourism operator is adequate to provide these responses. The framework of this research work constitutes an approach oriented to the offer of services centered on the customer in which, the tourism product he or she intends to purchase is completely customized by the customer, guaranteeing that everything that was acquired from that collaborative network (created specifically for that request) represents the offer that best suits the request profile in the market (at that time). 2.1

Basic Framework Components

The description of the most relevant components of this framework are listed below: • A set of four software modules to cover the following main functionalities: – Parameterization of the service or tourism product request in which the customer selects the criteria and preference levels he or she wants to obtain, which may be at the best price (defining a range of values, higher, lowest or negligible), on the appropriate date (defining a range of dates: check-in and check-out, or, in case of no availability, the framework may propose a range of dates that may suite the request profile), and with the required quality levels (depending of a scale from high to normal level quality). Multiple services or products can be part of the customer’s request so that they are interdependent (considering the service or product dependent sub-criteria). This module acts as a powerful and flexible data front-end that is continuously refined for the tourist product or service profile (according to the customer user-experience). (Basic Application Setup module). – The selection of partners that provide the services or tourist products identified by the customer, their ranking (identifying the ranking positions based on scoring algorithms with specific rules and weights assigned in the customer’s request), and the final proposal/offer to the customer, are functionalities resulting from the Core module. This module receives the customer’s request and determines the inclusion/exclusion of services from candidate partners (to form the collaborative network for the provision of the service). Each customer requests obliges to trigger a new collaborative network with the best positioned partners in terms of the ranking of the service they offer. The definition of this collaborative network is carried out in this module. The list of metrics (and respective levels of measurement) is identified and associated with each software service (so that its behavior can be measured, not only in relation to functional as well as to non-functional requirements). This module (Core) also deals with the SLAs (rights and duties of all parts) between the tourism operator and each partner in accordance with the procedures of the established contracts (electronic contracting) [23]. – The Metrics Monitoring and Assessment module must evaluate the behavior of the collaborative network, partially (service to service) and globally (at the level of the whole of the collaborative network). The metrics system is defined by a structure based on a tree of dimensions and scopes (Fig. 3), and the levels at which they can be measured. This system identifies the types of metrics dealt with at each level. The data collected by the monitoring system is stored and used for future customer

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requests assessments influencing the position of each service in the ranking. The Core module will use these data to process the positions of the most appropriate software services for the customer’s request enabling the application of evaluation rules (sometimes benefiting, if behavior was above expectations, sometimes penalizing, if behavior was below expectations). – The last software module is related to the setup and instantiation of the collaborative network with the various partners responsible for the selected services, being in a higher position in the rank to respond to the specific request from the customer (Choreography Engine Setup module). The business process design is mounted with the new set of software services in a choreographic instance, where each of these services know what to do, when to do and with whom to interact [21]. • Data repository will ensure the storage of system activity with different objectives: – Production repository (Datalog, Operational and Configurations and Setups repositories): stores all the data that allows the daily management of whole system. The data resulting from the system’s operations such as new customer requests (criteria and preferences); design and identification of partners and services that support the new instance of the business process; mapping metrics for each customer request; and the results of the services’ metrics assessments are stored in this repository. – Knowledge repository: represents a collector of historical data that offers an analytical approach to provide knowledge of the behavior of the entire framework and thereby promote adjustments to that behavior. 2.2

Operational Flow

The sequential flow is determined by Fig. 1 and is composed by the following steps: 1. The pre-selection step (of software services) is responsible to prepare the setup of the whole system to work. Structures of meta-data based on the inter-dependencies of services or products are available for customer choice. The entire offer of tourism services and products, made available by the tourism operator, is available for personal choice and parameterization by the customer. 2. The second step is related with the identification and selection of the software services set that is going to be involved in the business process of the collaborative network. A service ranking method [24] runs over the pools where services of the same nature rely to elect the final list of the services. Based on the ranking method, these service pools support all the rules for competition between services defined by the customer’s specific request. 3. Simultaneously, the setting up of the collaborative network begins with the previous definition of generic services (still without the definitive services that are being determined in step 2) in order to align the metrics that will be the target of analysis motivated by the specific request (SLA service levels that need to be guaranteed, etc.). All the preparation for execution is conceived in this step.

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4. The execution step is responsible for the global service requested by the customer is executed: the choreography of services is assembled and run, and the monitoring and assessment system is instantiated and run over the collaborative network (collecting performance data). 5. The post-execution step is related with final activities of the run. This step is responsible of the collection and analysis of data resulting from the evaluation of metrics so they can be confronted to SLA contracts done with each business partner involved in the process. A learning process starts which is fundamental to enrich the system for future interactions, based on closed life-cycles of information.

2.3

Autonomy and Control Structures

The proposal for a framework of this level has very complex outlines. Given the multiplicity of market variables in the Tourism sector, as well as the speed with which they change, forces the tourism operator to create rules to control the autonomy and performance of the system and to improve learning processes. Regarding a complex adaptive system, to achieve and maintain a certain level of system autonomy and performance, when parameters dynamically change, an approach of adaptive control must be considered [25]. Controls such as rules and regulations allow to reduce the complexity and help the system to behave more predictably. A closed-loop control system is used to analyse the output information as a return back to the input to level performance. The closed-loop system used is a control system in which its control action is being dependent on the output of the system. Through this system the tourism operator can adjust the behaviour of the entire framework, enabling the selection of services more or less competitive, for instance. To allow the framework to respond continuously, improving the quality of the response to future requests, a learning process allows to influence a hierarchical structure in which the elements of the software components are addressed. These elements are divided into three levels: strategic and tactical (composed by elements that allow decisions to be defined and have the capacity to influence the behaviour of all or part of the system), and operational (software elements that are dedicated to the instantiation of the collaborative network or monitoring system, for example). Figure 2 presents the schema that supports the learning process. There are two main blocks of elements: Decisional and Operational elements. All elements that represents strategical and tactical decisions are stored in the first block, while all the execution instance elements are stored in the second block. Continuous life-cycle systems allow feeding, adjusting, and improving the system’s behaviour, in which the tourism operator can define adjustment levels. Flows A and B represent the data that is important to improve the performance of a block of elements, and C represents the data that is important to share between blocks. In case of C - in the way of the 1st to 2nd block, Operational elements receive decisional orientations of how to instantiate the collaborative network and the monitoring system. In case of the way of the 2nd to 1st block, the feedback of the behavior of each service and of the whole instance is shared between the decisional elements for further decision analysis.

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Fig. 1. The operational and sequential flow of the software modules call

2.4

Metrics Tree Model

The metrics model definition (Fig. 3) is based on dimensions (measurement scopes) and layers (levels of the architecture) in which the respective types of metrics are addressed. The model structure is flexible, and the tourism operator may address more dimensions to be measured (e.g.: Customer; Product or Service; Technological infrastructure; Partners; etc.). The schema top defines aspects to be measured related to the business process. At an intermediate layer, the composition of services gives answers when invoked by the business process. At a lower level, metrics are applied to measure the technological infrastructure quality that supports the services composition.

Fig. 2. Internal and external closed life-cycles

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Different types of measure may be addressed at each layer: Key Performance Indicators (KPI) to measure levels of the global service at business layer; Process Performance Metrics (PPM) to measure the business process in a service composition engagement; and Quality of Service (QoS) metrics to measure technical aspects related with the technological infrastructure. This flexible model proposes a 360º overview of the measurement needs of the collaborative network.

Fig. 3. Metrics tree model

3 Related Work One of the most important software components of this framework is the Metrics Monitoring and Assessment module, as it is this mechanism that guides the behavior of all other components with the data it collects. There are several research chains based on service monitoring and assessment in a cross-organizational setting where this research work collected groundings: Service Choreographies Monitoring [26, 27] and Service Orchestrations Monitoring [28]. Several authors are concerned about predicting, adaptation and correction of service level violations [29] which is one important issue to be consider in future work (changing a service which the potential performance may be below expectation for the next best ranked service). At this time, considering this research work, the collected data is used to measure the service performance and thereby to adapt the whole system. Other research chains are concerned with the identification of erroneous situations after they occur [30] (which is the present research case), and early detection of faults [31] (which will be useful for future work improvements).

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4 Conclusions and Future Work The dynamic environment of the globalized Tourism market, where market constraints are changing recurrently, forces tourism operators to redesign business models to better adapt to these challenges. Collaborative Networks environments provide a basis for competitiveness, world excellence, and agility in turbulent market conditions. New solutions are required according to the customer’s expectations to ensure that they have the means to satisfy tailored customer’s business service requests. This research work advances a solution in this area that allows customers to choose a tourism service or product and the level of service tailored to their criteria and preferences. The proposed conceptual framework supports a control mechanism based on closed life cycles that feed a learning process and enables a great level of customization. The definition of the metrics tree structure, as the model to be implemented by the monitoring and assessment system, identifies the dimensions or scopes of the metrics and the layers at which metrics can be addressed, enabling a 360º coverage of the whole measurement needs. The method for services selection and ranking aims to evaluate and solve a problem related to a decision making based on multiple criteria and preferences. It proposes to offer the best set of services (obtained from a competition between partners) for a given customer request to form the collaborative network. Future work will address the development of a prototype specifically oriented to the Tourism sector to prove the concept presented in this paper. To support this prototype, the collaborative network will consist of a small number of partners but will allow to validate the main features of the framework. After the prototype is completed, the monitoring and assessment system will enable mechanisms to anticipate an imminent performance failure of a service and create an on-the-running service replacement solution. One of the future objectives is to collect the customer experiences of multichannel (e.g.: social networks) and integrate this aspect into the framework to enrich the responses to the market. Finally, other of the next approaches is to extrapolate data generated by the system to provide analytical support to the framework.

References 1. Papazoglou, M., Traverso, P., Dustdar, S., Leymann, F., Krämer, B.: Service-oriented computing: a research roadmap. Int. J. Coop. Inf. Syst. 17(02), 223–255 (2008). https://doi. org/10.1142/S0218843008001816 2. Nurcan, S., Schmidt, R.: Service oriented enterprise architecture for enterprise engineering. In: Proceedings of the 2015 IEEE 19th International Enterprise Distributed Object Computing Conference Workshops and Demonstrations, no. 7310675, pp. 88–90 (2015) 3. Camarinha-Matos, L.M., Afsarmanesh, H.: Collaborative networks: a new scientific discipline. J. Intell. Manuf. 16(4–5), 439–452 (2005) 4. Chituc, C.-M., Nof, S.Y.: The Join/Leave/Remain decision in collaborative networked organizations. Comput. Ind. Eng. 53, 173–195 (2007) 5. Bititci, U., Martinez, V., Albores, P., Parung, J.: Creating and managing value in collaborative networks. Int. J. Phys. Distrib. Logist. Manag. 34(3–4), 251–268 (2004)

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The Importance of Cycling Sports in Regional Tourism – The Case of Volta a Portugal em Bicicleta, Mondim de Basto Stage André Costa1, Paula Odete Fernandes1,2 and João Paulo Teixeira1,2,3(&)

,

1

Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal [email protected], {pof,joaopt}@ipb.pt 2 UNIAG-Applied Management Research Unit, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal 3 CEDRI-Research Center in Digitalization and Intelligent Robotics, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal

Abstract. Sports tourism is an economic and social activity that crosses sport and tourism, in which the economic tourist activity prevails over the sport experience. The main objective of the present work is to evaluate the importance of sport events for the tourism development of a region, in this case the cycling race tour Volta a Portugal, in the municipality of Mondim de Basto stage. For this purpose, information was collected from a sample of 412 respondents, through an online survey. Based on the results obtained, it can be said that the participants consider the event to be important for the tourism development of the region; are globally satisfied with the event and intend to return in future editions. Still, there is a direct and positive relationship between global satisfaction and the intention to participate in an upcoming edition of the event. As for the estimate of the total economic impact, a value of 1.35 M€ of direct impact, and between 3.7 and 4.4 M€ of total impact. Keywords: Tourism
Sports tourism Mondim de Basto stage


Grand tours
Tour of Portugal


1 Introduction Besides Tourism and Sport were developed individually, they have developed over time in a systemic way, with synergies and areas of overlap. This aspect becomes especially evident in the last decades of the 20th century, giving rise to what has come to be called Sports Tourism in the literature, which represents the body of knowledge and the set of practices where the areas of Tourism and Sport become interdependent [1]. Articulated to Sport Tourism are the major sport events. These are a worldwide impact events that attract the attention of people, companies and sponsors. The Olympic Games, Football World Cup, Formula 1 World Cup, National cycling tours © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 266–277, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_24

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and tracks and field events are some examples of great sport events with large number of tourists associated. With the growing development of the international transport network, watching a national or international sports show has become easy and fast. An example of this, is the event considered the greatest exponent of Sport, the Olympic Games, capable of moving a huge flow of people from all over the world, who when traveling to watch the competitions in the country that hosts the event, are considered tourists sports. In this way, Sport Tourism adds economic value, social benefits and civic pride to communities, becoming a phenomenon on a global scale, due to the set of sport segments it covers and the amount of movements it generates at all levels [2]. It is extremely important to assess the residents’ perception of the organization of an event, and whether the latter is seen as something positive or negative for the region, considering the cost/benefit balance that the event brings to the organizing location [3]. The knowledge of the perception of residents and visitors, in relation to the realization of sport events, reveals an extreme utility in terms of the future planning of upcoming editions of the same event or other similar events, with the purpose of making them increasingly attractive and to integrate them in the sustainable tourism development of a region [4]. In this context, the present research work aims to evaluate the impact of a sport event, namely the stage at Mondim de Basto of the tour Volta a Portugal em Bicicleta, on the tourist development in the Mondim de Basto region (MDB), from the perspective of the event’s visitors (residents and non-residents) and stakeholders associated with the event. This article is structured after the present introduction, as follows. Section 2, presents the theoretical background on the theme. The third section discusses the methodology presenting the objective and the research hypothesis, the data collection and the statistical data processing. Section 4 presents the results of the empirical research and the answer to the research hypothesis. Finally, the main conclusions and limitations are presented.

2 Background Despite of actual Covid19 pandemic, tourism is currently seen as an economic activity of extreme relevance, the World Tourism Organization (WTO) places it in the third position in terms of world exports, presenting a great importance in economic and social development [5, 6]. According to Nunes [7], Tourism is a multifaceted phenomenon that contributes to the health, well-being and quality of life of populations, relating to various sciences. The United Nations and the WTO define Tourism as “the set of activities developed by people during trips and stays in places outside their usual environment for a consecutive period that does not exceed one year, for leisure, business and other reasons” [8]. The European Sports Charter [9], define Sport as being “all forms of physical activities that, through organized participation or not, aim at the expression or improvement of physical and psychic, the development of social relationships or the achievement of results in competition at all levels”. Sport, as with tourism,

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accompanies human development in its most varied dimensions. The relationship between these themes is very close, giving rise to Sports Tourism [7], which is characterized as a market niche that has grown over the years, revealing an important contribution to the increase in society’s sport participation. Lamont and Dowell [10] point out sport events as generating benefits for the communities that host them, especially in low-density populated areas. The knowledge of the perceptions of residents and visitors, regarding the realization of sport events, reveals an extreme utility in terms of the future planning of upcoming editions [4]. These events affect the local community in different ways, with impacts at the economic, social, environmental and educational level. It is vital to assess the nature and intensity of these impacts, as well as the participants’ satisfaction with the event, in order to identify what can be improved [11], knowing the motivation of the visit by tourists, their level of satisfaction, their intentions to behave, among other variables that can influence it [12]. Alles [13] states that regardless of its typology (sports, cultural or artistic), an event is a development measure for the regional economy. Since, it does not only contribute to the recognition and visibility of the location that hosts it, promoting it as a tourist destination, it also creates jobs and contributes to the improvement of local infrastructures, such as roads, hotels, restaurants, supply chains, among others. In Portugal, cycling has been growing in the country [14]. Every year there is a set of national and international events, one of which is the mythical Volta a Portugal [14]. The 1st edition took place in 1927, inspired by the Portugal Horse Raid and the Tour de France [15]. It is one of the oldest sprint competitions in the world and the biggest cycling party in Portugal [14]. The municipality of MDB hosts this extraordinary party of the Portuguese bicycle panorama, where conviviality, joy and praise for cycling reigns. Mondim de Basto is mountain municipality village located in the North region of Portugal is flooded with fans, media, and curious, transforming this peaceful village into an authentic national pilgrimage. The stage is one of the highest stages of the competition and very important to the final position. The former president of the municipality of this location, in statements to the local radio FM University [16] stressed the importance of investment by the municipality in this event, considering this stage of extreme relevance for the promotion of the territory and for the stimulation of the local economy. As with other types of events, sport events affect the local community in different ways, with impacts at the economic, social, environmental and educational levels. In view of this, it is vital to assess the nature and intensity of these impacts, as well as the participants’ satisfaction with the event, in order to identify what can be improved, aiming to increase the success of the event and the decision-making process [11].

3 Research Methodology 3.1

Objective and Research Hypotheses

The present research work aims to evaluate the impact of a sport event, namely the cycling stage at MDB of the Volta a Portugal, on tourism development in the MDB

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region, from the perspective of the event’s visitors (residents and non-residents in the region) and stakeholders associated with the event. Here, stakeholders are understood as the local entrepreneurs from the most diverse branches, such as restaurants, shops, hotels, among others. In order to answer to the main objective of the study, the following research hypotheses (RH) were established: RH1: The perception of the degree of importance for the tourism development of MDB is different by intervenient (Spectators and Others), regarding the Volta a Portugal; RH2: There are differences, by groups participating in the study, regarding the degree of global satisfaction with the event Volta a Portugal; RH3: There are differences regarding participation loyalty, on the part of those involved in the stage of MDB of the Volta a Portugal; RH4: There is a positive relationship between overall satisfaction with the event and the loyalty of participation, on the part of those involved in the stage of Volta a Portugal. In the second instance, this study intends to estimate the economic impact of the event, in the municipality of MDB, using the assessment of direct economic impact, indirect economic impact and induced economic impact. 3.2

Data Collection

To carry out the data collection, a questionnaire survey was applied, based on the work of Cortinhas, Fernandes and Teixeira [17], and Candeias [18], having been adapted to the context of Volta a Portugal. The application of the questionnaire to the present study and the respective data acquisition was carried out online, through the Google Forms platform. It was applied during the period from April 22, to May 22 of 2020. The questionnaire was shared through the social network Facebook. The following entities were asked to collaborate in its distribution: MDB City Council; MDB Business Center; Aqua Hotels, hotel located in the municipality of MDB; gyms in the municipality of MDB; MDB Camping Park; Vila Real Cycling Association; Northern Cycling Tourism Association; Cycling Portuguese Federation; the local Newspaper “O Basto”, and national newspapers “A Bola”, “O Jogo” and “Jornal de Notícias”; MDB Tourism Office; Podium Events, Banco Santander and Vitalis, official sponsors of Volta a Portugal; “Renascença” and “TSF” radios and national television RTP. Anyhow, only two entities of the list gave answer: the MDB City Council, and the MDB Business Center. The online questionnaire was adopted because of the uncertainty regarding the execution of the Volta a Portugal, during the year 2020, due to the Covid19 pandemic situation. Nevertheless, the online questionnaire has advantages, such as covering a larger number of people related with the event not only this year but also previous years, in a short period of time. Structurally, the questionnaire is subdivided into 5 sections. The first section comprises a set of 8 qualitative closed questions, aiming to perform the sociodemographic characterization of the respondents. The second section, composed with 9

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questions, addresses the local entrepreneurs, in order to know: their sector of activity; the possible differences that occur in the level of consumption by the resident and nonresident population; the needs for recruitment of personnel; as well as measuring the level of satisfaction and interest, in relation to the Volta a Portugal stage event. The third section, made up of a single question addressed to watchers, sought to find out how the respondents watched the event, whether live on the spot, through the media (television, radio, internet, etc.), or both hypotheses. The fourth section, addressed only to respondents who answered “Live” or “Both options” to the previous question, comprises a set of 10 qualitative questions, in order to analyse the number of times respondents had already participated in the event, their number of companions and their level of consumption, by type (food, accommodation, transport, entertainment, shopping and others). The fifth and last section, consisting of 6 questions on the 5-point Likert scale, where 1 corresponded to the most unfavourable situation and 5 to the most favourable, sought to assess the level of overall satisfaction with the event, as well as with the host location, by the respondents. The sample collected was 412 questionnaires, applied online with the following representation: 376 spectators, 26 local entrepreneurs, 1 team member, 6 members of the organizational staff and 3 members of the media. The scarce number of responses by certain groups, such as team members, organizational staff and the media, can be explained by the difficulty in reaching elements of these small number groups. It is important to mention that, taking into account the scarce number of responses obtained by the mentioned categories, with the exception of the spectators, there was a need to group the others in only one category, hereinafter called “Others”. This allowed to fulfil the assumption for the t test for independent samples (n is equal to or greater than 30). In all the analysis, a significance level of 5% will be assumed. According to the population size and sample collected, a sampling error of 4.8% was attained. 3.3

Statistical Data Processing Techniques

In order to answer the objective of the study and the respective research hypotheses defined, exploratory/descriptive analysis techniques (presentation of frequency tables, graphs and measures of central tendency and dispersion) and inferential analysis techniques were used (parametric and non-parametric tests, when necessary). In this way, the exploratory descriptive analysis will make it possible to characterize the study sample, helping to identify the profile of the actors involved in the event. With the inferential analysis of the present study, it is intended to validate the research hypotheses. Therefore, based on the non-violation of assumptions, we intend to apply parametric tests, namely the t-Student in order to analyse whether there are differences between means for two independent samples [19], and Pearson’s coefficient for analyse the relationship between variables. For the application of parametric tests, the assumptions inherent in them, for two or more independent samples, there is a need for the sample size, per independent sample, to be greater than or equal to 30 elements and to verify whether the distribution of the sample average follows normality, using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, as well as checking if the variances are homogeneous

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for independent samples, using the Levene test. To use the Pearson coefficient, there is a need to test normality [19]. In order to calculate the economic impact of the event, in the municipality of MDB, direct, indirect and induced economic impact calculation was determined. According to Gratton, Shibli and Coleman [20], the Direct Expenditure Approach (DEA) methodology is one of the most practical methodologies and has the greatest reliability in calculating the direct economic impact. To calculate the indirect and induced economic impacts, multipliers are used to measure the indirect impact based on the calculated result of the direct economic impact [21]. According to Cunha [22], these multipliers are “borrowed” from studies carried out under conditions similar to those intended to be carried out. Given this condition, the study by Dionísio, Conceição, Leal and Marcelo [23] is the reference for the use of multipliers to calculate the indirect and induced economic impact, located in the range of values between 1.78 and 2.24.

4 Presentation and Analysis of Results 4.1

Profile of Participants in the Questionnaire

The results obtained after applying the online questionnaire will be presented. From the analysis of the questionnaire, this is the profile of the respondents: – 53.2% are male and 46.8% female, with 35% aged between 19 and 29 years old, 24.8% between 30 and 40 years old and 23.8% between 41 to 51 years; – regarding the marital status, 47.6% are single, 46.6% are married or de facto, and 5.1% are divorced; – concerning educational qualifications, 91.5% of respondents have at least secondary education or equivalent (12 years of school); – as expected, Portugal is the country of residence of most of the respondents (93.2%), of which 54.4% do not reside in MDB and 45.6% are locals; – of the non-resident participants, only 19.5% assume to met MDB through the event; – in the field of local entrepreneurs, 53.8% belong to the cafeteria/restaurant sector, 30.8% to commerce, 11.5% to services and 3.8% to the hotel sector. As for the level of consumption by customers, about 60% of entrepreneurs say that they consume in the value range between 1 to 100 €, regardless of whether they are local or non-local customers. A large number of entrepreneurs say they do not have the need for extra staff recruitment (73.1%), and when there is such a shortage, the number of jobs created is a maximum of 2, for a period of 1 to 4 days. The business sector believes that the Volta event has an extreme impact on the socio-economic level in MDB, showing a high degree of satisfaction with it. The totality of the entrepreneurs who participated in the study, expresses interest in the continuity of this type of events in the locality; – of the sample collected, 33% said they watched the Volta event in MDB through television, radio or the Internet, with 31.7% having already watched the stage live at least once. Approximately 35% of participants admit to having seen both ways; – in the group of those who had the opportunity to watch “live”, close to 78%, said they had done it 6 times or more, with only about 9% saying they did it only once.

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2019 was the most marked year, as the year of the last presence at the event. Approximately 98% of respondents go to the event with other people, particularly with family and friends, with an average of 7 accompanying people. Regarding the type of accommodation, own home and friends/family home were the most likely answers. This is due to the fact that many of the spectators of the event in MDB, are residents in the municipality or in neighbouring regions. The average number of nights that non-resident event participants spend is 3; – with regard to the level of consumption, the vast majority of respondents claim to have spent, up to a maximum of € 100, on transport, accommodation, food, entertainment, shopping and others. Through listening to respondents, regarding the overall evaluation of the event, it is possible to conclude that they have a very positive view of the event, as part of the tourist attraction of the region, presenting high levels of satisfaction with the place. It is therefore not surprising that anyone who has visited MDB wants to return, and who has not yet had the opportunity, intends to do so. 4.2

Estimation of Direct and Secondary Economic Impact

For the purposes of estimating the direct economic impact, it should be noted that it was not always possible to obtain all the necessary information, making it necessary to take assumptions in a conservative way, so as not to distort the results obtained from reality. This means that some answers with absurd values of expenses were excluded or considered as an expense for the all group and not individual expense. The assumptions made took into account, the non-accounting of local participants, who invest their money in the locality, regardless of the event. Given this information, it was assumed that the number of participants in the event, not resident in MDB, would be 46,383 individuals. This value was obtained through an extrapolation, using the study by Aguiar, Tavares, Pedroso and Nunes [24], in which the total number of visitors to the event in MDB where 78,000, in 2015. This corresponds to a total of 412 responses to survey, 245 of which correspond to individuals who do not reside in the municipality of MDB (59.5%) (foreigners or other municipalities in Portugal). To calculate the direct economic impact, an average expense weighted by cost category were used, with 7 amount ranges (between 0 € to 501 €), for each of the categories, transport, accommodation, food, entertainment, shopping and others. This average value corresponds to the consumption estimate of a group of 7 people (average of companions), being necessary to divide this value, to obtain the total consumption per person, which was 29.13 € (Table 1). Multiplying the average consumption per person by the number of 46,383 outside visitors [25], it was concluded that the Volta a Portugal event in the municipality of MDB, has an estimated direct economic impact of 1,351,058 €. The secondary economic impact (which includes the indirect and induced economic impact) was measured, in order to complement the calculation of the direct economic impact, using multipliers in the range between 1.78 and 2.24, as stated above. Thus, a value between the 2,404,883 € and 3,026,369 € was calculated for the secondary economic impact for the event stage in MDB. These values result from multiplying the

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Table 1. Estimated global weighted average spend. Category Consumption group of 7 people 29.84 € Transportation 11.98 € Accommodation 53.84 € Food 37.00 € Fun 42.78 € Shopping 28.45 € Others Total 203.90 € Consumption per person 29.13 € Overall estimate 1 351 058 €

value of the direct economic impact by the two multipliers that define the range, as can be seen in Table 2. Table 2. Value of the total economic impact of the Volta a Portugal in MDB Direct impact Multipliers Secondary impact (indirect and induced) Total impact 1 351 057.79 € 1.78 2 404 883 € 3 755 941 € 2.24 3 026 369 € 4 377 427 €

In the same Table 2, it can be seen that in global terms, the economic impact of the event amounts to a value between 3.7 and 4.4 M€, resulting from the sum of the direct economic impact and the secondary economic impact. 4.3

Validation of Research Hypotheses

In order to answer to Research Hypotheses, parametric tests were applied, after verifying the non-violation of the assumptions referred to in the methodological part of this study, regarding statistical data treatment techniques. By reading Table 3 and assuming a significance level of 5%, it can be concluded that there is sufficient and significant statistical evidence to affirm that: – there are no differences between stakeholders, regarding the importance that the Volta a Portugal stage in MDB has for the local tourism development. The proof value is higher than the significance level, thus rejecting the RH1. Overall, the stakeholders attributed 4.54 points on a 5-point Likert scale. Although the perception is identical, the Spectators attributes a higher importance than the Others, with averages of 4.56 and 4.33, respectively; – regarding the second RH, there was no evidence of differences by groups, regarding the degree of overall satisfaction with the event, thus rejecting the RH2. The participants are globally satisfied with the event, being the group of Spectators who is most pleased, with an average of 4.46 on the Likert scale of 5 points;

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– concerning the third RH, there are no differences regarding the loyalty of participation, on the part of the different players in the Volta a Portugal stage in MDB, since the evidence value presented a value higher than the level of significance. However, it was possible to verify that the Others group has a greater loyalty in relation to the Spectators; – it was proven, through the Pearson Correlation Coefficient test, that there is a positive, and statistically significant relationship between the global satisfaction with the event and the loyalty of participation. That is, the higher the level of satisfaction, the more likely people are to return to the event.

Table 3. Summary of research hypotheses and respective result. Research hypothesis Test performed Test value p-value Final result t-Student 1.355 0.183 Not validated RH1: RH2: t-Student 0.898 0.375 Not validated RH3: t-Student −0.89 0.374 Not validated RH4: Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient 0.604 80 age) [9], senior tourism represents about 25% of the tourism sector in the Azores [10]; senior tourism, despite needing certain care, attention and some specific needs [11], can contribute to the reduction of seasonality [2], providing more time to travel [12]. Balderas-Cejudo © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 309–319, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_28

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(2019) considers that senior tourism already represents itself as a segment of the economy, with evidence that tourism has a positive impact on the quality of life and health of seniors [13]. Hedonism, local culture, identity formation, knowledge, involvement, hospitality and safety are some of the experiences considered most memorable by tourists [14, 15]. However, the senior tourist has a high diversity of emotions that lead them to travel [16], where culture (e.g., knowledge of new places, historical and cultural sites), the search for pleasure and fun (e.g., fun, mix with fellow tourists, adventure), relaxation (e.g., relax, emotionally and physically refreshed) and physical mobility (engage in sports, active, get close to nature) are the most common motivational factors among senior tourists [17]. Utama and Sunsato (2016) [2] refer that these tourists seek cultural attractions, festivals, nature and cultural interaction, which may vary because they are a very heterogeneous group [15, 18, 19] willing to participate in new and different tourism experiences [9]. Senior tourists who tend to travel abroad are motivated by factors such as personal development, relaxation and socialization [20, 21]. Considering the policy of clusters as a considerable value for tourism development when adapted to the specificities of the regional tourism sector [22] and the importance of better understanding the importance of some sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., gender, education) of senior tourists [21], the present study has as main objective to know in detail the interests and activities made available in the Azores destination and find out what activities were carried out and the degree of satisfaction, to perceive the opinion of visitors so that in the future they can be enhanced, and part of strategies for products and services associated with all tourist activity and, in particular, the segment of senior tourism. To this end, we sought to answer to the following research questions: i) what are the activities made available in the Azores destination and whether or not they were carried out by tourists and how satisfied are they with them?; ii) what are the main thematic areas developed by tourists during their stay and their degree of satisfaction?; iii) how these thematic areas fit the profile of tourists visiting the Azores?; iv) will the thematic areas referring to the activities available in the Azores destination and their degree of satisfaction differ according to the tourist profile?; and v) what are the main activities developed by tourists and in which they were very satisfied considering their profile?; and, still, vi) what are the activities that were not carried out, but that the tourists expressed more interest in developing in the future.

2 Methodology The sample used in the present work comprises 1000 tourists who visited the Azores, an archipelagic region in the middle of the Atlantic belonging to Portugal and consisting of nine islands, from May 2017 to May 2019, using a cluster sampling strategy. The sample includes tourists of both sexes, mostly female (54.2%), mainly from abroad (51.8%), aged between 55 and 90 years old, and especially located in the 55–64 age group years (49.4%), with educational qualifications tending to higher education (39.2%); in terms of health perception, it should be noted that 44.5% of them perceive their health status as good and the majority of these tourists are retired (62.9%) (Fig. 1).

Senior Tourism Activities and Interests in the Azores as a Destination Male no_retired 70 60 yes_retired 50 40 30 Excellent 20 10 Good 0 Satisfact. Bad_Unsatisfact.

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Female Foreign National 55 - 64 years 65 - 74 years 75 + years

High Educ. Primary educ. Secondary Educ.

Fig. 1. Radar chart showing some sociodemographic characteristics

Of the senior tourists who travel to the Azores, 73.7% of them live with a partner and stay in the Region between eight and twenty days (41%), perceive their social position as high or very high (58.3%), stay mostly in hotels (68.7%) and travel mainly with family and friends (72.6%). Travel reservations are mostly made through travel agencies (59.8%), but there is a great interest in booking via the Internet (25.9%). It should also be noted that 66.8% of senior tourists who visited the Azores show a high degree of satisfaction with the choice of destination. The questionnaire used includes several groups of questions, such as those related to i) sociodemographic characterization (e.g., sex, age, nationality, marital status, educational level), ii) related to health and well-being (e.g., perceived health, level of satisfaction with health), iii) related to the trip (e.g., interests and activities and their degree of participation and satisfaction with them), iv) related to the degree of satisfaction with the Azores as a destination and the Senior Tourist Motivation Scale (STMS; Silva, Medeiros, Moniz, Tomás, Vieira, Furtado, Santos, & Ferreira, 2018 [23]) which is composed of a set of seventeen items regarding the reasons for visiting the Azores. The collected data were analyzed using IBM © SPSS Statistics 25, using various statistical methods, carrying out analyzes within the scope of Descriptive Statistics and Inferential Statistics. Among the applied methods, the results obtained based on the Multiple Correspondence Analysis and the Non-Hierarchical Cluster Analysis stand out, as well as some of the results obtained using non-parametric tests.

3 Results and Discussion The characterization of the senior tourist who visits the Azores is related to the profile of the senior tourist identified in several studies [6, 9, 24, 28]. To get to know senior tourists better, it is necessary to know what their interests and favorite activities are and how satisfied they are after doing them. Figure 2 shows the main activities developed by the inquired during the visit to the Azores and the respective degree of satisfaction in carrying them out. Nature tourism is one of the

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sectors most welcomed by senior tourists [2, 20], and satisfaction with the activities carried out may be related to the expectations of senior tourists when organizing the trip.

I didn't, but I'm interested

I did, but I wasn't satisfied

Walk Noturn animation 100.0 90.0 Handicraft 80.0 Festivals Culture Visits

70.0 60.0 50.0 40.0 30.0 20.0 10.0 0.0

I did and I was very satisfied

Landscapes Hiking Diving Golf Beach Fishing

Gastronomy

Boat ride

Shopping Parties Museums Churches

Whale Watching Hot springs Nature

Fig. 2. Main activities of interest and degree of satisfaction (%)

Despite having mentioned that they were not satisfied with the performance of certain activities (e.g., shopping (10.7%)), among the activities that tourists did not carry out, but in which they expressed interest in developing in a next visit should be highlighted, diving (65.1%), playing golf (64.4%), fishing (53.4%), whale watching (49.1%) and boat trips (48.3%), this intention meaning a possible return to carry out the activities, due to the satisfaction they had with the trip. The set of activities made available was divided into thematic areas designated as: “Contact with nature”, which includes visiting gardens, landscapes, walking and hiking, and contemplating and feeling nature; “Experiencing the sea”, which includes diving, going to the beaches, fishing, boating and whale watching; “Knowing the built and cultural heritage” includes visiting churches, museums, getting to know traditions and handicrafts; “Parties/Entertainment”, which includes parties, festivals and nightlife; and “Thermal experiences”. Figure 3 shows the results obtained, and it should be noted that the thematic areas in which tourists were most satisfied are linked to contact with nature (90.4%), with knowing the cultural and built heritage (81%) and thermal experiences (72.7%). The degrees of satisfaction may be related to the fact that the senior tourist looks for a feeling of personal development and sociability in the trips [21], getting to know stories and the culture of new places, having fun, venturing away from their area of residence, looking for places where good weather allows them to relax close to nature [17, 26]. When tourists are satisfied with the trip, this satisfaction influences not only the domain of leisure but also the domain of sociability, well-being, culture, love and family [27].

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In order to see if tourists can present different typologies, taking into account the sociodemographic characteristics (sex, nationality, age group, educational qualifications, etc.), their perception of their health status, the reasons for visiting the Azores defined through STMS (F1 - Personal Knowledge and Enrichment, F2 - Sociability and Fun, F3 - Identity Exploration and Well-Being Search) and the thematic areas related to the interests and activities carried out or proposed during the stay in the Azores (Contact with nature, Knowing the heritage, Thermal experiences, Experiencing the sea, Parties/Entertainment), the associations between these variables were researched using a Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA). Subsequently, the non-hierarchical method of k-means was applied, based on the coordinates of the individuals in the two main components retained in the MCA, to maximize the differences between individuals included in different clusters, to group individuals in these clusters and to confirm the profiles identified in the MCA. The main characteristics of the 1000 tourists were evaluated for each of the three clusters, with 20.9% of the total in cluster 1, 51.2% in cluster 2 and 27.9% in cluster 3. Based on the results obtained, it appears that the first profile of senior tourists (cluster 1) is that of “Happy with little”. This is mainly made up of national tourists (70.7%), mostly between 55–74 years old, predominantly female (57.0%), with lower academic qualifications, who were more satisfied with the activities carried out as part of the respective thematic areas, which at STMS consider the three factors to be very important: knowledge and personal enrichment, sociability and fun, and identity exploration and well-being. The second profile corresponds to “Younger and more satisfied” (cluster 2). It consists of tourists of national predominance (54.1%), younger (55–64 years), mostly female (55.8%), with higher qualifications (43.7% have higher education), very satisfied with the trip (70%) and with the activities carried out and included in the thematic areas (knowledge of nature, heritage and spas). Also, sociability and fun are considered very important reasons for traveling (71%). The third profile concerns “More demanding” tourists (cluster 3), mainly comprising non-national tourists (80.2%), over 64 years old (78.7%), and a large part (43.6%) with higher education. They are more demanding of the trip, as well as of the activities carried out, have been more satisfied with those of the knowledge of nature, heritage, sea and, finally, the thermal baths. They did not attribute any relevant importance to the reasons for visiting the Azores. For Otoo and Kim (2018), there are several multiplicities of motivations among senior tourists, in which age is more related to “status motivations” that include ego/self-esteem, updating and novelty. These authors argue that ego motivation influences self-development, the desire to feel privileged [16]. A study that evaluated the visit of European seniors to Thailand found that the nationality of tourists was related to visiting new places, looking for new knowledge and cultural enrichment [26]. Patuelli and Nijkamp (2016) found differences between the type of nationalities and the motivations/experiences, verifying that American tourists were more interested in adventure-related activities while Asian tourists were less interested in socializing activities [20]. Alén et al. (2015) maintain that the senior tourist has totally different needs, so an analysis approach by segments is more appropriate for the understanding of this highly

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differentiated group [24]. Thus, to have a more detailed knowledge of the activities and interests revealed during their stay in the Azores, the different profiles of senior tourists detected in the study sample were taken into account. For this purpose, we investigated whether the areas of activities offered at the destination Azores and their degree of satisfaction differ according to the tourist profile. According to the Kruskal-Wallis test, there are statistically significant differences between the clusters (tourist profile) of senior tourists concerning their thematic areas available: cluster 2 consider of the highest importance contact with nature and knowing the heritage, while cluster 1 is more satisfied with the thermal experience and parties (Table 1). The Kruskal-Wallis test it is considered the nonparametric alternative to the one-way ANOVA, and an extension of the Mann-Whitney U test to allow the comparison of more than two independent groups based on mean ranks. Table 1. Thematic areas by cluster (touristic profile) Cluster Contact with nature C1 C2 C3 Know the heritage C1 C2 C3 Experience the sea C1 C2 C3 Thermal experiences C1 C2 C3 Parties C1 C2 C3

Mean ranks 273.90 275.37 206.57 216.47 217.04 147.75 104.44 105.41 113.75 105.46 90.71 56.50 286.98 274.66 202.73

H value p 68.820 0.000

33.575

0.000

0.329

0.849

8.164

0.017

30.351

0.000

In order to analyze what are the main activities developed by tourists and in which they were very satisfied, taking into account the tourist profile, it was found that the activities carried out and in which tourists were very satisfied (more than 76% of them) were primarily: visiting landscapes, contemplating and feeling nature, experiencing gastronomy and strolling through gardens, for all groups of tourists, as shown in Fig. 3. Nature has played an important role in the development of tourist destinations [3, 4, 28], providing experiences that contribute to the satisfaction of tourists and contributing to the quality of life of local communities [29]. This satisfaction may be related to the fact that ecotourism has a significant impact on the quality of life of seniors [30]. Gastronomy is another segment that has gained attention, for local foods offer enormous potential in terms of contributing to differentiation, specialization and competitiveness in the destination [31].

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Fig. 3. Activities carried out and in which tourists were very satisfied

These differences between the clusters may be because the senior tourist may experience a decrease in taste and olfactory sensitivity, preferring familiar foods instead of experiencing local cuisine [31], for gastronomic preferences may vary from according to age, sex and social status [13]. It should also be noted that tourists from cluster 1 (C1) felt very satisfied with activities related to tradition (91.4%), visiting places with handicrafts (89.9%), churches (88.9%) and museums (86%), while tourists from cluster 2 (C2) showed a preference for traditional activities (92.7%) and visiting places with handicrafts (82.8%), and tourists from C3 preferred getting to know traditional activities (74.7). Concerning the degree of satisfaction with the activities carried out (very satisfied), it is worth mentioning that the profile of tourists is relatively similar among national tourists (C1 and C2) and is more differentiated in the group with a majority of non-national visitors (C3), as shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 4. Degree of satisfaction (very satisfied) with the activities carried out

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In order to see the activities with potential interest for this segment of tourists, the activities that were not carried out by the tourists were analyzed, but in which most of them expressed interest of developing in the future (at least 50% of them), the most mentioned being diving, golf and fishing for all tourist groups, as shown in Fig. 5.

80.0%

70.0% 69.6%

70.0% 60.0%

60.5%

53.7% 52.4% 50.6%

62.5%

57.1% 57.6%

50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0%

C1

C2

Diving

Golf

C3

Fishing

Fig. 5. Activities not carried out, but which showed interest (%) by cluster

When preparing their trip, seniors look for activity packages of greater safety and accessibility, as recommended by other seniors [32].

4 Conclusions and Implications Knowing about the characteristics of senior tourists, and in particular, their preferred activities and interests certainly contributes to the improvement and/or development of tourism products and services for that market segment, taking into account their individual needs and diverse expectations. Senior tourists who visited the Azores participate more actively and express high satisfaction when carrying out activities especially linked to nature, cultural and built heritage, and thermal experiences, activities that favor their social and psychological well-being. Among the activities they did and were very satisfied with, it is worth highlighting that of admiring landscapes, contemplating and feeling nature, experiencing the gastronomy and strolling through gardens. Based on their sociodemographic characteristics, factors related to the motivations to visit the Azores, and according to the thematic areas associated with the interests and preferred activities during their stay in the destination, it was concluded that there are three different profiles of senior tourists visiting the Azores. There are significant differences between groups of tourists (cluster) according to the thematic area provided, with tourists integrated into cluster 1 being more satisfied with activities related to thermal experiences and parties compared to the other groups, while tourists belonging to cluster 2 are more satisfied with activities related to nature and heritage.

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The preference of senior tourists for contact with nature should continue to underline the course of environmental sustainability of the Azores as a destination, leading to the reinforcement and adoption of such policies, creating awareness and participation, in an organized and properly coordinated manner, of local communities and all those involved in the tourism system. On the other hand, knowing the specificity of the profiles of senior tourists can help to enhance and redesign the policies and strategies to be developed by public and private tourism institutions, monitoring all this activity in a coordinated manner, ensuring adequate planning, harmonious regulation and the promotion of the destination’s sustainability, to provide high-quality products and services that provide unique and well-being experiences. Funding. This study was funded under the research project “Senior Tourism and Wellness in the Azores: Creating a Cultural Product (TuSénior 55+), by the PO Program Azores 2020 and the Regional Government of the Azores (reference ACORES -01-0145 - FEDER-00002 Senior 55+).

References 1. FCT: Visão e desafios para 2030. In: Agenda temática de investigação e inovação: turismo, lazer e hospitalidade. Fundação para Ciência e Tecnologia, Lisboa (2019) 2. Utama, I., Susanto, P.: Destination development model for foreign senior tourists. J. Bus. Hospitality Tourism 2(1), 1–16 (2016) 3. Medeiros, T., Silva, O., Furtado, S., Moniz, A.I., Vieira, V., Tomás, L.: Health perception, travel concerns, and senior tourist satisfaction. In: Rocha, Á., Abreu, A., Carvalho, J., Liberato, D., González, E., Liberato, P. (eds.) Advances in Tourism, Technology and Smart Systems, pp. 405–414. Springer, Singapore (2020) 4. Medeiros, T., Moniz, A.I., Tomás, L., Silva, O., Furtado, S., Vieira, V., Santos, C., Ferreira, J.: Motivations and activities of senior tourists: challenge of sustainability in islands. In: Sánchez-Fernández, M.D., Ríos-Manríquez, M. (eds.) El sector organizacional turístico desde uma visión internacional, pp. 119–135. Red de Nuevas Tendencias de Gestión (RENUTEG), España (2019) 5. Alén, E., Domínguez, T., Losada, N.: New opportunities for the tourism market: Senior tourism and accessible tourism. In: Kanimoglu, M. (ed.) Visions for Global Tourism Industry - Creating and Sustaining Competitive Strategies, pp. 139–166. Intech, Croacia (2012) 6. Alén, E., Losada, N., Domínguez, T.: The impact of ageing on the tourism industry: an approach to the senior tourist profile. Soc. Indic. Res. 127(1), 303–322 (2015) 7. Losada, N., Alén, E., Domínguez, T., Nicolau, J.: Travel frequency of seniors tourists. Tour. Manag. 53, 88–95 (2016) 8. Tiago, M., Couto, J., Tiago, F., Faria, S.: Baby boomers turning grey: European profiles. Tour. Manag. 54, 13–22 (2016) 9. Patterson, I., Balderas, A.: Continuing and emerging trends of senior tourism: a review of the literature. J. Popul. Age. (2018). http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12062-018-9228-4. Accessed 27 May 2020 10. Observatório de Turismo dos Açores: Satisfação do turista que visita os Açores 2010–2018 (2020). https://datastudio.google.com/reporting/1dVrLaxgEz6D3xDYgJLZp3wZzR6LCB X2X/page/KthH?s=n6XD_YbbNKY. Accessed 7 June 2020

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11. Zsarnoczky, M.: Developing senior tourism in Europe. Pannon Management Review 3–4(6), 201–213 (2017) 12. Eusébio, C., Carneiro, M., Kastenholz, E., Alvelos, H.: Social tourism programmes for the senior market: a benefit segmentation analysis. J. Tourism Cult. Change 15(1), 59–79 (2016) 13. Balderas-Cejudo, M.: Towards a deeper understanding of senior tourists: challenges and opportunities of an emerging market segment. J. Tourism Heritage Res. 2(2), 262–277 (2019) 14. Coelho, M., Gosling, M.: Memorable tourism experience (MTE): a scale proposal and test. Tourism Manag. Stud. 14(4), 15–24 (2018) 15. Moniz, A., Medeiros, T., Silva, O., Ferreira, J.: The effects of senior tourists’ characteristics on travel motivation. In: Rocha, Á., Abreu, A., Carvalho, J., Liberato, D., González, E., Liberato, P. (eds.) Advances in Tourism, Technology and Smart Systems, pp. 415–425. Springer, Singapore (2020) 16. Otoo, F., Kim, S.: Analysis of studies on the travel motivations of senior tourists from 1980 to 2017: progress and future directions. Curr. Issues Tourism 23(4), 393–417 (2018) 17. Vigolo, V., Siemoni, F., Cassia, F., Ugolini, M.: The effects of travel motivation on satisfaction: the case of older tourists. Int. J. Bus. Soc. Sci. 9(2), 19–30 (2018) 18. Alén, E., Nicolau, J., Losada, N., Domínguez, T.: Determinant factors of senior tourists’ length of stay. Ann. Tourism Res. 49, 19–32 (2014) 19. Silva, O., Medeiros, T., Moniz, A., Tomás, L., Furtado, S., Ferreira, J.: Tourists’ characteristics, travel motivation and satisfaction. In: Rocha, Á., Abreu, A., Carvalho, J., Liberato, D., González, E., Liberato, P. (eds.) Advances in Tourism, Technology and Smart Systems, pp. 427–436. Springer, Singapore (2020) 20. Patuelli, R., Nijkamp, P.: Travel motivations of seniors: a review and a meta-analytical assessment. Tourism Econ. 22(4), 847–862 (2016) 21. Wijaya, S., Wahyudi, W., Kusuma, C., Sugianto, E.: Travel motivation of Indonesian seniors in choosing destination overseas. Int. J. Cult. Tourism Hospitality Res. 12(2), 185–197 (2018) 22. Benner, M.: From clusters to smart specialization: tourism in institution-sensitive regional development policies. Economies 5(3), 26 (2017) 23. Silva, O., Medeiros, T., Tomás, L., Vieira, V., Furtado, S., Santos, C., Ferreira, J.: Escala de motivações dos turistas seniores. In: 25th APDR Congress, pp. 372–378. APDR Lisboa (2018) 24. Alén, E., Losada, N., Carlos, P.: Profiling the segments of senior tourists throughout motivation and travel characteristics. Curr. Issues Tourism 20(14), 1454–1469 (2017) 25. Ma, A., Chow, A., Cheung, L., Lee, K., Liu, S.: Impacts of tourists’ sociodemographic characteristics on the travel motivation and satisfaction: the case of protected areas in South China. Sustainability 10(10), 3388 (2018) 26. Seyanont, A.: Travel motivation and intention to revisit of European senior tourists to Thailand. Univ. J. Manag. 5(8), 365–372 (2017) 27. Woo, E., Kim, H., Uysal, M.: A measure of quality of life in elderly tourists. Appl. Res. Qual. Life 11(1), 65–82 (2014) 28. An, L., Markowski, J., Bartos, M., Rzenca, A., Namiecinski, P.: An evaluation of destination attractiveness for nature-based tourism: recommendations for the management of national parks in Vietnam. Nat. Conserv. 32, 51–80 (2019) 29. Zacarias, D., Loyola, R.: How ecotourism affects human communities. In: Blumstein, D., Geffroy, B., Samia, D., Bessa, E. (eds.) Ecotourism’s Promise and Peril, pp. 133–151. Springer International Publishing, Cham (2017) 30. Ezzati, M., Refahi, Z., Qeltash, A.: The impact of ecotourism on quality of life of elderly orientation. Int. J. Med. Res. Health Sci. 2(11), 636–642 (2016)

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Senior Tourism: Concerns and Satisfaction with the Trip Teresa Medeiros1,3(&) , Osvaldo Silva2 and Carlos Santos4

, Sheila Furtado3

,

1

IPCDSH from the University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal [email protected] 2 CICS.UAc/CICS, NOVA.UAc, University of the Azores, Ponta Delgada, Portugal 3 University of the Azores, Ponta Delgada, Portugal 4 University of the Azores and Azores Tourism Observatory, Ponta Delgada, Portugal

Abstract. Active aging associated with a new paradigm of life promotes senior tourism as a booming sector. In the Azores, tourism has increased in recent years (one of the best destinations in the Atlantic), bringing new multidisciplinary challenges. Based on a sample of tourists who visited the Azores (n = 1000, ages 55–94; 54.2% female), this paper proposes to analyze their concerns with the trip. A senior tourism questionnaire was used. The application of nonparametric tests shows that: the concern with the location of the accommodation, medical care and health care, the existence of a tourist guide and the trip cost differs according to sex; the concerns with flight schedules, location of accommodation, medical care, existence of a tourist guide and mobility conditions vary according to age; the concerns with security in the destination, climate, comfortable lodging, gastronomy, existence of a tourist guide, trip price and the residents’ hospitality vary according to satisfaction wit trip. Keywords: Aging


Travel concerns
Health
Satisfaction
Senior tourism

1 Introduction The senior tourism segment is an increasingly emerging sector nowadays. The increased life expectancy associated with a higher quality of life, containing experiences of well-being and happiness, give rise to senior tourism around the world. Middle-aged adults and middle-class and upper-class older people increasingly seek to know and experience the present and “here and now” moment. Tourism thus contributes to the development of positive experiences, social integration, and the mitigation of the effects of aging [1, 2]. Hence it is necessary to listen to senior tourists, understand their motivations and concerns to have a broad view about this specific economy, which is very distinct from the youth tourism economy. Senior tourism has intrapersonal motivations and restrictions that influence their leisure preferences and determine the likelihood of making decisions that influence the consumption of a particular tourism product [3, 4]. However, from a theoretical point © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 320–330, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_29

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of view, there is a relationship between sociodemographic characteristics, motivation, and characteristics that lead seniors to travel, taking into account the stages of life of the senior tourist, in which the factors of self-perception (e.g., health, available time perception, economic status) determine the motivation or demotivation to undertake a trip [5, 6]. Several research works draw attention to this reality [2, 7–10]. Vigolo, Simeoni, Cassia and Ugolini [11] report that the travel motivation for the majority of senior tourists is relaxation, capable of enhancing satisfaction with the destination. In its turn, willingness to experience nature, to visit new places, to relax and to occupy free time were the main travel motivations identified by Lee and Cox [12]. In the study conducted by Kim, Wei and Ruys, improving well-being and making new friends were also important motivations to travel [4]. According to Utama [13], older people are more satisfied when looking for destinations never before visited, when they recognize the opportunity to acquire new experiences and sensations, and when the destination presents health infrastructure conditions, quality of services and tourist guides. According to the theory of ecological systems and life events, travel behavior is influenced by the activities people enjoy and engage in, depending on the characteristics of their interpersonal relationships, the social roles they play, their lifestyle, their personal beliefs and the contribution to their personal development, bearing in mind that throughout one’s life one goes through different processes of transition-adaptation [8]. The fact that senior tourists have the time, and can travel without seasonal or working restrictions, allows the tourism sector to overcome seasonality, which is very common in sun and sea destinations, making the senior tourism economy very attractive economically and deserving attention from governments and tourism policies. Seniors contribute to promoting the development of the local economy [1, 4, 14, 15]. However, much remains to be known about this emerging economy, which cannot be dissociated from all recent research on aging, gerontology and health. Tourism is an industry of enormous importance in general, but particularly in islands such as the Azores archipelago (nine islands in the middle of the Atlantic between Europe and America), where the export of products is not abundant and the employment sector is limited. In this context, the tourism sector makes it possible to leverage the local economy by creating businesses and services related to it, significantly increasing employment, as it has been the case over the last three years [16–19]. As stated previously [16] “the Azores have been recognized as a world reference destination, characterized by its beautiful landscapes, typical products of excellence, being the only insular region in Europe that produces tea, offering quality experiences and its unique culture and the diversity of its ecosystems.” These features contributed to the following awards: one of the ten most sustainable destinations in the world, the best destination in the world, the most beautiful place in the world, and the best destination in the Atlantic [7, 20–23]. A survey conducted by the Azores Tourism Observatory in 2017 [24] shows that tourists visiting the Azores region are happy with the destination and value the landscapes, nature, safety, contemplation activities, garden visits, sports activities, and jeep rides. These last two attributes are more associated with younger tourists.

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35.00% 30.00% 25.00% 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% 5.00% 0.00% 2010

2011

2012

55 - 64 years

2013

2014

2015

> 65 years

2016

2017

2018

Total

Fig. 1. “Senior” tourists who visited Azores between 2010 and 2018

However, between the years 2010 and 2018 senior tourism represented 20% to 31% of the tourism in the Azores Islands (see. Fig. 1)1. Despite the increasing demand of tourists to the Azores as a destination and the fact that the region has gained international recognition due to the unique natural ecosystems and richness of its sea, sustainable island tourism is a huge challenge given the concerns of environmental preservation and local heritage [25–27]. Tourists who choose the islands as a tourism destination are mainly looking for more personal experiences in a natural environment where human intervention is minimal, which poses a challenge for tourism policies [10, 28]. Therefore the challenge is, on the one hand, to preserve nature, to allow deep experiences of well-being and, on the other, to minimize the negative impacts of tourism [29, 30]. Given these assumptions, it is therefore important to study senior tourists, as we have been doing through the “TuSénior 55+” Project (supported by the 2020 Azores Program), to address the characteristics of senior tourists, motivations, satisfaction and travel behavior to optimize health and well-being in senior tourists, in balance with the residents’ quality of life and interaction with the environment and with other people [4, 26, 31–34].

2 Materials and Methods The study adopts a quantitative approach and the data were collected through a purpose-built questionnaire, aimed at tourists aged 55 and over, who visited the Azores between May 2017 and April 2019. The target population of this study was defined as tourists visiting the archipelago of the Azores. For data collection, a sample was

1

https://otacores.com/inquerito/evolucao-desde-2010/.

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selected using a cluster sampling strategy, which included hotels, local accommodation, rural accommodation, cultural spaces and street spaces, both in the Azores islands and in mainland Portugal, as well as in the United States of America. The survey was put into practice individually, questioning tourists who visited the region and were at least 55 years old, a criterion based on studies of senior tourism [35] and the arguments of Plog (2005), Prideaux, Wei and Ruys (2001) and Ramos (2005) (as referred to in Losada et al. [14]) about the baby boom generation (which is approximately 55 years old and believed to be responsible for economy changes). Data analysis was performed using the IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 25) statistical program. The sample is made up of 1000 senior tourists, aged 55 to 94 years (M = 64.87; SD = 7.37; Mode = 60). The age of the participants was analyzed in three age groups, namely: (i) 55-64 years (57.4% of the sample); (ii) 65–74 years (40.8%); (iii) 75+ years (1.8% of the sample). Of the 1,000 tourists who participated in the study, 529 were female (54.2%) and 447 male (45.8%), most of them senior tourists who visited the Azores are married (71.5%), not of Portuguese origin (51.8%), retired (62.9%) and without physical limitations (86.5%) or food restrictions (87.4% of the sample). Since all items of travel concerns are on the ordinal scale, nonparametric tests were used, namely the Mann-Whitney U and the Kruskal-Wallis test.

3 Results 3.1

Travel Concerns

As far as travel concerns are considered, senior tourists consider destination safety (47.2% of the sample) to be very important, and consider important the flight time (38.8%), the climate (51.9%), comfortable accommodation (51.6%), accommodation location (50.5%), food supply (52.7%), medical care and health care (40.5%), the price of the trip (49%), mobility conditions (46.5%) and residents’ hospitality (46.9%), as can be seen in Fig. 2. These results show that, like other published work, older people pay close attention to safety issues, the quality of services, and housing characteristics (cf. [10, 11, 13, 14]), as well as to doctor/nurse availability [4, 34], hygiene and sanitation conditions [4] and language issues [34]. Albayrak, Caber and Bideci [33] also noted that senior tourists give great importance to price, climate, proximity to the destination and a priori information. The Mann-Whitney U test shows that travel concerns vary according to gender, and there are statistically significant differences between the two genders regarding accommodation location, medical care and health care, the existence of a tourist guide and the trip cost, being that women attribute more importance to these aspects (cf. Table 1). According to the Kruskal-Wallis test, there are statistically significant differences between the age groups of senior tourists concerning their travel planning concerns: for those aged 75 and over are more concerned with the flight time, lodging location, medical care and health care, existence of a tourist guide and mobility conditions (cf. Table 2).

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Fig. 2. Travel concerns – very Important and Important (%) Table 1. Concerns about travel according to gender Sex Male Female Security in the destination Male Female Climate Male Female Comfortable Lodging Male Female Lodging location Male Female Gastronomy/Meals Male Female Language barriers Male Female Cultural gap Male Female Medical assistance and health treatments Male Female Guide and/or Tourism expert availability Male Female Trip Price Male Female Mobility conditions/Accessibilities Male Female Hospitality Male Female Flight hours

Average 470,32 47803 459,00 486,48 479,25 472,37 464,67 485,47 442,60 491,14 467,43 469,40 459,23 480,04 450,54 472,51 452,05 486,81 448,64 486,81 453,76 495,64 457,67 487,59 462,51 485,48

U Value p 109725,5 0,625 104703 0,091 110267 0,674 107243 0,198 97595,5 0,004 108253,5 0,903 104831,5 0,225 100846 0,196 101673,5 0,037 1007191 0,026 102553,5 0,011 104131,5 0,073 106304 0,162

Senior Tourism: Concerns and Satisfaction with the Trip Table 2. Travel concerns by age brackets Age brackets Flight time 55–64 years 65–74 years 75+ years Security in the destination 55–64 years 65–74 years 75+ years Climate 55–64 years 65–74 years 75+ years Comfortable Lodging 55–64 years 65–74 years 75+ years Lodging location 55–64 years 65–74 years 75+ years Gastronomy/Meals 55–64 years 65–74 years 75+ years Language barriers 55–64 years 65–74 years 75+ years Cultural gap 55–64 years 65–74 years 75+ years Medical assistance and health treatments 55–64 years 65–74 years 75+ years Guide and/or Tourism expert availability 55–64 years 65–74 years 75+ years Trip Price 55–64 years 65–74 years 75+ years Mobility conditions/Accessibilities 55–64 years 65–74 years 75+ years Hospitality 55–64 years 65–74 years 75+ years

Average H Value p 481,08 470,13 544,87 484,62 475,92 504,00 474,00 491,44 503,56 484,85 485,90 487,33 458,48 489,06 536,61 476,01 471,84 500,06 470,68 483,61 504,89 454,40 484,13 506,14 454,64 504,80 520,16 457,76 493,66 529,30 479,83 488,24 508,52 471,50 470,14 575,30 477,54 488,46 491,56

6,434

0,040

0,998

0,607

1,670

0,434

0,010

0,995

9,096

0,011

0,996

0,608

1,533

0,465

4,678

0,096

10,482

0,005

7,866

0,020

1,112

0,573

14,690

0,001

0,505

0,777

325

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Satisfaction with the Trip

Regarding satisfaction with the trip, most participants are very satisfied (61,8% of the sample) or quite satisfied (24.9%) with their trip, which shows the quality of tourism in the Azores; the data suggest an increase in the satisfaction of tourists who visited the region, given that data advanced by the Azores Tourism Observatory [24] show that, in 2016, tourists were satisfied with the destination. It follows that older people are most satisfied when the destination offers good conditions in terms of health infrastructure, quality of services, and good tourism guides [13]. The Kruskal-Wallis test shows that there are statistically significant differences regarding the importance they attribute to security in the destination, climate, comfortable lodging, gastronomy, existence of a tourist guide, trip price and the residents’ hospitality between tourists who are very satisfied with their trip and the rest (cf. Table 3).

Table 3. Travel concerns depending on travel satisfaction Flight time

Security in the destination

Climate

Comfortable Lodging

Lodging location

Gastronomy/Meals

Language barriers

Cultural gap

Trip satisfaction NS/PS/S/VS* Satisfied Very satisfied NS/PS/S/VS* Satisfied Very satisfied NS/PS/S/VS* Satisfied Very satisfied NS/PS/S/VS* Satisfied Very satisfied NS/PS/S/VS* Satisfied Very satisfied NS/PS/S/VS* Satisfied Very satisfied NS/PS/S/VS* Satisfied Very satisfied NS/PS/S/VS* Satisfied Very satisfied

Average H value p 465,05 5,918 0,052 420,48 467,75 414,80 7,462 0,024 436,98 471,62 406,51 11,250 0,004 429,40 474,84 397,14 9,353 0,009 457,01 470,56 434,89 4,385 0,112 428,71 465,12 406,51 13,833 0,001 417,16 473,87 421,03 2,673 0,263 467,89 452,31 411,87 2,558 0,278 454,45 448,41 (continued)

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Table 3. (continued) Trip satisfaction Medical assistance and health treatments NS/PS/S/VS* Satisfied Very satisfied Guide and/or Tourism expert availability NS/PS/S/VS* Satisfied Very satisfied Trip Price NS/PS/S/VS* Satisfied Very satisfied Mobility conditions/Accessibilities NS/PS/S/VS* Satisfied Very satisfied Hospitality NS/PS/S/VS* Satisfied Very satisfied * Not satisfied at all/ Not satisfied/ Satisfied/ Very satisfied

Average H value 465,14 0,470 446,40 454,66 371,04 18,321 437,89 477,14 405,30 7,893 453,39 472,86 451,91 1,861 439,16 465,21 349,65 54,336 404,48 502,74

p 0,791

0,000

0,019

0,391

0,000

4 Conclusions Senior tourism is booming, being mainly characterized by the availability of seniors to travel in the low season (which has a positive impact on seasonality reduction) and their purchasing power so that public and private authorities have increasingly paid attention to this niche economy. The present study concludes that senior tourists visiting the Azores are very satisfied with their trip and give greater importance to safety at their destination. It has also been found that the location of accommodation, medical and health care, the existence of a tourist guide and the trip cost vary in importance according to gender; whereas the importance attributed to flight time, lodging location, medical care and health care, existence of a tourist guide and mobility conditions varies according to age group; and that the importance given to security in the destination, climate, comfortable lodging, gastronomy, existence of a tourist guide, trip price and residents’ hospitality varies with satisfaction with travel. The group of concerns and knowledge previously collected about travel by senior tourists makes an important contribution to the enrichment of senior tourism research and the enhancement and/or development of tourism products adapted to the aging population. Senior tourism, as a growing niche economy, requires the adoption of tourism policies in a context of sustainable development, including environmental measures, accessibility, health and safety measures. In addition, the results found constitute privileged information for the analysis of the decision-making process of senior tourists, regarding the planning of their trip and, consequently, for the definition

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of regional tourism development strategies, to adapt the existing offer or creating new products that address the concerns of this niche economy. Senior tourism is an important segment that has received increasing attention from public and private authorities, and has also attracted interest in new research areas. Although the subject of travel planning concerns is relatively well studied in the tourism literature, it is still underexplored, specifically concerning senior tourism. So it will be appropriate in future studies to look at the aspects that senior tourists take into account when planning a leisure trip, which may influence their decision to travel and ultimately the choice of their destination. Funding. This study was funded under the research project “Senior Tourism and Wellness in the Azores: Creating a Cultural Product (TuSénior 55+), by the PO Program Azores 2020 and the Regional Government of the Azores (reference ACORES -01-0145 - FEDER-00002 Senior 55+).

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Jellyfish Swarms and Degree of Exposure and Vulnerability of Recreational and Tourist Activities on Beaches. Methodological Approach to Their Assessment in the Lagos-Ferrara Sector (Málaga, Spain) Francisco José Cantarero Prados1(&) and Alejandro Miguel Moreno Portillo2 1

Department of Geography, Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, University of Malaga, Campus Universitario de Teatinos, s/n, 29071 Malaga, Spain [email protected] 2 Faculty of Tourism, University of Malaga, s/n León Tolstoi St., Campus de Teatinos, 29071 Malaga, Spain [email protected]

Abstract. An important part of the economy of the municipalities on the southern Spanish coast revolves around tourist activity, whose main attraction is the sun and beach. Events such as the arrival of swarms of jellyfish on their beaches have generated a certain amount of fear in the tourism sector. This work presents a methodological essay to evaluate the possible impact of this phenomenon on the use of the beach and the tourist economic activity linked to it. The chosen study area is the stretch of coast between the beaches of “Lagos” and “Ferrara” (eastern coast of the province of Málaga). It is developed from a risk management perspective, addressing exposure and vulnerability factors. The sources are mainly surveys. The results show that in the short term there are no clear consequences, but there are in the long term. Keywords: Vulnerability
beaches
jellyfish
risk
tourism
Málaga
Spain

1 Introduction Swarms of jellyfish (mainly Pelagia noctiluca) could represent a threat to tourist activity on the Costa del Sol (Spain). This fear has been aroused by the intense arrival of this species on its beaches in the summer of 2018. Jelly distribution and proliferation has been studied for a long time from various scientific approaches. Condon et al. [9] states that recurrent jellyfish swarms are a consequence of global oscillations. The rates of colony emergence have been compared to the current process of climate change [4], but it cannot be said that there is an unequivocal relationship between increased jellyfish swarms emergence rates and global warming [16, 20]. This phenomenon has also been studied in the Mediterranean Sea with regard to its biological proliferation [5, 7, 22, among others] and the relationship between the appearance of swarms and climate © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 331–340, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_30

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dynamics [2]. However, despite the progress made, there is insufficient knowledge to accurately predict the future evolution of the rates of jellyfish appearance in the medium and long term, at least in the area of the Alborán Sea (southern Iberian Peninsula). The massive arrival of jellyfish in the summer of 2018 logically generated concern. It was so extraordinary that it has sown doubts about whether it was just an outlayer or a warning of a change of cycle. As this issue has not been fully calibrated, despite the progress made, uncertainty about the evolution of the rate of appearance of jellyfish is a concern on the coast of southern Spain, mainly because tourism is the main economic activity. In light of this risk, it is necessary to manage it territorially by estimating the consequences for society in scenarios of aggravation of the threat to human beings. This work has this objective: to analyze the exposure and vulnerability of human use of beaches in a sector of the southern coast of Spain. For this purpose, the analysis is structured through risk analysis from the perspective of Disaster Risk Management [3]. The analysis of exposure and vulnerability is approached, which, together with hazard, is one of the three constitutive elements of the study of natural risk from a territorial perspective [18]. If jellyfish can be considered a threat, the risk to humans is given by the probability of damage (physical, such as stings, and in the form of a drop in economic activity, in case of a decrease in economic activity) or loss (mainly due to the consequences of a hypothetical drop in visits to beaches that are affected by jellyfish). Progress has already been made with regard to the impact of jellyfish stings on human health [6, 12, 14], also at the socio-economic level in certain sectors such as fishing [17, 23] and in tourism [11, 13, 21]. The interest of this study is to consider all the possible aspects in which their appearance on the coasts can imply an effect on the human activity on the beaches, both recreational and tourist. That is to say, not only the economic activity generated by tourism is taken into account, but also the recreational use that both the local population and visitors make of the beaches. Vulnerability analysis applied to territorial risk management is widespread at both the academic and institutional levels [19] and it has been already applied to coastal management [8, 10, 25]. In the specific case of jellyfish, it is assumed that the consequences of their appearance on beaches may vary depending on the activity (recreational or economic) and the time scale in which the analysis is carried out. For example, the arrival of a swarm on a particular day could bring more economic benefits than on a day without jellyfish to certain activities such as restaurants, nearby swimming pools, pedal boats, pharmacies, etc. However, in the long term (two or three summers seen in a scenario with repeated visits of jellyfish in all of them) could cause the activity to decline due to a general decrease in tourism. Therefore, this paper attempts to address the effects that jellyfish may have by focusing on various temporal and spatial scales. The selected study area is a sector of the coast of southern Spain located in the municipalities of Velez-Malaga and Torrox. It consists of four beaches: Lagos, El Morche, El Cenicero and Ferrara, arranged from west to east (Fig. 1). They are all listed in the Guía de Playas del el Ministerio de Agricultura y Pesca, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente [15].

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Fig. 1. Location map of the study area: Sector of the coast between the beaches of Lagos and Ferrara (Málaga province, Spain). Prepared by the authors based on the World Ocean Reference (Esri, 2020), DERA (IECA, 2019), Plan Nacional de Ortofotografía Aérea (2016) and MAPAMA [15] | Terrestrial Reference System: World Geodetic System 1984.

2 Methodology The proposed methodology analyses the vulnerability of human use of beaches and their areas of influence. It is conducted using various temporal and spatial scales as proposed by Cantarero et al. [8]. Two scales are considered in the spatial dimension of the vulnerability analysis: – Detailed (beach): the one with the highest approach or resolution, the study area is limited to the beach and the seafront. – Area of influence: Covers an area that goes beyond the beach itself, reaching nearby areas where economic activity is largely related to tourist activity on the beach. At a temporary level, 2 scales are established: – Short term: addressing the possible immediate impact of the arrival of a swarm of jellyfish, that is, what happens if jellyfish swarm visits the beach on a particular day. – Long term: to consider the consequences of a possible scenario of an increase in the frequency of blooms of jellyfish in future seasons. The sources for working on these 4 spatial-temporal contexts are surveys and interviews carried out through field work both on the beach and in its area of influence. Depending on this context, one, the other or both will be used. 2.1

Analysis of Possible Short-Term Consequences

This first unit focuses on the possible immediate consequences of the arrival of a swarm of jellyfish on a particular day at the beach. This analysis is divided into two sections: the repercussions on the beach (at the use level and on economic activity linked to tourism) and on the area of influence (specifically on economic activity linked to tourism).

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Detailed Analysis (on the beach) in the Short Term (in the immediacy of time). The starting point is the evaluation of the exposure factor (of the users and the existing economic tourism activities on the beach) and then the vulnerability of both the users and the economic activities themselves. This phase of the analysis is divided into 2 factors, which in turn are broken down into 5 sub-factors measured through a total of 10 indicators. Finally, as the ending part of this section, the consequences on economic activity are also estimated, that is, the degree of affectation (positive or negative) experienced by the establishments if on a specific day a swarm of jellyfish reaches on the beach. Table 1. Analytical structure used in the methodology to estimate the exposure and vulnerability of recreational and tourist use of beaches in the detailed analysis -on the beach itself- in the short term -in the temporal immediacy-) FACTOR

SUB-FACTOR Gross exposure

INDICATOR

1 2

Exposure

Net exposure

3

Level of discomfort or dissatisfaction

User vulnerability

Protective measures against Jellyfishes (Preventive information, mitigation features, physical protection) Alternatives to bathing

Vulnerability of economic activity related to tourism

Main motivation for deciding to go to the beach Personal preference to take a bath in the sea on 100% of the occasions when going to the beach

4

Assessment of the experience in the face of the arrival of jellyfish or other impediments to bathing in the sea

5

Willingness to stay on the beach in case of the arrival of a jellyfish swarm

6 Vulnerability

Type/Provenance of users

7 8 9

Comparison of jellyfish discomfort with other unpleasant experiences at the beach Preventive information: Knowledge of the app "Infomedusa” [1] Physical protection: Jellyfish protection equipment Mitigation features: Knowledge of how to act in case of a sting Alternatives to bathing in

10 case of impossibility due to the presence of jellyfishes

Qualitative estimation through interviews with businesses in the area of study

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The following sections are dealt with: Gross Exposure. It is based on a double inventory: a count of the users who go to the beach and another one of economic activities. In the first one, users are classified according to their typology (based on their origin): locals, holidaymakers (people from outside the municipality or region of study who spend in it their summer holidays), occasional tourists (visitors who change their destination regularly and therefore will probably choose a new destination in the coming years). In economic activities level, it is took into account both those located on the sand itself and those located on the built seafront are taken into account. Net Exposure. This name is intended to define the number of users who may indeed be affected by the presence of jellyfish. These are the ones that come to the beach with the intention of taking a bath. Those who come with other intentions are not counted. Two criteria are proposed to estimate this factor: a) main motivation for deciding to go to the beach, b) personal preference to take a bath in the sea on 100% of the occasions when going to the beach. Vulnerability. As shows Table 1, this factor is divided in 7 indicators for user’s vulnerability and addressed by qualitative estimation in the case of the vulnerability of economic activity related to tourism assessment. Analysis in the Area of Influence. Research in this area is less exhaustive than in the previous one. It focuses on economic aspects and is also implemented with field work, applying semi-structured interviews to workers in tourism-related activities. The aim is to determine whether on a day when jellyfish are present, any difference is observed in the daily activity of the business. Hotels, bars and restaurants, pharmacies and private parking lots are included in this task. 2.2

Analysis of Long-Term Consequences

Estimation of Possible Consequences on the Beach and Area of Influence in the Long Term. A survey has been used in order to evaluate the long-term social and economic effect of jellyfishes on the beach recreational uses and touristic activity. They basically question the interviewees on their preference or behaviour in the case of the scenario already proposed in this hypothesis: that a recurrent arrival of jelly-fish swarms would be experienced on their beach in the present and successive seasons. Due to the different circumstances or motivations for which the beach that is the object of this study is visited; it has been decided to separate all of these into local population, holidaymakers and occasional tourists.

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3 Results Two days were required to collect data: 25 to 26 June 2019 between 12:00–14:00 h and from 15:00–18:00 h. It was estimated that there were about 500 people on the beaches of the sector, so it was necessary to make 207 surveys to obtain results with a confidence level of 95%. 3.1

Short Term Analysis

Gross Exposure. The number of visitors to the beaches on the stretch of coast covered by this study is increasing towards its eastern end. In approximate relative values, most users are concentrated on the beach of Ferrara, 41%, followed by the beaches of El Cenicero, El Morche and Lagos with 30%, 25% and 4% respectively. In the same way, the density of establishments with a tourist function is also increasing towards the east. Figure 2 shows their distribution.

Fig. 2. Distribution of economic activities with a tourist function in the Lagos-Ferrara beach sector. Source: Own elaboration based on IECA (2020).

More than half of the users are local, reaching 63%. The rest is occupied by holidaymakers with 32% and casual visitors with only 5%. Most of them own a house in the area (83% of the users interviewed). Net Exposure Reason for Deciding to Go to the Beach. A little more than half of the users go to the beach with the main motivation of taking a bath (55%). The rest of the users (45%) come mainly for aesthetics (getting a tan), to practice sport and for entertainment, representing 26%, 16% and 3% respectively. Personal Preference to Take a Bath in the Sea on 100% of the Occasions When Going to the Beach. Most of the visitors interviewed (55%) stated that they always take a bath

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in the sea, a proportion of 35% do so almost always, 7% only if the water temperature pleases them (if it is not too cold) and the remaining 3% never take a bath in the sea. Users Vulnerability Assessment of the Experience in the Face of the Arrival of Jellyfish or Other Impediments to Bathing in the Sea. Most of the users interviewed consider that the arrival of a swarm of jellyfish implies that their experience on the beach is bad (40%) or very bad (50%), the remaining 10% observe this circumstance indifferently. Willingness to Stay on the Beach in Case of the Arrival of a Jellyfish Swarm. Despite the bad experience declared in the previous indicator, if on a given day a swarm of jellyfish appears on the beach, most visitors declare that they would remain there (81%). The remaining 19% would leave the beach. Comparison of Jellyfish Discomfort with Other Unpleasant Experiences at the Beach. When asked about a series of frequent problems, respondents rated dirt and jellyfish as the worst. On the other hand, the low water temperature, the situations of high concurrence of the beach or adverse meteorological situations such as the foehn effect (in Malaga it is known as the local term “terral”) are not a clear impediment for the users of the beaches in this area of study. Knowledge of the App “Infomedusa” [1]. Only 10% have installed some kind of application with information on the evolution of jellyfish in the coast. Use of Jellyfish Protection. Only 7% of the users interviewed use jellyfish protection. Knowledge of How to Act in Case of a Sting. Although 58% know some procedure to follow in case of a sting, some interviewees indicate remedies such as vinegar, urine that are not advised by medical protocols. Some others answered that their solution would be to go to the lifeguard for help. Alternatives to Bathing in Case of Impossibility Due to the Presence of Jellyfishes. The alternative that users contemplate in case of being impossible to take a bath is to use swimming pools, either their own (22%) or those that are accessible for various reasons (6%). A quarter would take the bother of moving to another beach while 47%, who do not have access to swimming pools, indicate that they would have to stay and be content with the situation generated by the jellyfish. Vulnerability of Economic Activity Related to Tourism. About 22% of the restaurants surveyed indicate that they have detected a certain increase in their activity during episodes of jellyfish arrival on the beach. The explanation given by the restaurant businesses interviewed is that users choose to go to their establishments when jellyfish are present. However, a majority, 78% of the remaining businesses do not indicate any change. The only spa in the area they indicate that the turnover has increased at times of high influx of jellyfish on the beaches. One pharmacy noticed more sales than normal due to demand from users who needed sting remedies. The only remaining business is a rent a car that have not noticed any change.

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Long-Term Analysis

Field surveys have also been used to find out if users would continue to choose the study area if their beaches started to experience a recurrent arrival of jellyfish in the coming seasons. 83% of local users would not change beaches. As for the tourists, moved to the area only during the holiday period, 44% would remain loyal to the beaches in the area, 39% would change beaches and 17% were undecided. On the other hand, users or occasional tourists, 17% would not change beaches, 64% would change beaches and 20% do not know if they would change.

4 Conclusions The Lagos-Ferrara sector indicates a considerable vulnerability of the beach user to the phenomenon of jellyfish swarms. Although in the short term there are no negative impacts on economic activities with a tourist function (if any positive) in the long term some current visitors indicate that they could change area if the arrival of jellyfish were to continue frequently in the future. Users show some concern in the interviews in the analysis of short-term consequences, however, the answers given in the section on prevention and protection in the event of the arrival of jellyfish (knowledge of health protocols for action, having the Infomedusa application [1] installed, etc.) indicate that there is currently no strong interest in how to act or in having predictive information about the appearance of jellyfish on the beaches they visit. In fact, a large number of these users indicate that they would tolerate the impossibility of bathing while remaining on the beach without being able to refresh themselves. The lack of knowledge or interest in having preventive information or action against consequences (stings) coincides with the results of Vandendriessche et al. [24] which indicate that most respondents on the Belgian coast had little knowledge about various aspects related to jellyfish, such as their causes, the type of threat they represent and the solutions that can be applied. The fact of having a dwelling in the area seems to be a determining factor in the way of acting. In the analysis of long-term consequences, a large majority of local users would not change beaches (83%). In the same vein, a large number of users who spend their holidays in the area (44%) would do so even if the arrival of jellyfish on the beaches were to become more frequent. Having a property in the area (a secondary residence in this case), seems to be the main reason for not moving from its beaches, besides the climate or circumstances such as having relatives residing in the area. This may be due to what Kontogianni and Emmanouilides [13] call “sense of place” in their results for the Gulf of Lion, i.e. a kind of “rooting”. This does not mean that the locals or holidaymakers enjoy the jellyfish episodes at all, but that they prefer to endure the bad experience by staying on the beach. This circumstance indicates, in a way, a kind of resilient behaviour of most of the users of these beaches. However, there is a lower proportion of holidaymakers and a high proportion of occasional tourists than if they declared that they would leave these beaches if the phenomenon were repeatedly observed in the future. This could probably mean economic losses. In this regard, it is

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necessary to continue to quantify them. Some studies have already begun in the tourism sector [17]. It would be worthwhile directing further researches to the role of the media. There are some works that have used news as a way of approaching the phenomenon of jellyfish [9, 21]. The challenge that remains is to assess the long-term effect of bad news about jellyfish on the decision-making of potential tourists.

References 1. Aula del Mar y Desarrollos Digitales Malva2: Infomedusa. Mobile phone application (2013). https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=es.infomedusa&hl=es 2. Bellido, J., Báez, J., Souviron-Priego, L., Ferri-Yañez, F., Salas, C., López, J., Real, R.: Atmospheric indices allow anticipating the incidence of jellyfish coastal swarms. Mediterr. Mar. Sci., 289–297 (2020). https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.20983 3. Birkmann, J., Kienberger, S., Alexander, D.: Assessment of Vulnerability to Natural Hazards: A European Perspective. Elsevier (2014). ISBN 0124105483, 9780124105485 4. Bjelland, H.V., Liu, Y., Knutsen, Ø., Eisenhauer, L., Mork, J., Bailey, J., Tiller, R.G.: Coming soon to a fjord near you: future jellyfish scenarios in a changing climate. Coast. Manag. 45(1), 1–23 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1080/08920753.2017.1237239 5. Boero, F.: Review of Jellyfish Blooms in the Mediterranean and Black Sea. Studies and Reviews. General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean, 93 (2013) 6. Bordehore, C., Alonso, C., Sánchez-Fernández, L., Canepa, A., Acevedo, M., Nogué, S., Fuentes, V.L.: Lifeguard assistance at Spanish Mediterranean beaches: jellyfish prevail and proposals for improving risk management. Ocean Coastal Manag. 131, 45–52 (2016) 7. Canepa, A., Fuentes, V., Sabatés, A., Piraino, S., Boero, F.: Pelagia noctiluca in the Mediterranean Sea. En Jellyfish Blooms, pp. 237–266. Springer, Dordrecht (2014) 8. Cantarero Prados, F.J., Reyes Corredera, S., Plaza Santiago, R., Perles Roselló, M.J.: Contribución al análisis del riesgo de afectación por medusas en el litoral malagueño. Sector Torre del Mar – Caleta de Vélez. In: En Mora Aliseda, J., Garrido Velarde, J., Castro Serrano, J. (eds.) Espacios y sociedades en transformación. Ed. Thomson Reuters – Aranzadi, pp. 61 a 74 (2020). ISBN 9788413466958 9. Condon, R.H., Duarte, C.M., Pittd, K.A., Robinson, K.L., Lucas, C.H., Sutherland, K.R., Mianzan, H.W., Bogeberg, M., Purcell, J.E., Decker, M.B., Uyek, S., Madin, L.P., Brodeur, R.D., Haddock, S.H., Malej, A., Parry, G.D., Eriksen, R., Quiñones, J., Acha, M., Harvey, M., Arthur, J.M., Graham, W.M.: Recurrent jellyfish blooms are a consequence of global oscillations. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. United States America 110, 1000–1005 (2013) 10. Garmendia Pedraja, C., Rasilla Álvarez, D.F., Rivas Mantecón, V.: Distribución espacial de los daños producidos por los temporales del invierno 2014 en la costa norte de España: peligrosidad, vulnerabilidad y exposición. Estudios Geográficos, vol. LXXVIII, 282, pp. 71– 104, Enero-junio (2017). ISSN: 0014-1496, eISSN: 1988-8546 11. Ghermandi, A., Galil, B., Gowdy, J., Nunes, P.A.L.D.: Jellyfish outbreak impacts on recreation in the mediterranean sea: welfare estimates from a socioeconomic pilot survey in Israel. Ecosyst. Serv. 11, 140e147 (2015). http://dx.doi.org/ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser. 2014.12.004 12. Killi, N., Mariottini, G.L.: Cnidarian jellyfish: ecological aspects, nematocyst isolation, and treatment methods of sting. In: KlocJacek, M., Kubiak, Z. (eds.) Marine Organisms as Model Systems in Biology and Medicine, pp. 477–513 (2018) 13. Kontogianni, A.D., Emmanouilides, C.J.: The cost of a gelatinous future and loss of critical habitats in the Mediterranean. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 71(4), 853–866 (2014)

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14. Li, L., McGee R.G., Isbister, G., Webster, A.C.: Interventions for the symptoms and signs resulting from jellyfish stings. Cochrane Database Systematic Rev. 2013(12) (2013). Art. No.: CD009688. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd009688.pub2 15. MAPAMA: Guía de Playas (2019). https://www.miteco.gob.es/ 16. Møller, L.F., Canon, J.M., Tiselius, P.: Bioenergetics and growth in the ctenophore Pleurobrachia pileus. In: Purcell, J.E., Angel, D.L. (eds.) Jellyfish Blooms: New Problems and Solutions. Developments in Hydrobiology 212, vol. 212. Springer, Dordrecht (2010) 17. Nastav, B., Malej, M., Malej, A.: Is it possible to determine the economic impact of jellyfish outbreaks on fisheries? A case study e Slovenia. Mediterr. Mar. Sci. 14, 214e223 (2013) 18. Olcina Cantos, J.: Conceptos de aplicación en el Análisis de Riesgos. In: Ayala Carcedo, F. J., Olcina Cantos, J. (eds.) Riesgos naturales. Ariel, Barcelona, pp. 59–73 (2002) 19. Perles Roselló, M.J.: Apuntes para la evaluación de la vulnerabilidad social frente al riesgo de inundación. Baetica 32, 67–87 (2010). ISSN: 0212-5099 20. Purcell, J.E., Uye, S.I., Lo, W.T.: Anthropogenic causes of jellyfish blooms and their direct consequences for humans: a review. Mar. Ecol. Progress Ser. 350, 153–174 (2007). https:// doi.org/10.3354/meps07093 21. Rubio Gómez, A., Gutierrez Hernández, O.: Impacto de las medusas y otros organismos gelatinosos en el litoral andaluz. Implicaciones para el turismo de sol y playa. Estudios Geográficos 81(288), enero-junio (2020). e038. ISSN: 0014-1496 | eISSN: 1988-8546. https://doi.org/10.3989/estgeogr.202053.033 22. Sabatés, A., Pagès, F., Atienza, D., Fuentes, V., Purcell, J.E., Gili, J.M.: Planktonic cnidarian distribution and feeding of Pelagia noctiluca in the NW Mediterranean Sea. In: Purcell, J.E., Angel, D.L. (eds.) Jellyfish Blooms: New Problems and Solutions. Developments in Hydrobiology 212, vol. 212. Springer, Dordrecht (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90481-9541-1_12 23. Tomlinson, B., Maynou, F., Sabatés, A., Fuentes, V., Canepa, A., Sastre, S.: Systems approach modelling of the interactive effects of fisheries, jellyfish and tourism in the Catalan coast. Estuar. Coastal Shelf Sci. 201, 198–207 (2018) 24. Vandendriessche, S., Vansteenbrugge, L., Derweduwen, J., Maelfait, H., Hostens, K.: Jellyfish jelly press and jelly perception. J. Coast. Conserv. 20(2), 117–125 (2016). https:// doi.org/10.1007/s11852-016-0423-2 25. Yanes Luque, A.: Desastres naturales en Canarias. La costa como espacio de riesgo en Tenerife. Sémata, Ciencias Sociais e Humanidades, vol. 29, pp. 67–89 (2017)

Accessible Tourism: Stakeholders Perspective in the City of Braga Idalina Caldas1, Bruno Sousa2(&), Hugo Sampaio1, Laurentina Vareiro3, and Hugo Machado1 IPCA – Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave, Barcelos, Portugal [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] 2 IPCA – Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave, CiTUR and UNIAG, Barcelos, Portugal [email protected] 3 IPCA – Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave and UNIAG, Barcelos, Portugal [email protected] 1

Abstract. The present research aims to understand and to analyse the accessible tourism in the city of Braga, with a special focus on people with motor disabilities whose limitation confines them to a wheelchair. From the perspective of accessible tourism, it is intended to ascertain whether the most emblematic tourist attractions of the city of Braga, through its cultural/religious/ artistic and architectural heritage, provide the necessary conditions of accessibility for people with disabilities. This study assumes a qualitative character whose obtaining of the primary data was based on the realization of a semistructured interview carried out with nine Stakeholders, who, directly or indirectly, participate in the tourist activity in the city of Braga. Regarding the accessibility of tourist attractions, transport and tourist offices, from the perspective of the Stakeholders, they present a certain level of accessibility for people in wheelchairs. It should be noted that in relation to the recommendation of the city’s attractions O Bom Jesus, Sameiro, Sé Catedral, were the most mentioned. The interviewees’ opinions regarding Accessible Tourism in the city of Braga are not homogeneous. However, investment in accessibility is clearly seen to be beneficial. Stakeholder involvement in the construction of an accessible tourism destination assumes a predominant role from the perspective of the interviewees. Although the city of Braga has some weaknesses in terms of accessibility, the interviewees still recognize some potential for the practice of accessible tourism. Keywords: Braga Stakeholders


Accessible tourism
Accessible tourist destination


© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 341–352, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_31

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1 Introduction Portugal was awarded last year as the Best Accessible Touristic Destination of the World. The city of Braga, located in the North of Portugal. Such a perception results from its different types of historical architecture, and religious, archaeological and cultural heritage. It also can be added the hospitality from local inhabitants, its traditional cultural festivities, gastronomy, and many other elements [1]. Several other factors also reveal to be important to the development of its touristic activity, concretely, the planned policy to promote Braga nationally and internationally. Such a policy it as being implemented by participating in national and international Tourism Fairs and other prominent events, by the publication of articles via mass media, collaborating with other official tourism entities, or attracting tourists from all over the word by organizing sizable events [1]. It is worth to be mentioned that also in 2019 Braga was distinguished as the Second Best European Destination by European Best Destinations (EBD) (an organization based in Brussels, Belgium, whose mission is to promote culture and tourism in Europe), along with the recognition of the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte as World Heritage by UNESCO, helped to increase the disclosing internally and externally of the destination. For these and many other reasons, visitants increased during the last years. The designation Accessible Tourism is referring to a complex process and its main objective is to allow to anyone, independently from their condition and possibilities, have access a all the touristic services and destinations [2]. In this since, the present study reveals to be a good opportunity to draw the picture from a society than realizes (or not) such a problematic: conditioned accessibility. Accessible Tourism (when allied to Senior Tourism) shows massive potential, and it is curious to see that has been extremely disregarded for many years by the industry. In 2008 this was a market counting with more than 650 millions of people all over the world, and it is estimated that until the end of the current year could reach, approximately, 1,2 thousand millions [3]. It is also verified a drastic reduction of mortality and fertility, which may contribute to an inversion of population pyramid. The forecast to the Old Continent points to a situation that will make the group of ages between 40 and 60 the majority of European population in 2025 [3]. The present research is divided in four main sections. The first is dedicated to the presentation of the main concepts related to Accessible Tourism and the construction of an Accessible Destination. The second one exposes the methodological background applied. The third shows the empirical data collection by recurring to semi-structured interviews made to different stakeholders.

2 Accessible Tourism - Conceptual and Holistic Framework According to [4], the contextualization of the Accessible Tourism is essential for the future, since it allows thinking about all the multidisciplinary dimensions. Studying Tourism and disability is a phenomenon rather recent, and the first detailed examination included on literature was made upon restrictions to leisure. Considering [5], Accessible Tourism is understood as a quite versatile market, which motivates an equally multifaceted offer. [6] considers some differences between Accessible Tourism

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and Tourism for All. The first is seen as an activity dealing with the elimination of barriers, while the later is based on the concept of Universal Design. Universal Design is nothing more than the conception of products and services that pretend to serve the larger number of people without the need of adaptation or personalization. [7] states that the literature uses different concepts related to the industry, such as Tourism for All, Inclusive Tourism or Accessible Tourism. However, all of them are focusing on people and accessibility. This resemblance of concepts leads to its use when dealing with the same subject, creative tourism and leisure activities conceived to all the people that mean to participate. The Accessible Tourism is based on the wrights of disabled people that appreciate holidays and tourism, and this implies the removal of any barriers that may restrain such will [8]. The data available by the World Health Organization (WHO) point to 15% of world population as having some kind of disability, in many cases associated to the population aging. These results from the generalized quality of life improvement. Until 2050 is estimated that the population with more than 60 years will double from 11% to 22%. In this sense, seniors and disabled, corresponding to one fifth of world population will directly benefit from Accessible Tourism. Indirectly, pregnant women, people with transitory temporary disability and families with little children also benefit from these mobility improvements [9–11]. To the complexity related to Accessible Tourism demand, and according to [5], can also be added different groups of older people, single parents families, paraathletes and people that prefer secure Tourism. The Accessible Tourism is considered to be one a way that allows people with access specificities, such as mobility, vision, audition and/or cognition, the opportunity to operate independently, with equity and dignity, in relation to the access to touristic products, services and ambiences universally projected [6, 12]. To [13], the approach to Tourism for All or Accessible Tourism needs to understand that any people could enjoy of the available touristic commodities and services according to their preferences and necessities, but without never forget their limitations. So, this implies to count temporary and permanent physical, sensorial, mental or intellectual impairments, chronic diseases, or inherent conditions related to accidents. Regardless their condition, these cannot prevent that any subject fully enjoy the available touristic offer. It is crucial that ideal comfort, wellness and security conditions can be created in relation to facilities, commodities and services. According to [11], since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights until the present that the developed evolution as allowing people with reduced mobility feeling their rights being supported and recognized by general society. In this sense, and as an propelling activity for general human welfare, Tourism was declared as a right to all citizens, stimulating integration of people with reduced mobility in a global touristic system. Accessible Tourism it is now considered a segment where stakeholders own high level of expectations [5]. Therefore, designers, managers, and investors on Tourism should have the capacity to attend to the necessities of a proactive segment of consumers, both on existing and future destinations. A new concept born, whose features allow the inclusion of subjects that until then – or even all their life – lack of some kind of additional support that allow them to practice touristic activities. Accessible Tourism disputes for the inclusion of all people in touristic activities and it is intrinsically linked to a legal disability framework. Several authors have being asking

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the collaboration of stakeholders to develop Accessible Tourism [14–16]. Tourism in General, and Accessible Tourism in particular, is a shatter industry depending on diverse elements. Sustain the success of Accessible Tourism requires the participation of a wide range of interested parts [17]. The essential development of Accessible Tourism would be extremely difficult to achieve without the holistic involvement of disabled people. Although now more visible, due to communal policies of inclusion, it is a group still socially diminished [18]. Either by economical, social, moral, or cultural reasons, the truth is that disabled people should be the main interested parts on this collaborative approach. Due to their historical exclusion, their voices should be seen as critically important to the process. However, collaborative efforts to include disabled people need to be addressed with empathy, precaution and humility [19]. It is mandatory a careful thinking to direct an approach that recognizes the inherent complexities related to disabled people as interested part in the process of developing the Accessible Tourism [20]. One simple visit to a destination includes a chain of activities that involve several entities, and includes short or long travels, local transportation, accommodation, restaurants, and excursions. In order that a disabled people can have a quality experience, all the components of the visit should be accessible [20]. According to Darcy [14], the Accessible Tourism includes the following components: (1) part of a collaborative process; (2) disability should be seen as multidimensional construction, including mobility, vision, audition and cognitive dimensions; (3) commitment of each subject and support levels critical for the definition of equity, dignity and independence assumptions; (4) participation as support of those assumptions through inclusive practices; (5) Accessible Tourism benefits are extremely in-depth than the disability itself; (6) contexts of Accessible Tourism become more secure and sustainable as a result from their design; and (7) as part of a process, stakeholders collaborative perspectives are an important share to the complex development and response of strategies. Accessible Tourism includes a sequence of ideas regarding to accessibility, and should be actively produced by the intervenient. Therefore, it is important to recognize the features form the demand, especially in relation to the adopted behaviour of the accessible tourist, which observation and analysis is fundamental.

3 Building an Accessible Tourism Destination Accessible destinations should strongly invest on communicating next to stakeholders and general public. In fact, and since presently much of them have the capacity to receive special necessities tourists, efficient and quality services and equipment can be offered. However, destinations must be conscious and avoid making accessibility its main attraction. Touristic destinations should take special attention to the kind of image that are communicating. On the one hand, being the accessibility a competitive advantage in the present market context, on the other, not being long-term sustainable could compromise all the efforts applied to promote a destination [21]. Destinations should disclose its image based on their unique features in order to motivate tourists to visit them. The natural and cultural attractions and single experiences they may offer should be communicated wisely and carefully in relation to the image that the destination wants to construct. And this is valid both to Accessible Tourism public and

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general public [21]. According to [22], considering the experiences developed in cities and regions from all over Europe, it becomes clear that the construction of a destination including accessible and inclusive experiences should include an structured action plan to accessibilities, and need to involve politicians, specialized technicians and companies. The conception of a plan of accessibility contributes to maximize the opportunity of success, especially when conjugated with other concerted municipal actions. The best results are achieved when accessibility and social tourism are conjointly promoted with other actions that contribute to certify the quality of spaces, in opposition to actions that simply design accessible paths [23].

4 Methodology The collection of the primary data was taken by the use of semi-structured interviews performed to nine stakeholders that more or less directly are active participants in the touristic activity of Braga. The semi-structured interviews were conducted according to the main theme, Accessible Tourism, but including other three sections whose focus of analysis were: (1) Accessible Tourism: a myth or a purpose; (2) constructing an accessible destination; and (3) social inclusion of people with reduced mobility. To the analysis of the first section, the following objectives were established: (a) understand the level of knowledge form the interviewed in relation to the Accessible Tourism at Braga; (b) understand the level of investment applied in the city; and (c) identify the main accessible touristic attractions from Braga according to the interviewed point of view. To analyse the second section, the aims were: (a) understand the level of familiarity with the concept of universal design; (b) identify the importance gave by the interviewed to the investment of accessibility; (c) identify the importance gave by the interviewed to the originality of the heritage when relating it to Accessible Tourism; and (d) identify the role of stakeholders at the destination. Finally, to the analysis of the third section, the following objectives were established: (a) identify the importance of local communities awareness in relation to disabled people; (b) understand the attitude of the employers related to disabled people; and (c) understand the level of competence from the offer located in Braga to people in wheel chair.

5 Results The perspective from the interviewed points out to the existence of an effort developed by the city responsible in order to covert it more accessible to all, being the investment directed to public transports, touristic attractions and Tourism Offices. According to [23], the most visible adversities that the motor skilled disabled shows are physical, particularly in internal transports of destinations, facilities and public accesses, and also accommodation that, when not being accessible, limit their mobility. In a general manner, the three strands, according to the optic of the interviewed, present a certain level of accessibility to people in wheel chairs. However, it needs to be underlined some hesitation in the recorded answers, which might show some lack of knowledge in relation to its real and appropriate accessibility.

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In relation to public transports, it looks that they include a certain level of accessibility to people in wheel chairs, that according to interviewed 1 and 2, however, are not enough. The first mentions that “I consider that 50%, since many of the public transports only allow one wheel chair. And not even all the buses have access ramp” (E1). The second that “There is transport when scheduled, since not all the buses are adapted, and not in all the circuits, but there are zones where the adapted bus is assured” (E2). Their opinion refers the lack of knowledge about the topic, since “I do not know the answer to this question because I do not use so much public transports” (E6). The same is applied when considering the touristic attractions. The E1 shares a wider point of view without only focusing the physical access: “I do not think they are accessible. The Picoto Park is making an effort collaborating with me and other entities, but I think that the lack of ground guides to blind in the entire city, sidewalk guides to colour-blind, to people with limited vision, to wheel chairs, I would not speak about that” (E1). A different opinion is shared by E9: “somehow Braga is a city better prepared to overcome some barriers, at the level of churches I think that almost every have access ramps to motor skilled disabled, and also some monuments have being making some investment at this level, in a general manner I think it is positive the access to monuments” (E9). In relation to Tourism Offices, it is underlined a serious flaw by E1: “Too much absence in relation to information related to Accessible Tourism, a huge weakness, they do not even speak about my company in the context of Accessible Tourism, neither from the ADOC’s app to all people” (E1). On the other hand, E4 recognizes not knowing all the Tourism Offices: “I only know the city center Tourism Office, but yes, I think yes, quite accessible, it has a part from the service desk adapted that allows people in wheel chair to access reading” (E4). Interviewed 8 starts stating clearly defending a positioning, but ends redefining the idea: “Yes, absolutely, it is all plain, there are no stairs. (…) it can be some cases that not to much, yes, there are some cases that are not like that. I know yes, usually, currently, legislation is mandatory in these questions when you are opening something, when you are opening a door to public, right? It is part of legislation, there is a lot of care to approve the inspection to the monument, and it has to have that” (E8). E9 gives a specific example from a device that is an added-value to accessibility: “Tourism Offices are perfectly accessible. The one at Sameiro is perfectly accessible, I was there, and it is accessible, just like all its surroundings. The one at the city center also. The one at the Train Station I do not know. In terms of information they are also accessible, both to visitors with motor skills, hearing and visual impairment. The device SWIP helps in that regard” (E9). Generally speaking, the interviewed consider that the wide range of the three items subjected to evaluation is accessible. However, they only referring the question of physical accessibility, forgetting that the promotion of access it is not only a matter of get physical access to buildings but, also, a serious preoccupation to all the disabled people, contrary to the general thought that limits accessibility strictly to mobility [24]. In this sense, it is verified that some of the interviewed have some opinion according to the information that figures in some studies, and refer the lack of information about quality of accessible offer, which is still a common problem to the majority of countries [17]. The accessibility is related to the blockage or difficulty to access and enjoy a

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space or transport in security and comfort conditions. Usually, the common problem has to do with bathrooms, either in relation to door width, or the presence of steps or inaccessible bathtubs [23]. This explains the strange answer of E3, when referring that “You cannot go to the bathroom, but the Tourism Office it is not necessarily customer service of bathroom. (…) the Tourism Office has a public bathroom at 50 meters that has elevator” (E3). When confronted with the question to mention which touristic attractions would recommend to a group of visitors/tourists in wheel chair that want to visit Braga, we must underline the answer of E1, whose recommendations are out of the box compared to the other interviewed, mentioning “Picoto Park and Pedagogical Farm” (E1). The remaining interviewed indicates several monuments that consider accessible to people in wheel chair, like the Sanctuaries of Bom Jesus do Monte and Sameiro, and the Cathedral. In this list outstands the historical and architectonic heritage. Ribeiro, Martins and Monteiro [25] warn to a specific situation to consider, that has to do with the fact when a wheel chair user wants to tour by its own in a certain historical location, since paths, accesses, devices to access and use may allow that they could enjoy historical and cultural equipment and environments in straight autonomy and security. By the contrary, if the user needs constantly of help to access ramps not well projected or badly built, if he needs to be transported to climb a stair, or if he can not move between tables in a restaurant, its experience will have a poor impact and he would not be so interested in visit the place, neither to return. That conductive wire of thought is in accordance what E1 states: “Cafes have ramps, but they do not have accessible bathrooms. A disabled people and its caregiver also have to eat, and they also need a bathroom, if it is not accessible, the disabled people is not going out, neither will use the attraction” (E1). Pagan [8] considers that the Accessible Tourism is based on the defense of disabled people rights that appreciate and enjoy holidays and tourism, and this implies knocking down the eventual barriers that might avoid that to happen. This statement allows the interviewed to expose their vision about the Accessible Tourism in the city of Braga. However, their opinions are not consistent. For E1, “I am sad to say that this is a myth”, while E2 refers that “Society is being too much distracted and absent-minded” (E2). According to E6 “there is a lot of investment to be done in different spaces, not so specifically in matter of physical access, but more in issues related to cognitive access, because it seems to me that there is little preparation. I think that Accessible Tourism at the city of Braga it is an ongoing project” (E6). Finally, E9 states that “I cannot say to you that is very good, neither that is ideal, because it is not, but efforts has being made and I can say to you that is satisfactory” (E9). Accessible Tourism at the city of Braga is a concept to be absorbed, corroborating the opinion of [26] when considering that Accessible Tourism in Europe has a brilliant future, and that the results of its development will benefit all society. The authors [26] mention that disabled people represent, along with elder groups, an important target market to Tourism. These have the same motivations when considering choosing relaxing moments, leisure times, and quality, since they prefer to invest on reliable touristic services. When questioned about if the investment on accessibility is seen as a barrier or a benefit to the development of Tourism, the interviewed were unanimous referring that

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such an issue is clearly a benefit. Such statements are corroborated by some authors [24] when considering that disabled people are nor less adventured, since they show a strong desire to visit natural areas compared to other attractions, revealing more open to adventure than capable people. Disabled people are really predisposed to touristic activity, like referred by E1: “I benefit, first, because the European Union supports. (…) I was already on a conference (…) were it was a person using a wheel chair that said: “I have money to pay, create things to me” (E21). For E4, “I know that the European Union has, in 2020, about 120 millions of disabled citizens (…) adding to that we may see that almost all of them travel with someone else (…) the investment in Accessible Tourism can not be a barrier, by the contrary, it should be an opportunity to development” (E4). This last opinion is tuned with [26], when they observe that disabled people represent, along with elder people, an important target market no Tourism. In a similar line of thought, interviewed 2, 5 and 9 recognize that growing number of people caring about questions related to accessibility, and this ends favoring people with mobility issues, but also general society. Like stated by E2, “It is a benefit (…) because Accessible Tourism being accessible to reduced motor skills people, it also will be accessible to all (…) and ends up benefiting society” (E2). Same opinion is shared by E5: “it is a benefit (…) people are more attentive to these questions, and also the market niche is important (…). So, who is prepared is available to answer these market questions, who is not prepared it is a market it can not be reached, and that means less clients” (E5). Finally, according to E9, “it is a huge benefit (…). There are more and more tourists that when choosing a destination, they choose according to accessibility issues” (E9). All the statements form interviewed 2, 5 and 9 are in accordance to [23], that sees that “the Accessible Tourism market is, effectively, a business opportunity with a quite frankly potential”. Attending to the perception of the stakeholders role to the construction of an accessible touristic destination, according to the optics of the interviewed there were, initially, and in some cases, the necessity to clarify the concept. Generally speaking, all the interviewed recognize the importance of network collaboration, but E1 goes a little bit further: “stakeholders should work in line with what is necessary and not simply focusing on profit” (E1). For E4 “they should first have an active role on haring, between all, and then they should listen what the other has to say, to know the potential of ones, the environment where they are, and then define a strategy and (…) implement it in the terrain” (E4). Therefore, these opinions clearly reveal that the stakeholders are groups/individuals with the capacity of affect, and being affected by, the activity of one organization (or tourism destinations). [27] reinforces the necessity of an involved planning of tourism areas. The management model from the stakeholders is based on the analysis of this form of management, which pretends to create value to all people and groups, without who the organization would stop existing. According to E5 “There is a need of articulation and effort of all because there is no point if that effort is taken only by a part, privates or public entities. Without this complementarity and effort is complicated, it takes more time and investment needs to be higher” (E5). For E6, “they should be listen and be integrated in the preparation of the strategy (…) because many of them

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listen some things and have different perceptions which are important to consider, and also because after the involvement on the construction of the strategy, people feel attached to them and contribute to its effective accomplishment” (E6). For [21] accessible destinations should strongly invest on communication near the stakeholders and general public the fact of, currently, have the added value of be able to receive special need tourists, offering them efficient and quality equipment and services. This way it is worth referring that E3 and E8 base their opinions in the need of good publicity being made by everyone: “some will more important than others in relation to disclosing” (E3) since, “The role must be of implementing good marketing, promoting by all the available means (…), [because] publicity and heritage valorization should be done by all” (E8). The interviewed were confronted with the possibility of recommending the city of Braga to a closer family member or friend in wheel chair. All answered affirmatively: “yes, without any problem, I think the city minimally prepared for that” (E5); “Yes, without any doubt (…) it is very beautiful (…), historically very interesting, monumentally fantastic and (…) it is perfectly accessible” (E8); “Yes, completely (…), the city of Braga (…) it s a plain city, with a huge pedestrian space, and it has increasingly more adapted buildings to motor skill disabled people” (E9). Analysing the added vales and weaknesses related to the city of Braga, it should be referred the predisposition from the interviewed to recommend the city to a close familiar or friend in wheel chair, and it is clear an emotive side of the answer. The universe of the tourism activity allows the emotional involvement by the local community and stakeholders [28, 29]. The attachment to place, the smart tourism and creative thinking are a fundamental aspects, when referring that it happens when people develop a more relevant role when compared to satisfaction, in determining the tourist behavior, related to revisiting patterns and recommending destination in specific tourism contexts [29–31]. Although this can be applied to tourists’ behavior, it is worth referring that who lives or works in the city, develops affective bonds that contribute to blur any barrier that may appear, and makes people recommend the city even depending of some setbacks.

6 Final Considerations and Next Steps The present study tried to understand if the city of Braga, regarding to the point of view of stakeholders, gathers Accessible Tourism conditions, specially emphasizing on subjects on wheel chair. In relation to accessibility of many of the tourism attractions, transports, and Tourism Offices, and according to the interviewed, globally speaking, the perspective underlines that the majority are accessible. However, they only are referring to the physical access, forgetting that the promotion of access should not simply be a matter of accessing to buildings and, by the contrary, a serious preoccupation to all the disabled people. It is still common to see that accessibility is extremely linked to mobility, as mentioned by [24]. The most visible difficulties that the motor skills disabled reveal are physical, particularly at the level of internal public transports, accesses to infrastructures and public accesses, and accommodation that, once not accessible, complicate their mobility [23]. Thos way, in relation to recommending the tourism attractions from the city to people in wheel chair, the most cited examples were

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the Sanctuaries of Bom Jesus do Monte and Sameiro and the Cathedral, even some of the interviewed do not have a clear idea about their usufruct. In relation to Accessible Tourism in the city of Braga, there are no homogeneous opinions about this. This practice is seen as a myth, a distracted society, a reality, a concept to be carefully analysed and an on-going project. However, investing in accessibility is clearly seen has a benefit, an opinion corroborated with [26] that consider that the Accessible Tourism has a brilliant future in Europe, and the results from the developments will be beneficial to all the society. The authors [26] consider that disabled people represent, together with the elder group, an important target market on Tourism. In relation to the involvement of the stakeholders in the construction of an accessible tourism destination, and according to the interviewers, these need to assume a preponderant role. [27] reiterates the necessity of the structured involvement in tourism areas. The management model of stakeholders is based on the analysis of this from way that pretends the creation of value of all the subjects/groups without whose the organizations would be extinct. Although the city of Braga present some weaknesses in terms of accessibility, the interviewed recognize some potential to the practice of Accessible Tourism. Therefore, it is considered that it is essential that this segment must be carefully considered. People with disabilities have the same motivations at the moment of relaxing, leisure time and quality, since they prefer to invest in reliable tourism services. Some authors confirm these statements, namely Chikuta, Plessis, and Saayman [24], since disabled also love adventure, and they demonstrate a huge desire of visit natural areas when compared to other tourism attractions, revealing to be even more adventurous that the so-called capable people. Synthesizing, the city of Braga has vast potential for the practice of Accessible Tourism, since it presents some features that may be improved in relation to accessibilities. It has to be stressed that this study presents some limitations. Right away, only contemplating people with motor skills disability. In this sense, and as a future line of research, it should be considered other types of disability, aiming to give voice to all the segments of people that have to deal daily with the issue of accessibility. Comparatively to people with disability that contacts daily with barriers, people external to this problem has an extremely percolate view about this issue. So, it is easy to understand with disabled people have a privileged view about this phenomena. This would be a good opportunity to collect information related to the main needs and factors that inhibit the touristic practice. It is considered that it would be interesting to extend this study to local communities points of views, and, of course, the tourists with and without disabilities.

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Is Wine Tourism a Niche Tourism? Antecedents and Consequences of Wine as a Niche Tourism, a Conceptual Model Vasco Ribeiro Santos1, Paulo Ramos2, and Bruno Barbosa Sousa3(&) 1

Instituto Superior de Gestão e Administração de Santarém, Santarém, Portugal [email protected] 2 CBQF UCP – ESB, Fernando Pessoa University, Porto, Portugal [email protected] 3 Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave (IPCA), Barcelos, Portugal [email protected]

Abstract. Tourism is a phenomenon that moves millions of people around the world, taking as a major driver of the global economy. Every year, much due to the frequent changes in the tourism environment, fosters competition between and within tourist destinations. In specific, the wine tourism activity involves the participation of a certain group of people, called wine tourists, who look for experiences related to wines and wineries at wine tourism destinations. Trends in global tourism demand suggest the emergence of sophisticated consumers looking for new, different and specific tourist experiences. In such context, niche marketing seems a relevant response to market dynamics. Wine tourism activities consist of, above all, wine tastings and cellar, wine house and wine museum visits. Currently, and in the future, wine tourism has provided and boosted the creation of genuine and unique tourist experiences, more and more differentiated tailor-made. This study discusses the increasing phenomena of wine tourism and the relationship marketing perspective associated to specific tourism contexts. Based in the literature review, we propose a model that connects Antecedentes: Wine Knowledge (WK) e Prior Involvement (PI) Experience: Emotions (E), Consequences: Involvement Enhancement (IE) e Word of Mouth (WOM). A future study should include emotional factors. The new vogue of wine tourism forces us to challenge and re-visit the power relationships that exist within contemporary tourism and the host–guest relationship. As an interdisciplinary approach, this research contributes positively to the development of theory in relationship marketing and tourism contexts in wine management (theoretical implications). At the end, guidelines for future work will be presented. Keywords: Wine tourism knowledge


Niche tourism
Experience
Emotions
Wine

1 Introduction Wine tourism as the intersection between tourist and winemaking activities has been a much explored theme, nationally and internationally, by the scientific community, which has boosted scientific investigation about this issue. This phenomenon is due to © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 353–362, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_32

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the potential that wine tourism has as a destination and a product, not only as an offer, but as something people are looking for. That way, wine tourism has demonstrated impact, progress and evolution in the development of the tourist system, mainly because of new perspectives and trends, as well as identified challenges [1]. This theme is relevant due to the recovery and value of historical and cultural heritage of wine cellars, wine houses, farms and wine hotels that started looking at wine tourism, not only as a complementary activity, but as the central economic activity. The wine tourism units are both a wine touristic destination and a product, which are more and more visited and appreciated by national and international wine tourists, due to all factors, elements and attributes involving the wine product. According to the “Carta Europeia do Enoturismo” [2] (p. 3), “wine tourism is a system composed by the following subsystems: territory, tourism and wine making culture”. Regarding the objectives referring to the territory actors mentioned in “Carta Europeia do Enoturismo” [2] (p. 7), “the development of a strategy is suggested, based on an annual intervention programme which presents a set of objectives, mainly the creation of an attractive winemaking offer for the wine touristic consumer”. The special interest in wine tourism comes from the ancient practice and long tradition of wine and vineyards, strongly related to the local culture [3]. Wine is the central product of wine tourism which has an experimental dimension based on the wine touristic experience. The present manuscript will aim, in the following sections, to highlight the theoretical framework on wine tourism and, progressively, to understand some of the determinants in terms of background, experience and consequences in this tourist segment.

2 Special Interest Tourism (SIT) and Wine Tourism Tourism is a phenomenon that moves millions of people around the world, taking as a major driver of the global economy. Every year, much due to the frequent changes in the tourism environment, fosters competition between and within tourist destinations [4]. It is multifaceted and geographically complex activity, where different services are ordered and delivered in different stages, from origin to destination [5]. To set Special Interest Tourism (SIT) in a broader overall tourism context, [6] suggest a ‘‘Tourism Interest Continuum’’. Based on Culligan’s framework, they propose that “through increasing travel experience, confidence and affluence, a maturation or tourist life cycle transition from ‘‘safe to more adventurous kinds of travel and holidays’’ occurs, with the tourist ‘‘trading up’’ and purchasing social prestige and ego-enhancement” [7] (p. 187). As a psychological phenomenon, a tourist trip is preceded by a specific need that generates a reason to travel and sets a goal for the trip, which follows the search for information [8]. Like other emerging sectors in a modern economy, tourism is a dynamic and ever-changing industry. Consequently, Special Interest Tourism (SIT), both as a product or sector in its own right and as a distinct entity within the overall tourism spectrum, has been largely ignored as an important area of study within the tourism field in general. Trends in global tourism demand suggest the emergence of sophisticated consumers looking for new, different and specific tourist experiences. In such context, niche marketing seems a relevant response to market dynamics. Although niche marketing has been successfully applied to a high number and many types of

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businesses, there is a shortage of research addressing the way niche marketing may be applied to tourism [9–11]. Therefore, and according to [12], the term ‘niche tourism’ is largely borrowed from the term ‘niche marketing’, which in turn has appropriated the niche concept from the language of the relatively recent discipline of ecology. Hutchinson (1957) is widely credited with introducing the concept of ‘niche’ referring, in its widest sense, to a region in a multidimensional space characterised by environmental factors that affect the welfare of the species. At one end of the spectrum then “niche tourism can be defined as breaking down into still relatively large market sectors (macro-niches – i.e. cultural tourism, rural tourism, sport tourism, etc.), each capable of further segmentation (micro-niches – i.e. geo-tourism, gastronomy tourism, cycling tourism, etc.). At the other end of the spectrum, niche tourism is focused on very precise small markets that would be difficult to split further” [12] (p. 6). According [12], we can consider several cases of niche tourism address a wide variety of motivations, behaviours and experiences from both the perspective of production and consumption. They provide an integrated picture of niche tourism as a whole, looking at specific scenarios, offering a comprehensive theoretical framework and discussing initiatives, policies and strategies adopted internationally. In specific, many attempts to describe wine tourism have been made. The most widely accepted definition is: “visitation to vineyards, wineries, wine festivals and wine shows for which grape wine tasting and/or experiencing the attributes of a grape wine region are the prime motivating factors for visitors’ [13]. Wine tourism as the intersection between tourist and winemaking activities has been a much explored theme, nationally and internationally, by the scientific community, which has boosted scientific investigation about this issue. This phenomenon is due to the potential that wine tourism has as a destination and a product, not only as an offer, but as something people are looking for. The wine tourism activity involves the participation of a certain group of people, called wine tourists, who look for experiences related to wines and wineries at wine tourism destinations [14]. Wine tourism activities consist of, above all, wine tastings and cellar, wine house and wine museum visits. Currently, and in the future, wine tourism has provided and boosted the creation of genuine and unique tourist experiences, more and more differentiated tailor-made. The definition and conceptualization of ‘‘wine tourism’’, according to [15] has not resulted in a uniform approach. When viewed from a marketing perspective emphasis is likely to be placed on determination of the experiences sought by potential and actual wine tourists. In fact, most definitions of wine tourism do relate to the traveler’s motivation and experiences. Thus, ‘‘wine tourism’’ is, simultaneously a form of consumer behavior, a strategy by which destinations develop and market wine-related attractions and imagery, and a marketing opportunity for wineries to educate, and to sell their products, directly to consumers [15]. There’s seems to be a natural link between wine and tourism: “wine is a beverage that is associated with relaxation, communing with others, complementary to food consumption, learning about new things, and hospitality” [16] (p. 423). This is aligned with the vision that the prosperity of a wine region also has to take into consideration association between different critical factors of success – CFS [17]. For example, when a particular region is analysed as a wine tourism destination, the CFS have to be

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interrelated with the nature of the product it is being offered (the wine and the visitation services), the local lifestyle, the global branding, the land protection, entrepreneurs/ individuals, partnerships and community involvement and support. Therefore the wine tourism is a very complex system were there seems to be a self-feeding effect between the tourism and the wine industries [13]. Therefore there are cases were some of the visits are due to the fact that the tourists just happen to be in the region were the winery is located, but without a particular or significant interest in wine, like it is yet the case of the Algarve wine Region in Portugal. But in some cases it is the wine region that attracts visitors that have a particular interest and involvement in wine.

3 The Wine and the Tourism Sectors Sector in Portugal Internally the Portuguese wine industry is still a small sector within the national economy. Its weight in the food industry in 2019 is about 12%, and it has around 1.5% to 2.5% of the value in total exports. It employs 1.4% of the Portuguese work force, 1.9% percent of total number of active companies and a GVA of 2.0% of turnover and productive investment in the manufacturing industry. But it has a natural international vocation. On average the Portuguese wine companies export about four times more than other companies from all other sectors. In 2019, and according to ViniPortugal, the Portuguese wine exports reached 820 million euros, a new historic maximum, which represents an increase of 2.5% over the previous year. France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Germany form the top-5 of the destination markets for national wines. In global terms, Portugal ranks 9th in the top 10 of the world’s largest wine exporters. The tourism sector in Portugal is the largest export industry. It is responsible for 52.3% of the services exports and of 19.7% of total exports. Portugal had, in 2019, 26.9 million guests, 7.3% more than in 2018. Of these nearly 27 million people, 61% were foreigners. The tourist revenues registered an 8.7% contribution to the national GDP. Its employment has a weight of 6.9% in the national economy (336.8 thousand jobs in 2019). It also had an increase of 8.1% in the growth rate in tourist revenues and more 7.3 in the overall income in the last year. It is clear from these figures that the wine sector has a lot to profit from a closer association with the touristic sector, even only if the wine tourism can attract a smaller segment of the tourists that visit Portugal every year. The estimated number by Turismo de Portugal, of wine tourist is Portugal in 2016 was of about 2.2 million. 3.1

Wine Product

But why would wine as a product motivate a particular group of tourist to choose a particular wine region to visit? The selection of a wine with simultaneous consideration of a multitude of attributes requires knowledge on the consumer side. However, only a few consumers have this deeper knowledge of wine. Wine is considered a complex product. Most of its attributes tend to remain constant over time. Extrinsic variables like brand, producer, label and production factors such as vineyard, and grape varieties,

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amongst others, tend to be stable. However, the intrinsic nature of the product that determines its taste (factor such as acidity, sweetness, alcohol, sugar levels, etc.) will vary according to non-controllable factors such as climate or plagues on every vintage and over time [18]. This poses a potential problem to the wine consumers on their wine choice has in most cases they cannot taste the wine before buying it [19]. Wine tourism is an excellent way to overcome this difficulty by providing wines tastings in an ideal setting were the consumers can, in many cases, redeem what they pay for the visit by buying the wines of the winery they just visited. However the limitation caused by the low cost air companies baggage limitation. For instance, and according [1], the Great Wine Capitals Best Of Wine Tourism Awards celebrate innovation and excellence in wine tourism throughout the nine greatest wine regions in the world. The Best Of program provides an opportunity for wineries and other visitor-serving businesses in each region to gain exposure and recognition for their commitment to presenting leading wine tourism options while giving visitors a one-stop list of the best places to experience. This International competition is designed to reward businesses in each member region that have distinguished themselves in terms of the excellence of their facilities and delivering quality experiences to visitors in various categories. Awards are given in the following seven categories: accommodation, wine tourism restaurants, sustainable wine tourism practices, architecture & landscape art & culture, innovative wine tourism experiences, wine tourism services [20]. These variables interact in a way that seems to differ from other products such as the expected relationship between origin and brand. This will have an impact also on the choice of wineries to visit. There’s seems to be a strong connection between the wine region that is selected to visit and the wine preferences [21]. This indicates that the Wine Product involvement plays a key role in the decision making regarding the wine tourism destinations [22]. However some visits may be intentional while others may be based on opportunity (i.e., proximity, schedules, other member of the family interests, weather, etc.). Nonetheless wine tourism is usually classified as a form of special interest tourism [13] because of the main segment that searches for this type of tourism tend to exhibit a higher knowledge or curiosity about the wine product and its production. A significant consumer segment is eager to get more information and also better ways to evaluate the wine’s quality [23]. 3.2

Winescape in Wine Tourism

The general experience happens during “winescape” [13, 24]. [25] (pp. 6–7) refer to the definition of “winescape” as the interaction of “natural landscape and scenario; architectural heritage and artefacts inside a wine house; vineyards of a wine house; door of the wine house and wines; complementary products and services; signalling; and people at a wine house”. Thomas, [26] (pp. 5–6, 27) conceptualized 7 key attributes of winescape which “significantly contribute to the satisfaction of wine with the tourist”. The 7 attributes are: 1) winescape set: natural landscape (for example, vineyards); 2) winescape atmosphere: built environment (wineries, wine house doors, buildings and heritage); 3) wine product: wine products (reputed wines, variety of wines and wines with aggregated value); 4) winescape complementary product:

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complementary services (restaurants, lodging, local production and craftwork); 5) winescape signalling: signalling and information (signalling of informative materials); 6) winescape layout: connection between layout and facilities with physical attractions (wine routes and roads); 7) winescape staff service: staff that interacts with wine tourist. 3.3

Main Motivations of Wine Tourist

[27] and [15] developed researches about visitors’ motivations to visit wine regions and summarized the 10 main motivations: (1) wine tastings; (2) acquire knowledge about wine; (3) live and experiment wine production; (4) enjoy the beauty of the rural environment (vineyards); (5) wine gastronomy; (6) have fun at wine events and festivals; (7) enjoy wine culture and environment (romance and elegance); (8) assessment of architecture, art of wine houses and cellars, cities and villages from the regions; (9) learn about the ecologic aspects of wine; (10) learn about the benefits of wine for our health. The visit is short and the motivations that mediate the visitors’ behaviour are mainly characterized by the hedonic load, regardless the visitor which was analysed [28].

4 Conceptual Model Proposed Preliminary research was conducted in order to develop the research instrument. Details of the preliminary research are given below. After the collection of the preliminary data, empirical data would be collected through fieldwork. This study discusses the increasing phenomena of wine tourism and the relationship marketing perspective associated to specific tourism contexts. Based in the literature review, we propose a model that connects Antecedentes: Wine Knowledge (WK) e Prior Involvement (PI) Experience: Emotions (E), Consequences: Involvement Enhancement (IE) e Word of Mouth (WOM). Several studies in marketing and wine tourism contexts have discussed the association relationship antecedents, experience and consequences. An extensive review of the current literature reveals that no integrated theoretical framework for the holistic study of the niche tourism industry exists. The proposed research model not only has implications for future research, but also provides useful information for practitioners in the wine tourism. Based on this discussion, we propose that, in a context of wine tourism, the increase in trust, cooperation and commitment facilitates the development of behavioural satisfaction and loyalty. The proposed model is presented in Fig. 1. Hence we propose that: H1: wine knowledge has a positive effect on emotions of wine tourism; H2: prior involvement has a positive effect on emotions of wine tourism; H3: emotions has a positive effect on involvement enhancement of wine tourism; H4: emotions has a positive effect on word of mouth of wine tourism.

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Fig. 1. Antecedents and consequences of wine as a niche tourism

5 Final Considerations and Next Steps Wine tourism presents more and more potential regarding quantity and quality. Wine tourism has undoubtedly been a trend which has become cemented by quality and offer diversity. Due to that, it has attracted an increasing number of wine tourists who visit and explore wine tourism spaces, registering an increasing flow which has made our country a more competitive and attractive wine tourist destination. This study discusses the increasing phenomena of wine tourism and the relationship marketing perspective associated to specific tourism contexts. Based in the literature review, we propose a model that connects Antecedentes: Wine Knowledge (WK) e Prior Involvement (PI) Experience: Emotions (E), Consequences: Involvement Enhancement (IE) e Word of Mouth (WOM). The wine and wine tourism heritage is more than enough to justify the proposal of the conceptual model presented, strengthening wine tourism as a niche tourism. Likewise, there is an urge to put wine tourism and propel it at the level to other kinds of niche tourism worldwide known. Thus, in the wine tourism market, recognizing specific factors in wine travelers’ repurchase decision making processes and understanding their specific role are becoming more and more important for any destination country and its attendant wine products and services. In this manuscript the authors have argued that definitions and models of wine tourism need to be more encompassing and include attachment perspective and guest experiences. With the change in demand and image for mass tourism, niche tourism products and markets have become more significant, both for the development of global tourism and for specific destinations.

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We intend to show how these valid questions can be answered by introducing causal modelling and discussing one approach to it, structural equation modelling (SEM), which is a rigorous technique for building and testing such models. It is an advanced statistical methodology that delivers models and results that are easy to understand and employ. We intent to confirm that a causal relationship exists (i.e. measurement over time should confirm that change in one variable precedes change in the other; a controlled experiment is required that changes a single variable; the direction of causality must be correctly specified; the relationship must not disappear when common causes of both are removed and the causal effect ‘makes sense’ in domain knowledge) [29]. This study has already identified that the global movement of tourism is seemingly showing an increased focus on the niche product or niche service. In this case, the question seems to be whether the further growth in demand for wine management and wine tourism - as a niche tourism example-products will continue until they become a form of mass tourism. A future study should include emotional factors. The new vogue of wine tourism forces us to challenge and re-visit the power relationships that exist within contemporary tourism and the host–guest relationship. As an interdisciplinary approach, this research contributes positively to the development of theory in relationship marketing and tourism contexts in wine management (theoretical implications). Acknowledgment. This work is financed by national funds through FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology, IP, within the scope of the reference project UIDB/04470/2020.

References 1. Sousa, B.M.: A theoretical contribution from the perspective of innovation process in wine tourism contexts. Mark. Tour. Rev. 4(2), 1–18 (2019). https://doi.org/10.29149/mtr.v4i2. 4744 2. Carta Europeia do Enoturismo (2006). http://www.turismodeportugal.pt 3. Liberato, P., Mendes, T., Liberato, D.: Culinary tourism and food trends. In: Rocha, Á., Abreu, A., de Carvalho, J., Liberato, D., González, E., Liberato, P. (eds.) Advances in Tourism, Technology and Smart Systems. Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies, vol. 171, pp. 517–526. Springer, Singapore (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-152024-2_45

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4. Ferreira, J., Sousa, B.: Experiential marketing as leverage for growth of creative tourism: a co-creative process. In: Rocha, Á., Abreu, A., de Carvalho, J., Liberato, D., González, E., Liberato, P. (eds.) Advances in Tourism, Technology and Smart Systems. Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies, vol. 171, pp. 567–577. Springer, Singapore (2020). https://doi. org/10.1007/978-981-15-2024-2_49 5. Liberato, P., Alén, E., Liberato, D.: Smart tourism destination triggers consumer experience: the case of Porto. Eur. J. Manag. Bus. Econ. 27(1), 6–25 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1108/ EJMBE-11-2017-0051 6. Brotherton, B., Himmetoglu, B.: Beyond destinations—special interest tourism. Anatolia 8(3), 11–30 (1997) 7. Trauer, B.: Conceptualizing special interest tourism—frameworks for analysis. Tour. Manag. 27(2), 183–200 (2006) 8. Gursoy, D., McCleary, K.W.: An integrative model of tourists’ information search behavior. Ann. Tour. Res. 31(2), 353–373 (2004) 9. Dalgic, T., Leeuw, M.: Niche marketing revisited: concept, applications and some European cases. Eur. J. Mark. 28(4), 39–55 (1994) 10. Sousa, B., Silva, A., Malheiro, A.: Differentiation and market loyalty: an approach to cultural tourism in Northern Portugal. In: Rocha, Á., Abreu, A., de Carvalho, J., Liberato, D., González, E., Liberato, P. (eds.) Advances in Tourism, Technology and Smart Systems. Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies, vol. 171, pp. 681–690. Springer, Singapore (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-2024-2_58 11. Liberato, D., Ferreira, D., Liberato, P.: Evaluating authenticity in cultural tourism. In: Proceedings of the 32nd International Business Information Management Association Conference, IBIMA 2018 - Vision 2020: Sustainable Economic Development and Application of Innovation Management from Regional expansion to Global Growth, pp. 5633–5646 (2018). ISBN 978-0-9998551-1-9 12. Robinson, M., Novelli, M.: Niche tourism: an introduction. In: Niche Tourism: Contemporary Issues, Trends and Cases, pp. 1–11 (2005) 13. Hall, C.M., Longo, A.M., Mitchell, R., Johnson, G.: Wine tourism in New Zealand. In: Hall, C.M., Sharples, L., Cambourne, B., Macionis, N. (eds.) Wine Tourism Around the World: Development, Management and Markets, pp. 150–176. Elsevier Science, Oxford (2000) 14. Yuan, J., Cai, L.A., Morrison, A.M., Linton, S.: A model of wine tourist behaviour: a festival approach. Int. J. Tour. Res. 10(2), 207–219 (2008) 15. Getz, D., Brown, G.: Critical success factors for wine tourism regions: a demand analysis. Tour. Manag. 27(1), 146–158 (2006) 16. Bruwer, J.: South African wine routes: some perspectives on the wine tourism industry’s structural dimensions and wine tourism product. Tour. Manag. 24, 423–435 (2003) 17. Singh, N., Hsiung, Y.: Exploring critical success factors for Napa’s wine tourism industry from a demand perspective. Anatolia 27(4), 433–443 (2016) 18. Ramos, P.M.G., Martins, F.V., Barandas, H.G.: Differences in the perception of wine attributes: a comparative view between consumers, producers and intermediaries. Bulletin de l’OIV 84(1), 271–306 (2011) 19. Lockshin, L., Jarvis, W., d’Hauteville, F., Perrouty, J.P.: Using simulations from discrete choice experiments to measure consumer sensitivity to brand, region, price, and awards in wine choice. Food Qual. Prefer. 17(3–4), 166–178 (2006) 20. Goodman, S., Lockshin, L., Cohen, E.: Best-worst scaling: a simple method to determine drinks and wine style preferences. In: International Wine Symposium, Sonoma, pp. 1–16 (2005)

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21. Marzo-Navarro, M., Pedraja-Iglesias, M.: Profile of a wine tourist and the correspondence between destination and preferred wine: a study in Aragon, Spain. J. Travel Tour. Mark. 26(7), 670–687 (2009) 22. Santos, V., Ramos, P., Almeida, N.: The relationship between involvement, destination emotions and place attachment in the Porto wine cellars. Int. J. Wine Bus. Res. 29(4), 401– 415 (2017) 23. Risius, A., Bjorn-Ole, K., Meyerding, S.G.H.: Choosing a lifestyle? Reflection of consumer extrinsic product preferences and views on important wine characteristics in Germany. Wine Econ. Policy 8(2), 141–154 (2019) 24. Nowak, L.I., Newton, S.K.: Using the tasting room experience to create loyal customers. Int. J. Wine Mark. 18(3), 157–165 (2006) 25. Johnson, R., Bruwer, J.: Regional brand image and perceived wine quality: the consumer perspective. Int. J. Wine Bus. Res. 19(4), 276–297 (2007) 26. Quintal, V., Thomas, B., Phau, I., Soldat, Z.: Using push-pull winescape attributes to model Australian wine tourist segmentation. Int. J. Wine Bus. Res. 29, 346–372 (2017) 27. Meyer, D.: Tourisme routes and gateways: key issues for the development of tourism routes and gateways and their potential for pro-poor tourism. Overseas Development Institute, April 2004 28. Bruwer, J., Alant, K.: The hedonic nature of wine tourism consumption: an experiential view. Int. J. Wine Bus. Res. 21(3), 235–257 (2009) 29. Elliott, M.R.: Causality and how to model it. BT Technol. J. 21(2), 120–125 (2003)

Sports and Emotions in Tourism Marketing Management: A Preliminary Study in Football in Portugal Ana João Peixoto and Bruno Barbosa Sousa(&) IPCA – Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave, Barcelos, Portugal [email protected], [email protected]

Abstract. The concept of sport related tourism has become more prominent in the last decades both as an academic field of study and an increasingly popular tourism product and as a niche tourism example. The main objective of the present research is to understand how emotions and brand love affect consumer decision making in specific tourism contexts (i.e. sports tourism), more specifically the case of professional football in Portugal. A qualitative methodology was adopted, collecting data from specialists of the phenomenon to be studied (i.e. semi-structured interviews with professionals and managers linked to sports tourism in Portugal) and consumers (i.e. adept-tourist), through a focus group. The results seem to show that the feelings of affection and love for brands in sporting contexts (i.e. football) significantly influence the purchase decision by consumers-fans in the Portuguese context, namely with regard to travel to attend competitions, visits in vacation contexts, recommendation to third parties and revisits the places previously visited. The present study is an instrument to aid strategy and marketing and sports tourism. A marketing and sports tourism strategy will therefore be central to the success of football brands in the Portuguese context. It was intended that this study is a contribution to sports tourism as well as the understanding of how emotions and brand love affect consumer decision making. The manuscript intended to analyze the views of managers/professionals and consumers. Keywords: Sports marketing
Sports tourism
Fan-tourist
Brands
Football

1 Introduction Sports marketing is a dynamic subject area linking academic research, marketing practitioners and public policy planners. The sport marketing and tourism are dynamic because of its active nature as it generates multiple affective means for consumers based on spectator behavior and receives a high degree of attention due to the involvement of consumers [1]. In this context, football is a phenomenon that has great importance all over the world. Its power of influence is increasing which makes it a reference not only in the social and cultural sector but also in economic issues [2]. Football is a phenomenon with great importance in the world, with increasing power of influence, becoming a reference not only in the social and cultural sector, but also in the economic and tourist level. In Portugal, no other sport attracts as many fans © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 363–372, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_33

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as football, having a great social impact that no other sport produces, managing to create intense and lasting bonds, linked to a strong emotional component where many consider football as the “king sport”, demonstrating the strong connection between the Portuguese and this modality [1]. Marketing concepts and practices are applied to products/services related to sport and it may also be a products/services sell in sports, which may or may not be related to sport [2]. According to [3] consider that in sports, the brand is gaining the interest of more and more researchers in order to be considered the most important asset of sports institutions where the fans are consumers of the product “football” as also those interested in the different aspects of the football club, based on the economic and financial balance of a club, taking an interest in order to have an impact on the sports results of the team itself. According to [1], the attachment to the brand is a recent model in the marketing literature aiming to study the connection of consumers with a certain organization, [4], one of the first to investigate the theme in order to highlight that attachment was seen as a psychological pathology and is now part of people’s daily lives. In view of all this, the following research question arose: What is the role of emotions and affectivity in the decision-making process of the sports fan-tourist and its implications for tourism? So what is proposed with this dissertation is to answer the following general and specific objectives. The general objective is to: understand how emotions and brand love affect consumer decision making in specific tourism contexts (i.e., sports tourism), more specifically the case of professional football in Portugal.

2 Tourism and Marketing Segmentation Tourism is a phenomenon that moves millions of people around the world, taking as a major driver of the global economy. Every year, much due to the frequent changes in the tourism environment, fosters competition between and within tourist destinations [1]. It is multifaceted and geographically complex activity, where different services are ordered and delivered in different stages, from origin to destination [5]. Niche tourism has been asserting itself in recent decades and is strongly associated with the theory of niche marketing [4]. In this sense, and as an example, sport tourism has recently been considered a leisure activity. The study of consumer behavior has gained particular interest in recent years in multiple contexts, notably with the development of the digital age [6]. Tourism is a good example, assuming itself as a multifaceted and geographically complex activity, and tourism increasingly originates new (and different) market segments with different individual interests. These segments are characterized by the motivations that make them travel and, in turn, by the differentiation of the existing offer [7]. According to [8] niche tourism has emerged in recent decades and is strongly associated with niche marketing theory. On the other hand [9] state that niche marketing has been with us for some time, what is new is the increasing diversity of markets, and the advanced technologies that allow new approaches to marketing and the deterioration of large companies and their traditional approaches to marketing. Focused marketing, focused marketing, and micromarketing are other terms used interchangeably with niche marketing. Although they have similar characteristics, they differ to some extent [9]. The term niche, in a marketing perspective, refers to two key

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interrelated ideas: that there is a place in the market for the product, and that there is an audience for that same product. This refers to a specific product capable of keeping up with the needs of a specific market segment. Therefore, one should not look at the market in a simplistic and homogeneous way, since it represents a group of individuals with specific characteristics and needs (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. Mass tourism and Niche tourism Source: [8] (p. 9)

2.1

Sports Marketing and Tourism

Before analyzing and reviewing the concept of sports marketing, it is relevant to contextualize it with the concept of sports. [10] argue that sport reflects certain situations in our daily lives, such as the form of relationship between people and the implications that may arise and [11] describe sport as a phenomenon that crosses all social barriers and it is a way of escaping the daily life that pleases the great masses. [12], argue that sport implies fun, but it can also be a job, a form of employment or a business and it can take many forms, from teams, individually and competing directly with others or focusing on their own performance. Sports can stimulate an emotional response in consumers that other sectors/products cannot and, accordingly, marketing is applied differently and adapted to the audience [1]. In sports, the brand is getting the interest of more and more researchers, being considered as the most important asset of sports institutions [3]. For instance, these are the defining characteristics of all services as described in the services marketing literature [13]. Many of these service characteristics are also referred to in the sport marketing literature [1, 2].

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Sport tourism is understood as all forms of active and passive participation in sporting activity in which people need to travel away from their home and work location and, in addition, sport tourism is portrayed as related leisure travel with sport. [2] mentions that this type of tourism being the set of activities of tourists who travel primarily to practice one or more sports. [14] distinguish these two subtypes of tourism as tourists who travel with the objective of practicing a sport or also tourists who travel with the intention of being spectators in a sporting event. Likewise, [15] clarifies that this theme has been studied from two perspectives, the active and the passive. The passive is designated by people “casual observers or by experts in sporting events or museums” (p. 25) and, at the same time that the active one is mentioned by the participation “of people in a sport, either in an organized way or in a independently and this sport can be collective or individual”. Sports tourism is understood as an active participation, as a practitioner, or passive, as a spectator, in recreational or competitive sports [2], with sport being the fundamental motivation for traveling and the destination is defined by the qualities offered for the practice of that same sport. On the other hand, there are authors who judge sports tourism to be subdivided into more subtypes, such as [16] who states that this type of tourism is described in three forms: “active sport tourism where participants travel to be part of sport”, “sport tourism event where participants travel to be observers” and “tourism nostalgia” sport where participants visit attractions related to sport such as famous stadiums” (p. 26). According to [17], sports fans do not all have the same interests, desires and needs as well as it is important for managers and marketers to segment customers into groups sharing the same qualities and identical behaviors. Thus, marketing specialists, particularly those from sports clubs in order to give importance to segmentation in order to understand the groups that differ with demographic, psychographic, social and cultural terms. For [18], segmentation identifies diverse needs and desires, in order to know the ways of loyalty and commitment, and also [19], focuses on the attention of developing strategies in order to lead citizens to high levels of commitment and financial support. Sports marketing represents an essential part to maintain the communication with the public, and, consequently, stimulates the increase of sports organizations and products [20]. Still, it differs from other forms of marketing and requires new perspectives, which is due to the following aspects: the sports industry, sports products and the consumer himself [21]. 2.2

Emotions and Affection

Emotion is a dubious and heterogeneous concept being addressed in the Psychology literature and is not unanimous [22]. Regarding the three aspects of emotional experience, there seems to be a consensus, so that the definition of emotion contemplating in an indirect or direct way: physiological changes; tendency to action; and subjective experience [23]. In this way, emotion is contextualized as a complicated psychobiological reaction and an impulse for action in order to understand the influence of personal factors such as personality, intelligence and motivation and, moreover, the social factors implicit in people’s experiences in social and cultural contexts. Therefore, physiological changes are related to the importance of an event in the person’s subjective well-being with the interaction of the environment [24] being emotion, the

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product between experience and human development that is inherent to the sociocultural context [25]. The role of emotions is based on two key theories: the Cognitive-MotivationalRelational theory (CMR) [26] and the theory of Optimal Zones of Individual Functioning (ZOFI) [27]. In the perspective of [26], he suggests an ideographic analysis of the emotional experience to identify the antecedents of emotions, allowing the athlete to understand and predict how he will feel in different competitive moments and, on the other hand, the ZOFI model [27] that seeks to designate the consequences of the experience of different emotions on sports performance [22]. According to Lazarus’ CMR theory [26], emotions appear when athletes evaluate, according to their objectives, a given situation as important [22] as the understanding of the personal meanings where people build about the events, facilitating the evocation of the emotions experienced [28]. Otherwise, the ZOFI model proposes an individual approach in the study of emotions about the identification of the type and intensity of affective states, positive or negative, being associated with bad or good performance [29] where the content and intensity of emotions they are considered based on two independent axes that are related, on the one hand, to the functionality that facilitates or weakens emotions in sports performance and, on the other, to the valence being positive/pleasant or negative/unpleasant. According to [29], emotional experience as an inseparable component of global human functioning, reflects the attributes of past and current experiences that influence the quality of a person’s performance. In the sporting context, there are three types dependent on experiences associated with performance: state experiences, trait experiences and meta-experiences. The experiences-state or emotional states, represent the aspects of the situational and dynamic manifestations of human functioning. With regard to trace experiences, these are relatively stable patterns of emotion, for example, emotionality, dispositions and qualities that result from the repeated nature of sporting activity. And, finally, meta-experiences that consist of spontaneous or deliberate reflection on past, present and anticipated emotional experiences being more or less successful and on their verified effects that result from the construction of meanings about the experiences being in the performance or general well-being. Affection focuses on the emotional domain of a person and, therefore, we are in the subjective field that only concerns each human being in their close relationship and possibly with their dependence on something that is special and fundamental to them. On the other hand, man, in the course of his development, lives an individual experience being acquired throughout his life; he lives a second type of experience, transforming him into a being distinct from the others because of the capacity for assimilation and appropriation of the experience accumulated by the human race. In order to be meaningful, this type of experience has to be traversed by affectivity, since cognition and affection run parallel to the path of human knowledge [30]. Affection relationships are more about each human being are those that we feel for the most attenuating group in our lives, the family being normal and vulgar to hear and say about the affection that people nurture for the family or its members since it was heard talk about this kind of affection or if you have already felt that affection [1]. According to [31], people develop feelings or emotions by being negative or positive, pleasant or unpleasant with places related to current or past experiences such

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as places connected to childhood or future perspectives in a more restricted way like home where you would like to live or lived. According to [32], each person is familiar with aspects of the affective world, appearing in representations, idealizations and expressions of life and affections that are represented by art products, not recognizing the existence of the affective bond with places but with the importance to qualify the existence in a positive or negative way and, for [30], sometimes the absence of a feeling of mutual affinity, community, fraternity between people in a formal or informal way, institutionalized or not as the feeling of diversity, aversion and hostility that are not related to issues of place, territory and attachment to places. According to several authors, consumers develop affection for example in offerings, in objects of collection, in places of residence or in tourist areas, in brands, among others. [33] clarify that the brand engagement or connection of affection respects the psychological appropriation of a material object or a specific brand, surpassing the physical possession that involves the existence of personal meanings with symbolic value between the person and the object. This appropriation translates into a prolonged affective reaction through the consumer that confirms the desire to continue connecting with the brand. According to [34] and [35], the concept of love is accepted not only in academic literature but also in the relationship between people in relation to objects, ideas, actions, animals and others, and for [36] they defend that love of the object is as an interpersonal love generating loyalty in order to devalue alternative products and not break the commitment of the loving relationship. [37], define brand love as the most intense emotion among consumer-brand and also as the degree of emotional attachment where satisfied consumers and love a certain brand being committed to buying again and recommending it to others, suggesting that brand love offers a measurable strategy for marketing campaigns and defends aspects such as hedonic products (linked to pleasure and happiness) and/or self-expressive brands (identified with the consumer’s image). These authors also argue that building brand love contributes to the following aspects: (a) a more differentiated view of the feeling of satisfied consumers about brands; (b) a quantitative measure of the love of satisfied consumers about a brand; (c) increasing knowledge and predicting desirable consumer behavior (example: loyalty, positive word of mouth marketing).

3 Methodology The methodology used for the development of the preliminary research is presented. It describes the steps and procedures that have been taken to achieve the intended objectives and to answer the starting question. This chapter is based on exploratory research based on scientific articles. This research allowed the elaboration of a literature review, in the exploration of the subject under analysis that the main themes under study, i.e. segmentation in tourism, niche tourism, sports tourism, emotions and affectivity. Once the theoretical foundation is concluded, it becomes pertinent to establish a research methodology to answer the starting question posed: What is the role of emotions and affectivity in the decision-making process of sports fans and their implications for tourism? In order to seek an answer to this question, it was decided to

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adopt a qualitative methodology with four semi-structured interviews and a focus group in order to answer the starting question. It is intended, then, to understand how emotions and brand love affect consumer decision making in specific tourism contexts (i.e., sports tourism), more specifically the case of professional football in Portugal. The specific objectives that this research aims to achieve are related: to understand the role of emotions and affectivity in specific tourism contexts; to analyze the behavior and profile of the consumer of sports tourism; to understand the motivations of the tourist/sports fan in the Portuguese context and its implications for the phenomenon of tourism; to understand good marketing practices and sports tourism in order to promote the satisfaction and loyalty of the adept-tourist. Preliminary research was conducted in order to develop the research instrument. Details of the preliminary research are given below. After the collection of the preliminary data, empirical data would be collected through fieldwork. This study discusses the increasing phenomena of sport tourism and the marketing and management perspective associated to specific tourism contexts. Based in the literature review, we propose a model that connects brand love, brand engagement, satisfaction and tourism activity. An extensive review of the current literature reveals that no integrated theoretical framework for the holistic study of the niche tourism industry exists (e.g. sport tourism). The proposed research model not only has implications for future research, but also provides useful information for practitioners in the sport tourism. Based on this discussion, we propose that, in a context of sport tourism. The proposed model is presented in Fig. 2. Hence we propose that: H1: brand love has a positive effect on satisfaction of sport tourism; H2: brand engagement has a positive effect on satisfaction of sport tourism; H3: satisfaction has a positive effect on tourism activity of sport tourism.

Fig. 2. Research model proposed in sports tourism context

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4 Final Considerations It is indisputable that the emotions on which the study is focused are important for both supporters and tourists (national or international), reinforcing the role of sport intervention in an attempt to raise awareness among individuals to reconcile the practice of tourism and the search for leisure with his passion and loyalty for the football club (i.e. brand love) and feelings of affection towards the brands. Nowadays, brands are increasingly characterised by their ability to relate to consumers and in football is not different. Relations between supporters and clubs are getting stronger, making them more loyal to their fans. But fans are increasingly demanding, and, because of the wide variety of sports products that the market presents, football clubs are forced to bet on marketing tools to match the needs and desires of fans. Through a quantitative approach it was determined that brand attachment has influence in other variables (brand confidence, brand satisfaction, brand commitment, and brand loyalty) based on the behavior of soccer supporters in Portugal regarding to their clubs. Consequently, and as an example, the Champions League to be held in Lisbon, in the future to attract international tourists, thus increasing the notoriety of the destination brand Portugal, specifically Lisbon, football being an attraction for both national and international tourists due to its affection, related to the phenomenon in question and your own club. In future works, it is intended to develop the study using qualitative methodology, showing that feelings of affection and love for brands will influence the purchasing decision of consumers-supporters. It will be our purpose, in future investigations, to conduct semi-structured interviews with professionals and managers related to sports tourism in Portugal as well as consumers with fans-tourists, through a focus group. With the insights from this study it is expected that future work can contribute to the development of empirical studies to address the developed propositions in different countries. In particular it is expected that future research explores the relationship between attachment, satisfaction and loyalty of football supporters in qualitative and quantitative studies. Studies could further develop a questionnaire to be applied to football fans to capture a cross-sectional view of the relationships among the constructs gauging their impact. In future research, we intent to show shows how these valid questions can be answered by introducing causal modelling and discussing one approach to it, structural equation modelling (SEM). In an interdisciplinary perspective, the present study presents contributions to niche tourism (i.e. sports tourism) and to consumer behavior in brand contexts (i.e. brand love and brand engagement).

References 1. Sousa, B., Vieira, C.: Um Estudo Sobre a Afetividade Aplicada ao Fenómeno do Futebol: Abordagem na Ótica dos Consumidores. PODIUM Sport Leis. Tour. Rev. 7(2), 293–312 (2018). https://doi.org/10.5585//podium.v7i2.282

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Movie Tourism and Attracting New Tourists in the Post-pandemic Period: A Niche Marketing Perspective Bruno Sousa1(&), Alexandra Malheiro1, Dália Liberato2, and Pedro Liberato2 1

CiTUR, IPCA – Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave, Barcelos, Portugal {bsousa,amalheiro}@ipca.pt 2 CiTUR, Polytechnic Institute of Porto (IPP), ESHT, Porto, Portugal {dalialib,pedrolib}@esht.ipp.pt

Abstract. The COVID-19 pandemic turned out to be a huge public health problem with an impact on companies and consumers at the national and international levels. Measures were implemented in Portugal in response to COVID-19: limitations on travel rights, closure of commercial establishments, and prohibition on holding events. Teleworking was also encouraged, and distance learning was promoted. The present manuscript aims to understand the role that film tourism plays in marketing applied to territories and how important it is for segmenting markets and attracting new tourists in the post-pandemic period (covid-19). The movie tourism business incorporates the development of destination marketing campaigns to promote films, while more and more common initiatives are emerging between DMOs and filmmakers to promote films and tourist destinations. The present study will include document analysis and exploratory interviews with some tourism leaders and stakeholders in Portugal and two best practices Portuguese campaigns. The management of territories provides several advantages for the sustainable development of a tourist destination, stimulating exports and attracting more tourism and investment. In particular, film tourism has increasingly established itself as one of the most common leisure activities, and one of the fastest growing in the tourism sector, as it is a segment where tourists have the highest expenditure and, for this has received greater attention from business leaders, policy makers and academics around the world. From an interdisciplinary perspective, this study presents inputs in local development and niche tourism perspective. Some lines of future research will be presented. Keywords: Movie tourism


Covid-19
Segmentation
Niche marketing

1 Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic turned out to be a huge public health problem with an impact on companies and consumers at the national and international levels. Measures were implemented in Portugal in response to COVID-19: limitations on travel rights, closure of commercial establishments, and prohibition on holding events. Teleworking was © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 373–384, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_34

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also encouraged, and distance learning was promoted. Consumers and companies had to adjust their behaviour, the mode of purchase and the place of purchase were changed. The companies took steps to continue the business because there is no knowledge of the end of the pandemic by Covid-19. They were forced to rethink strategies and processes to ensure that they have the necessary tools to remain open after the pandemic. The experience in the digital commerce process by some companies has proved to be a sustainable competitive advantage. Niche tourism has been asserting itself in recent decades and is strongly associated with the theory of niche marketing [1]. In this sense, and by way of example, cinematographic tourism has recently been considered a leisure activity, in a tourist variant promoted by individuals for whom the purchase of goods outside their usual environment is a determining factor in their decision to travel and make decisions [2]. Thus, there has been a notable growth in this activity, as it is a segment where tourists have higher expenditure and, consequently, deserving greater attention from businessmen, politicians, and academics [3]. However, combining the interests of several stakeholders is not an easy task, making it a very complex process (both for destination management and operational marketing), implying greater experience, knowledge, investment, and partnerships [4]. Movie tourism has assumed itself as a sector of strong growth and of an important nature in research in the Tourism sector. We found that location, performance, personality, and authenticity are crucial factors that interfere with the motivations of tourists in this niche market. To this end, we find that there are success stories, such as the Game of Thrones series and films like Hobbit. Like any niche market in tourism, marketing plays a pivotal role in its success. Consequently, management and territorial identity is the vital element on which a city or region is defined [5, 6], and thus intends to measure, manage and develop a distinct image of the place in order to satisfy their interests by creating a positive international reputation. The present manuscript aims to understand the role that film tourism plays in marketing applied to territories and how important it is for segmenting markets and attracting new tourists in the post-pandemic period (covid-19).

2 Tourism Segmentation and New Trends Tourism is a phenomenon that moves millions of people around the world, taking as a major driver of the global economy. Every year, much due to the frequent changes in the tourism environment, fosters competition between and within tourist destinations. It is multifaceted and geographically complex activity, where different services are ordered and delivered in different stages, from origin to destination [7]. To set Special Interest Tourism (SIT) in a broader overall tourism context, [8] suggest a ‘‘Tourism Interest Continuum’’. Although they have similar characteristics, they differ to some extent [9]. The term niche, in a marketing perspective, refers to two key interrelated ideas: that there is a place in the market for the product, and that there is an audience for that same product. This refers to a specific product capable of keeping up with the needs of a specific market segment. Therefore, one should not look at the market in a simplistic and homogeneous way, since it represents a group of individuals with specific characteristics and needs. In this way, market niches emerge as a response to

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the growing sophisticated and specialized tourist demand, as is the case of cinematographic tourism. According to [10] and [11], film tourism is a tourist activity induced by the visualization of a moving image, also seen as a comprehensive film, television, pre-recorded products (for example, video/DVD/Blu -Ray) and currently extends to digital media. Some distinction must be made between its shape, that is, a film or television program and the medium through which the image is transmitted, in which there are numerous ways of viewing cinematographic images and viewing can occur in an increasing multiplicity of environments. This distinction may have implications for the way in which we perceive and relate to the outcome of a cinematic experience. Film tourism seems to be the generic term adopted in most studies and, although there are some debates about the differences in images perceived via film and television in the media literature, the term is undoubtedly more important than the concept. There is a variation in the terminology used to define the concept of film tourism. The most basic differentiation is cultural/geographical, that is, some countries tend to favor the term “movie tourism”, while others use the term “film tourism”. The two terms are used interchangeably in tourism research, but essentially the “film” refers to the vocabulary of early American cinema of the “moving image”. 2.1

Perspectives and Impacts of Movie Tourism

Film tourism can take many forms and activities, as identified, and discussed by some authors (e.g. [12, 13]): • Visits to locations portrayed in a specific film/television production. These locations are real, from cities, villages, fields and other environments that were used as locations for filming films (e.g. Barwon Heads, Australia and Sea Change); • Visits to groups of studios: eg. the Rua da Coroação complex [14]; • Visits to theme parks and specific film/TV attractions, such as Dae Jang Geum Theme Park, the first cinema-related attraction in Korea [15], and, Hengdian Film Industry Park, Dangyang City, Zhejiang, China, a popular tourist attraction that received more than 8.4 million visitors in 2010; • Visits to themed attractions with a movie theme - the world's most popular tourist attractions and theme parks are directly related to films, (Disneyworld in Orlando received nearly 17 million visitors in 2010). According to Themed Entertainment Association, there were significant increases in visitor numbers at Universal Studios in Orlando (by 6% to almost 6 million visitors) and in Hollywood (by 26% to just over 5 million visitors) in 2010 for new related films (The Wizardry of Harry Potter in Orlando and King Kong 3-D in Hollywood). [16] (p. 344) emphasize that “the most profitable destinations are those created in association with the studio's facilities”. • Visits to locations where filming is taking place: for example, the 2011 filming of The War Horse in the UK, attracted a lot of media speculation about the secret locations and made visits, hoping to see Steven Spielberg; • Visits to locations that are marketed as cinematographic locations;

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• Participation in excursions organized in the locations where the filming took place: for example, tours organized in the locations where film recordings were made, such as LOTR, in New Zealand; • Participation in tours organized to see the homes of celebrities, such as bus tours, in Beverly Hills; • Visits to Film Festivals: e.g. Cannes attracts more than 29,000 visitors, while the Edinburgh International Film Festival received around 54,000 in 2010 (Film Festival World Network 2011); • Visits to destinations for film premieres, that is, to see or watch the arrival of film celebrities. The film tourism business incorporates a series of activities, such as [11], the development of destination marketing campaigns to promote films, while, increasingly, common initiatives between DMOs and filmmakers to promote films and tourist destinations. The existence of units dedicated to the promotion of films is, in many places, well established [17] in order to promote the adaptation of places and spaces such as filming locations, as well as the provision of resources to provide or find studio spaces. In addition to that, they provide incentives to filmmakers regarding tax benefits and incentives [16]. Great cinematographic films can provide the locations, objects and people for the look and motivation of various people and, for some, films can induce these same people to travel specifically to the places where those same films were shot. Although some of these great films are not primarily intended to induce people to visit the sites in question, it appears that they can enhance the awareness, appeal and profitability of the sites through the power of the imagination, image and fantasy of films in question. These cinematographic images can influence consumers' decisions regarding their motivations to visit the places where the films were recorded. However, it is necessary to ask the question: do films really have an impact with respect to consumer choice in relation to the tourist destination? In relation to the previous question, it is proposed that a distinction between the three concepts of place, personality and performance and how different motivations play a role regarding consumer behaviour. Perhaps there is a vast number of influencers and indicators that make it possible to distinguish different groups of tourists, starting with the typical tourist influenced by films, who seeks to visit certain places because he saw them in films, even the tourist who allows himself to be influenced by films in a different way. Economically, film tourism has a big impact. The territorial marketing that the film / series develops in the viewer a great interest in visiting the space. This impact causes governments to start supporting and investing in sets as the main point of development for destinations, eventually improving various structures in the city. It therefore ends up “strengthening service infrastructures in the region, creating new jobs and a growth in tourism” [18] (p. 62). This tourism niche is still analysed individually according to the destination, as it was investigated that not everyone suffers the same impact. Disney and New Zealand are the most successful spaces. Disney for the experience it gives visitors to feel like the characters in their films, and New Zealand for the contradiction between reality and fiction. Thus, it can be considered that the tourist's motivations result from the affinities

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created. “The mythology of the place, transformed and communicated through films, may be what attracts tourists, and not the destination itself” [15] (p. 179), thus being able to remember the feeling when are in place. The impact of marketing on the production and dissemination of the film must be very careful so that the tourist does not suffer any disappointment with the location as it is not identical to what is broadcast, as it is through the viewing of the films that tourists build their aspirations, desires and expectations about tourist destinations. All of this shows that “popular cultural forms of media can promote, confirm and reinforce images, views and specific identities of destinations in a powerful way” [19] (p. 706). We have an example of the case of the film “Night train to Lisbon” (2013), which was shown internationally before the 63rd film festival in Berlin. This ended up being published in “The New York Times” and “The Guardian”. It has been proven that the media are really an essential factor as they promote the destination in question, which sometimes does not have the financial capacity to invest. In view of these filming, some dinners were held with the actors within the scope of the “Prove Portugal” project, with the aim of promoting gastronomy and the locals. Questionnaires were carried out to assess the motivations of tourists on trips, proving that films, series, and television programs are really a strong reason. “Harry Potter books and films resulted in a 100% increase in visits to one of the locations”. In addition to questionnaires, calculations are used to assess the amounts spent on advertising and the community where the event was held, the audience, the number of tourists, the respective expenses in the region, new jobs and state and municipal taxes. It is possible to study that the number of tourists arriving increases with the television impact and that it always ends up decreasing, however the general impacts on the economy are difficult to assess [15]. The CGE model (computable general equilibrium) is a model used to evaluate these various parameters and concluded that not all countries are able to exploit this niche, as is the case in Kazakhstan, with the film “Borat”, which even increasing the number of tourists had a loss in GDP of $ 2.78 million. A set of useful definitions has been provided, there is also a diverse set of names for this concept. However, this niche tourism refers to a postmodern experience of a place that was represented in any type of media, that is, an experience that was highly personalized and unique for each individual based on their own interpretation and media consumption [19]. Film-induced tourism was defined as a set of tourist visits to a destination or attraction because of showing that same destination on the cinema or on television. Movies, television, and literature can influence people's tourist choices, exposing them to the characteristics and attributes of the destinations shown. Long-term films are usually filmed in historical locations and are easily identified and end up gaining enormous notoriety, which ends up being reflected in the choice of these locations as a tourist destination. In fact, some of these sites have only become known after the film that showed them. It is also important to note that this type of tourism does not only occur and only in well-known and historic places, there are also structures built for the purpose of exploring this market niche such as Movie World, QLD and Universal Studios. There are four very important factors that interfere with the motivations of tourists in this niche market: location, performance, personality, and authenticity.

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2.1.1 Location The location involves attributes of the filmed location, such as spectacular scenery or magnificent landscapes that are easily identified and attractive to the viewer. There is no doubt that the development and promotion of a location through films and any other type of media. The concept of place is related to an area that has a distinct internal structure, the meaning of which is considered an attribute and evokes certain responses on the part of the people who are placed before it. It is through the film that the sense and meaning of the film can be created, as well as altered and reinforced. The development of cinematographic promotion in these locations, such as the Maps of the films, which identify locations that appear in films, is an example of the power that films have in territorial dissemination [15]. Many of these destinations have turned their “cinematographic sites” into tourist attractions, becoming known worldwide as sites to be visited (e.g., Lord of the Rings: New Zealand). 2.1.2 Performance The cinematographic performance has a fundamental role in the unfolding of a film, which can lead the tourist to go to a place to fill a fantasy of escape and romance through a lived experience. People are not only attracted to a specific place only and only by the landscapes and the unique characteristics of the place. There are tourists who visit a place in search of stories, the drama of the script, the experiences that the actors lived during the film, that is, they seek the experiences lived by the characters. It is quite possible that certain people develop a set of connections with the action of the film and are determined to physically visit the place that was used as a setting for carrying out these actions. Another perspective on this theme relates to action and adventure films, where dangerous and adventurous stories are the main attraction. As a result, a set of structures was developed to fill this gap, places like Deliverance, Vertical Limit and All the Rivers Run Wild. 2.1.3 Personality The characters of certain films may have a strong influence on the choice of tourist destinations by the demand. Indeed, one cannot deny the tourist power that Hollywood and the celebrities themselves have. Movie stars, actors and celebrities are powerful “ingredients” of “mass media”, being able to assign powerful meanings derived from the roles they play [19]. It is hoped that the feelings associated with a celebrity can be transferred to any type of advertisement and industry, much in part due to its high status and the association that is made of the product with that same celebrity. It is precisely because of this that the marketing institutions linked to tourism put several resources to use celebrities as a way of promoting their regions [15]. 2.1.4 Authenticity Authenticity is one of the key factors for tourists and film tourism, on the one hand it allows people to live out the fantasies of their favorite films or actors in some mythical locations. Visitors associate personal meanings with certain places, and authenticity thus becomes a subjective experience, a combination of the visitors' experiences and the interactions inherent in them. Literature-related tourism is defined as an experience carried out by tourists as a way of celebrating associations with authors and books.

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This type of tourism is a desire to experience a version of the past or an attempt to experience a version of the future and make a connection between the past and the future, fact, and fiction [18]. This tourism establishes a correlation between the images and the expectations of specific people, places, and historical periods. Indeed, literature tourism has focused on the main precursor of tourism mentioned above, cinema tourism. 2.2

Internal Motivations

The strongest internal motive in cinematographic tourism concerns the look of the tourist in relation to the construction of the film and its interpretation. The look of the tourist is very important for tourism as there are several places that become known to the detriment of the films made in these places and that later on the tourist sees them as a cultural and historical attraction derived from the film he viewed. Cinematographic tourists can be motivated by direct involvement and through an identification with the places explored in the cinematic scenarios that allows the formulation of a personal meaning for the tourist. In certain types of films oriented and approached directly to a specific location, audiences can learn about the destination by participating directly in the “experiences” lived on the spot by the characters [20]. It is evident that cinematographic images have a fantastic power to alter, create and reinforce the image of certain tourist destinations and there is no doubt that films have become a dominant force in relation to the information and image of a given location. The three concepts of location, characters and cinematographic performance were introduced as a framework to carry out the investigation of how certain motivations influence tourist behaviour. The impact of a film on the image of a tourist destination is enormous. The promotion and marketing that comes from exposing certain locations in films is an appealing tool for promoting the tourist destination. As mentioned above, the consumer sees the film and wants to be visiting the cultural and natural landscapes of the place, that is, a film has the power to increase the number of visits to the filming location. There is a significant economic and social impact caused by the appearance of certain locations in world-famous films. There is an increase in notoriety about the destinations as they manage to capture the attention and the desire to visit the places through the film. Subsequently, certain tourist destinations take advantage of cinematographic products in their promotion, as is the case in Scotland due to the film “Braveheart” (1995) and New Zealand, due to the trilogy “The Lord of the Rings” (2001–2003). The perspective of New Zealand in this trilogy “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” (2001–2003), based on fantasy-themed books written by J.R.R. Tolkien, draws great attention to fans of visiting the place and fantasizing about it. “It was found that 6% of 120,000 and 150,000 people indicated that films were one of the main reasons for choosing to visit New Zealand” [15]. In conjunction with the release of the films, several marketing campaigns were developed that created relationships “with the creative industry and carried out various international activities.” The “100% Pure New Zealand” campaign was developed in 2000 which resulted in a good tourism marketing award at the “World Travel Awards 2012”.

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In this case study example, they decided to approach econometric models 1 that assess the causal relationships between tourism, prices and income, and the CGE that simulates the total impacts related to production, capital, labour, governments, exports and imports. After analysing the data, they found that the film “Hobbit” contained much more impact than the Lord of the Rings, which was practically insignificant. “The Hobbit increased tourist revenues by $ 771.80 million which contributed to welfare gains of $ 186.24 million in New Zealand.” [15]. They justified this cause as probably a failure in terms of marketing, because with the release of the film “Hobbit” advertising strategies emerged that indicated New Zealand as the country “100% (pure) Middle Earth”. Conclusion, this third film, was to strengthen the image already created by the Lord of the Rings from Middle Earth, saying that the success of the “Hobbit” cinematic tourism is due to the first two Lord of the Rings films. In addition to the success obtained through of filming in New Zealand, another success story is the Game of Thrones series, a George Martin television series from the saga “A Song of Ice and Fire” launched in 2011. “King's Landing”, the capital of the seven kingdoms, is one of the most important places in all history and is filmed in Dubrovnik (Croatia), where it highlights the walls and the historic centre of the city. This phenomenon resulted in an “increase of almost another 2045 tourists, one and a half million overnight stays and almost 126 million euros in foreign currency revenue from travel” [19] (p. 706).

3 Methodology and Best Practices Preliminary research was conducted to develop the research instrument. Details of the preliminary research are given below. After the collection of the preliminary data, empirical data would be collected through fieldwork. This study discusses the importance that film tourism plays in marketing applied to territories and how important it is for segmenting markets and attracting new tourists in the post-pandemic period (covid-19). The movie tourism business incorporates the development of destination marketing campaigns to promote films, while more and more common initiatives are emerging between DMOs and filmmakers to promote films and tourist destinations. The global pandemic scenario, marked by the new coronavirus (covid-19), makes evident the need for companies to react in their strategy (communication, distribution, and sales). In this sense, this study aims to understand the value proposition by investing in the quality of the online sales process in the food sector based on the dimensions of service quality, identifying attributes that customers recognize value. Technological evolution is the great cause for most of the changes that have occurred, from cultural, social, political, economic, personal, and even psychological changes, all of them on a global scale. The environment and the relationships that are built in it stopped happening only in physical space, happening also in a space without defined location: the virtual space (e.g. film tourism). The development of technology has brought with it innumerable positive aspects: the global communication that today is fundamental; the democratization of knowledge throughout the world, made possible through the connections that information systems have acquired; the medicine that attended to great evolutions; the very world that has become a small town where

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everyone is connected, and endless other advantages. The present study will include document analysis and exploratory (semi-structured) interviews with some tourism leaders and stakeholders in Portugal. However, in this preliminary phase, two movie tourism campaigns promoted in 2020 by Portugal are presented, to attract new tourists in the period of recovery from the pandemic (covid-19). These examples are understood as good practices to articulate film production in tourism contexts and local tourism promotion, for the benefit of regional and local development in Portuguese territory. 3.1

“Tu Podes, Visita Portugal”: Portuguese Campaign

#TuPodes, Visita Portugal is the new campaign by Turismo de Portugal that challenges the Portuguese to travel through the Best Tourist Destination in the World and converts VisitPortugal into VisitaPortugal. The campaign, in the form of a territorial film, started in June 2020, represents an investment of two million euros and will be on display until the end of this year, in digital media, television, radio and national and regional press. In a second phase, it will be the tourism professionals who invite the Portuguese to experience their offer. Be it a guided visit to a museum, a surf lesson, a walk in a natural park, the descent of a river, a mountain hike or activities on a farm or wine tourism (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. Tu Podes, Visita Portugal Campaign Source: Turismo de Portugal (2020)

The film seeks to position tourism in Portugal as #TuPodes, visit your sea, your heritage, your culture, your gastronomy, these are some of the messages that tourism professionals will address to the Portuguese. The recovery of national tourist activity, a key sector of the Portuguese economy, will depend, in a first phase, on domestic tourism which, in 2019, represented close to 40% of the total number of guests. To this extent, in the short term, a plan will be implemented to boost domestic demand that satisfies the motivations of the Portuguese in the context of the post-pandemic and that allows the beginning of the tourism recovery in Portugal. A country where tourism

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employs around 400 thousand workers, represents 14.6% of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and is the main export economic activity. It accounts for 52.3% of exports of services and 18.6% of total exports of goods and services. In this sense, the use of territorial films of a tourist nature is a strong bet to attract visitors. 3.2

“Chegou O Tempo!”: Turismo Do Centro Campaign

Last March, Turismo Centro de Portugal launched a message of hope through its “Haverá Tempo” campaign, at a time when all Portuguese had to live a period of confinement. In May 2020, Turismo Centro de Portugal launched a message of confidence, because “the time has come” to believe again (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2. Chegou o Tempo! Source: Turismo do Centro de Portugal (2020)

The campaign, entitled “Chegou o Tempo!”, aimed to show the Portuguese that the Centre of Portugal is the most suitable destination to overcome the difficult days of confinement to which they were subjected: a destination + Safe, + Authentic, + Personal and + Sustainable. The message conveyed by the “Chegou o Tempo” campaign, in videos, spots and promotional ads, is that “Chegou o Tempo” to live again and rediscover the Centre of Portugal as if it were the first time.

4 Final Considerations The companies took steps to continue the business because there is no knowledge of the end of the pandemic by Covid-19. They were forced to rethink strategies and processes to ensure that they have the necessary tools to remain open after the pandemic. The experience in the digital commerce process by some companies has proved

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to be a sustainable competitive advantage. In this context, and in specific, the film tourism business incorporates a series of activities, such as, the development of destination marketing campaigns to promote films, while, increasingly, common initiatives between DMOs and filmmakers to promote films and tourist destinations. The management of territories provides several advantages for the sustainable development of a tourist destination, stimulating exports and attracting more tourism and investment. In particular, film tourism has increasingly established itself as one of the most common leisure activities, and one of the fastest growing in the tourism sector, as it is a segment where tourists have the highest expenditure and, for this has received greater attention from business leaders, policy makers and academics around the world. The present manuscript aimed to understand the role that film tourism plays in marketing applied to territories and how important it is for segmenting markets and attracting new tourists in the post-pandemic period (covid-19). Two movie tourism campaigns promoted in 2020 by Portugal were presented, to attract new tourists in the period of recovery from the pandemic (covid-19). These examples were understood as good practices to articulate film production in tourism contexts and local tourism promotion, for the benefit of regional and local development in Portuguese territory. This study is a preliminary contribution; however it is expected that in the future a quantitative study will be developed with questionnaires among consumers (tourists) to assess the impact of the television campaigns that have been developed. In an interdisciplinary perspective, the present manuscript presents inputs for tourism (film tourism) and for territorial development (specifically, in the post-pandemic recovery period). Acknowledgement. “This work is financed by national funds through FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology, IP, within the scope of the reference project UIDB/04470/2020”.

References 1. Sousa, B., Silva, A., Malheiro, A.: Differentiation and market loyalty: an approach to cultural tourism in Northern Portugal. In: Rocha, Á., Abreu, A., de Carvalho, J., Liberato, D., González, E., Liberato, P. (eds.) Advances in Tourism, Technology and Smart Systems. Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies, vol. 171, pp. 681–690. Springer, Singapore (2020). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-2024-2_58 2. Hsieh, A.T., Chang, J.: Shopping and tourist night markets in Taiwan. Tour. Manag. 27(1), 138–145 (2006) 3. Jewell, B., McKinnon, S.: Movie tourism—a new form of cultural landscape? J. Travel Tour. Mark. 24(2–3), 153–162 (2008) 4. Liberato, P., Sargo, S., Liberato, D.: Specificities of the public of literary festivals in the segment of cultural events. In: Proceedings of the 32nd International Business Information Management Association Conference, IBIMA 2018-Vision 2020: Sustainable Economic Development and Application of Innovation Management from Regional expansion to Global Growth, pp. 2650–2662 (2018). ISBN 978-0-9998551-1-9 5. Liberato, P., Alén, E., Liberato, D.: Smart tourism destination triggers consumer experience: the case of Porto. Eur. J. Manag. Bus. Econ. 27(1), 6–25 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1108/ EJMBE-11-2017-0051

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6. Sousa, B., Rocha, A.T.: The role of attachment in public management and place marketing contexts: a case study applied to Vila de Montalegre (Portugal). Int. J. Public Sect. Perform. Manag. 5(2), 189–205 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1504/IJPSPM.2019.099094 7. Trauer, B.: Conceptualizing special interest tourism—frameworks for analysis. Tour. Manag. 27(2), 183–200 (2006) 8. Robinson, M., Novelli, M.: Niche tourism: contemporary issues, trends and cases. In: Sheldon, P.J., Wöber, K.W., Fesenmaier, D.R. (eds.) Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism, pp. 294–302. Elsevier publishers (2005) 9. Dalgic, T., Leeuw, M.: Niche marketing revisited: concept, applications and some European cases. Eur. J. Mark. 28(4), 39–55 (1994) 10. Evans, N., Campbell, D., Stonehouse, G.: Strategic Management for Travel and Tourism. Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford (2003) 11. Hudson, S., Ritchie, J.B.: Promoting destinations via film tourism: an empirical identification of supporting marketing initiatives. J. Travel Res. 44(4), 387–396 (2006) 12. Beeton, S.: Understanding film-induced tourism Tour. Anal. 11(3), 181–188 (2006) 13. Croy, G., Heitmann, S.: Tourism and film. In: Research Themes for Tourism, pp. 188–204 (2011) 14. Couldry, N.: Transvaluing media studies. In: Media and Cultural Theory, pp. 177–194 (2005) 15. Li, S., Li, H., Song, H., Lundberg, C., Shen, S.: The economic impact of on-screen tourism: the case of Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit. Tour. Manag. 60, 177–187 (2017) 16. Christopherson, S., Rightor, N.: The creative economy as “big business”: evaluating state strategies to lure filmmakers. J. Plan. Educ. Res. 29(3), 336–352 (2010) 17. Edgerton, G.: The film bureau phenomenon in America and its relationship to independent filmmaking. J. Film Video 38, 40–48 (1986) 18. Len, C.: Comunicar um destino: o film tourism como forma estratégica de promoção turística, o caso de Lisboa. Universidade de Lisboa, pp. 59–64 (2017) 19. Tkalec, M., Zilic, I., Recher, V.: The effect of film industry on tourism: game of thrones and Dubrovnik. Int. J. Tour. Res. 19(6), 705–714 (2017) 20. Yen, C.H., Croy, W.G.: Film tourism: celebrity involvement, celebrity worship and destination image. Curr. Issues Tour. 19(10), 1027–1044 (2016)

The Four Dimensions of Tourist Experience: A Comparative Analysis Between Camping and Glamping Diana Lopes1, Filipa Brandão1,2(&) and Rui Costa1,2

, Zélia Breda1,2

,

1

Department of Economics, Management, Industrial Engineering and Tourism, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal {a1exandra.diana,filipa.brandao,zelia,rui.costa}@ua.pt 2 GOVCOPP – Research Unit on Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policies, Aveiro, Portugal

Abstract. This paper aims to analyse the camping experience and its latest trend - glamping, and the particularities associated with this experience. The state-of-the-art reveals that research focusing on tourists’ experiences in camping and glamping units is reduced and therefore additional studies are welcome. Two empirical studies were carried out, one that followed the quantitative method, applied to campers who had their experience in three Portuguese campsites, and a qualitative one, which allowed the comparison between the two contexts of experience - having analysed the comments of campers and glampers on accommodation booking websites. The results of the quantitative and qualitative study revealed that the aesthetic and escapist dimensions of experience are the most relevant, related to the importance given to the location and surrounding area of the site. Keywords: Tourist experience


Camping
Glamping

1 Introduction Camping can be defined as a form of outdoor recreation which presumes direct or very close contact with nature, which is partly an activity and partly accommodation [1]. According to Weiermair [2], when tourists spend their holidays in a destination, they consume a bundle of products and services as a whole, in a single lived experience, highlighting the importance of offering experiences in the accommodation sector. For Hendee and Campbell [1969, cit in 3], the experience of camping is characterised as intensely social, thus it makes sense to combine the study of experiences with camping. The evolution of the camping supply is verified by the offer of health and wellness activities and by the evolution of the concept itself, which intends to correspond to the needs and motivations of a more sophisticated market segment and with a higher purchasing power. The supply of a luxury camping experience gave rise to the commercial term “glamping”, arising from the combination of the words glamour and camping. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 385–395, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_35

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Triantafillidou and Siomkos [3] mention that this form of experiential tourism requires further investigation since there is a need to plan and manage the camper’s experience. The evaluation of this type of experiences can have repercussions in practice, that is, the results obtained can help to make more consistent decisions, in a more enlightened way, to improve the tourists’ experience. This paper focuses on identifying the aspects most valued by campers in order to adapt supply to demand, aiming to revitalise a sector with decreasing popularity. The four dimensions of the experience, as defined by Pine and Gilmore [4], serve as the basis for the evaluation of the experience. According to Schmitt et al. [5], the experiences associated with the provision of services, and therefore tourism, can only be recovered and revived through memory, thus, the inclusion of memorability in the experiential construct seems relevant and may reveal how important the offering of memorable experiences is to campers, in addition to predicting future intentions. Campers’ satisfaction and behavioural intentions are also analysed. To compare the camping and glamping features, an additional exploratory analysis was made to the guest reviews on Airbnb (in the case of glamping) and Booking (in the case of camping). Two units were included in this study: Canto das Fontes, located on Madeira Island, and Pessegueiro Island Camping Park, located in Porto Covo. The first section of the paper presents the main finding of studies analysing the tourist experience, especially those more closely related to camping and glamping. Literature review is followed by the methodology used. Quantitative and qualitative methods are thus presented. Section four presents the results of both the quatitative study and qualitative analysis, completed with a comparison between the two realities. Conclusions present the main findings, limitations and suggestions for future studies.

2 The Tourist Experience According to Otto and Ritchie [6] (p. 166), “the ‘experience’ of leisure and tourism can be described as the subjective mental state felt by the participants”. Stamboulis and Skayannis [7] believe it results from the interaction between destinations and tourists, where destinations are like theatres, in which experiences take place, and tourists are the actors who play their role. Subjectivity, emotions, and interaction are just some of the concepts that characterize the tourist experience, which refers to something positive, experienced or not through interaction with others. In this segment, the tourist experience is not necessarily linked to a tourist destination or something outside our routine, thus, as Munt [cit in 8, p. 204] mentions, “tourism is everything and everything is tourism”. The concept of “experience economy”, developed by the economists Pine and Gilmore [4], aims to obtain competitive advantages in a global market, thus starting to commercialize “experience products” instead of simple products - arises from the need to humanize consumption and differentiate the offer, especially services, making the consumption of products and services unique and unforgettable through the offer of remarkable experiences. This new trend in economic development places the emphasis on the individual - while the industrial economy offers standardized products, the experience economy offers personalized products [9].

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Pine and Gilmore [4] state that the more an experience effectively involves the five senses, the more memorable it will be. Rubin and Kozin [10] justify this idea: “Memory is what remains in the brain after a sensory experience has occurred”. It is also assumed that the sensory experience can be considered the “cause”, and the memory the “result”. In the opinion of Pine and Gilmore [4], the creation of experiences should comprise four dimensions - “entertainment”, “educational”, “aesthetics” and “escapist”. 2.1

The Experience of Camping and Glamping

According to Garst et al. [11], camping was a central theme of research related to leisure in the 60s and 70s, but since then it has received little attention. Brooker and Joppe [1, 12] emphasize that researchers studied the social interactions, activities, and characteristics of campers - it was about the study of experiences in an indirect and fragmented way. The camping experience, according to Triantafillidou and Siomkos [3], is characterized as intensely social. However, the evolution of the camping market has followed the evolution of society and campers are no longer forced to lose the amenities of urban life [13], which generates greater diversity of behaviour among campers, transforming and conditioning the experience. A new style of camping appears, less associated with direct contact with nature and more compatible with developed structures and with the improvement of the conditions it offers [13], leading it into a new, modern and sophisticated reality. In Portugal, the image of camping is generally associated with its low cost compared to other means of accommodation, with little practicality and privacy, as well as what this entails, but in other countries, it is seen above all as a way of life with more freedom. According to Hassel et al. [14], the pull and push factors that trigger camping experience are closely related to the connection with nature and, above all, with two of the four dimensions of the experience economy - aesthetic and escapist - contributing to such feelings, the disconnection with the usual routine, as well as the contact with nature and the creation of self-image. In the study by Heintzman [15] about the spiritual dimension in the camping experience and its implications for management, the results show a positive relationship between the degree of introspection/spirituality added to the experience and the overall importance given to the services and facilities offered through the park. It also demonstrated that the level of privacy is particularly important for spiritual benefits, however, their promotion is not very related to management actions, it has more to do with the campers’ choices, for example, the constitution of the travel group. Kastenholz et al. [16] demonstrated that those who interact the most will obtain richer and more favourable experiences.

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Fig. 1. Elements of camping and glamping experience and related areas of study. Source: own elaboration based on [3, 11, 14, 15, 17].

The camping/glamping experience includes at least eight elements (Fig. 1), namely introspection/spirituality, conditions offered by campsite/accommodation, social interaction, outdoor/indoor activities, surrounding landscape, familiarity/place identity, family functioning and experiencing nature. It also involves four study areas: leisure and tourism - in a more playful aspect; sociology and psychology - the importance of understanding human behaviour and its needs; environment - it is important because it is the main motivations in choosing this type of accommodation, as well as care for its conservation throughout the experience, thus guaranteeing the sustainable development of the business; and tourism economy - encompassing the offer of quality services and equipment, guaranteeing the offer of experiences to the taste of campers/glampers and consequently the profitability of the sites [3, 11, 14, 15, 17]. Some elements are more associated with a given context, for instance, “introspection/spirituality” is more associated with isolation [15] and, as such, is considered to be more associated with glamping. On the other hand, “social interaction” or “family functioning”, may be more associated with camping, since it favours contact between people (even due to the proximity between the accommodations), as well as the constitution of groups that use this means of accommodation [3, 11]. It should be noted that the element “familiarity/place identity” was addressed in a study by Graefe and Dawson [17], in which it is found that the “roots” and “sense of belonging” to the camping site significantly influences the availability of campers to select other camping sites. This dimension is more important for camping because campsites have a higher degree of loyalty. In turn, each area of study is more related to certain dimensions of experience defined by Pine and Gilmore [4], thus, “leisure and tourism” is more related to the dimensions of entertainment and education, “environment” is more related to the aesthetic dimension, while the area of “sociology and psychology” is more related to

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the escapist dimension. Finally, the “tourism economy” area integrates all dimensions and elements that make up the camping/glamping experience.

3 Method To better understand the experience of campers, to outline their profile and to know their preferences, a questionnaire survey was conducted in-person to 50 respondents who had an experience in a camping park in Portugal. The questionnaire was applied in two parks in the Central region and one park located in the South of the country. The campsites that were part of this study were the Praia da Barra Camping Park, the Quiaios Camping Park and the Canelas Camping, located in Armação de Pêra. The construct of the experiential evaluation was first validated by Oh et al. [18], in a study on experiences in accommodation. The questionnaire included questions that address the sociodemographic profile; travel behaviour; camping habits; travel-related information and a construct designed to evaluate the experience. This construct consists of sentences that correspond to the four dimensions of the experience - three for each dimension, with a new dimension being added - memorability, to which three sentences also correspond, and an additional two that aim to assess expectations and satisfaction. For the evaluation of these affirmations, a five-point Likert scale was used, with 1 corresponding to “completely disagree” and 5 to “completely agree”. For data analysis, SPSS software version 23.0 was used. The results will allow for more accurate and science-based decisions to be taken. To establish a comparison between camping and glamping, and in face of the refusal of glamping sites to cooperate in this study, an additional exploratory study was conducted where information was collected from users’ reviews on accommodation booking websites. This contributed to overcoming this limitation, as well as the reduced sample. According to Veal [25], the option for qualitative methods occurs in situations where the focus of the research is on the meanings and attitudes of the subjects, thus, it seems appropriate to use this method in the study of the experiences of consumption of tourist services, since above all, they deal with the reactions of individuals expressed by feelings described by them. Veal [25] also states that text analysis is one of the qualitative methods used - in this case, content analysis.

4 Results 4.1

Quantitative Study

The majority of respondents (44%) are aged between 41 and 60 years old, and a considerable share (22%) are retired. The fact that 94% of campers say they have the habit of camping and 62% do it more than twice a year, shows that camping is a lifestyle for a significant part of the surveyed. About 76% of Portuguese campers stay in the same campsite. Half of the campers travel as a couple and 40% as a family, with the majority of travel groups consisting of two members. 34% stay up to two nights and 22% stay more than twenty-one nights (resident campers who spend a few seasons in the park during the year).

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Fig. 2. Importance given to attributes in choosing the camping site

It is worth highlighting the reduced relevance of the family tradition and the activities available for an important part of the sample (Fig. 2). However, these can constitute a strategy of differentiation from competitors and are likely to influence the camping experience [19]. On the other hand, the location and the surrounding area are very important. The price, the reception and the facilities have some relevance, although the price is less important than the reception and the facilities, corresponding to 48% and 50% in the important option, respectively. The results of the Chi-Square test reveal that family tradition is of little importance to foreign campers and, contrary to expectations, campers who earn lower income place more value on the welcoming and facilities of the park. In Fig. 3, it is observed that the two most valued dimensions are the aesthetic and the escapist (4.17 and 4.13 points, respectively, on a five-point scale), revealing the importance of the location and the surrounding area. Evaluating the average obtained in memorability, it is considered that, for most respondents, the experience is pleasant and striking, being the second dimension with the highest average, reflected, later, in the global satisfaction that registers the highest average of the construct (4.19).

Fig. 3. Average scores of the construct’s dimensions (five-point Likert scale)

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When analyzing the Spearman’s Rho correlation coefficient, it is concluded that all dimensions have a positive and significant association with satisfaction, as well as expectations and satisfaction with memorability (Table 1). It should be noted that all respondents who answered the questions of intentions revealed the intention to recommend and repeat the experience. Table 1. Spearman’s Rho correlation Variables Correlation coefficient Educational * Satisfaction ,355* Entertainment * Satisfaction ,470** Escapist * Satisfaction ,399** Aesthetic * Satisfaction ,389** Memorability * Expectations ,549** Memorability * Satisfaction ,682** ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) * Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed)

4.2

Qualitative Data

This section presents the information selected from the guest reviews on the Airbnb and Booking platforms, which concern the glamping and camping sites, respectively, and that are linked to certain elements to be considered in the marketing of tourist accommodation. In what concerns the comments on glamping, it is interesting to note that more than 80% is made in English and thus, pointing towards a higher share of foreign guests. These are followed by German (8.8%) and French (7.6%). Only 1.3% are in Portuguese. Whether on the Airbnb or the glamping website, it is possible to verify that the images appeal to the five senses, contributing to the storage and interpretation of the sensory stimuli of the attraction/destination [20]. These stimuli, in turn, influence consumer behaviour [21], that is, the attempt to make the intangible tangible through images can be decisive when choosing the accommodation or holiday destination. Sharing memories in comments is equally important and reduces uncertainty in decision making [22]. It is also clear that this glamping site is suitable for tourists travelling as a couple, not only due to the guest comments but also to the information on Airbnb where the item “ideal for families and children” is crossed out. Other features stand out, such as the lack of television or internet, or facilities common to most tourist accommodations. It is a way of preserving the concept and the image that one wants to see associated with it, avoiding compromising the glamping experience. These are also strategies of segmentation, targeting and positioning. Comments regarding location and surroundings (70), hospitality (60), and comfort, (28) are the most relevant in number. According to Middleton et al. [23, p. 366], “for leisure reasons, the accommodation is fully related to the attractions of a destination and is part of the facilities” offered by it. In this case, especially in the glamping aspect, it cannot be considered that

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accommodation has only a functional role [23], in this case, it has a central role and constitutes a motivating factor in leisure travel, becomes an integral part of the landscape, revitalizes it and makes it more attractive. Glamping accommodations do not compete with the landscape or compromise it, due to the sustainable practices adopted by most of these units, being an attraction itself. The comparative advantage of the location of Canto das Fontes is so profitable, under the experiential tourist point of view, that it becomes a competitive advantage, increasing the value of the “product”. The fact that the most often referred word is the name of the owner, demonstrates the importance of a good reception for the success of the business. The name of the business is often replaced by the designation “Roberto’s paradise”. The satisfaction of the owners and employees and their identification with the concept are evident throughout the “delivery” of the service and, according to Kotler et al. [22], this contributes to customer satisfaction. The second most repeated term is “experience” (37.5%) - these ventures are not mere accommodations, the experience lived in it is, in this case, the central aspect of the trip (it is the attraction) that, together with the host(s), act as conducting wires for the discovery of the destination. Of the 80 reviews, nearly 39% intends to repeat and 27.7% intends to recommend. In what concerns the traditional camping, out of the 79 guest reviews, there is an overwhelming share in Portuguese (86.1%), followed by English (10.1%). Only 3.8% mention the word ‘experience’, which is significantly lower than the reviews of the glamping site. Criticisms of the park’s equipment, as well as the service, demonstrate the need to invest in infrastructure, equipment, and staff training, to improve the quality of the service provided and to revalue the activity. The concentration of tourists in a single season and their greater diversity, with regard, for example, to age groups and their constitution, compared to other means of accommodation, makes it difficult to control the quality of service. In result, only 5% shows the intention to repeat and there is no intent to recommend. Figure 4 associates the comments with the experiential dimension and it can be seen that Pine and Gilmore’s four dimensions of experience are present in Airbnb comments and that only three are present in Booking comments. It is suggested that these dimensions lived through the senses. The following comment demonstrates that the senses of vision and hearing are the vehicle that leads to the escapist dimension. The stimulus of the five senses is fundamental for the offer of memorable experiences: “the clear sky filled with stars, and the sound of the waves of the Atlantic made me feel so far from the city and totally in communion with nature”. It is concluded that the sensory dimension is the starting point for all other dimensions. It is also clear that the descriptions associated with the aesthetic dimension are related to the escapist dimension, and vice versa. In turn, the entertainment dimension is related to the hospitality - moments of discovering the destination, since in the accommodation area there are elements that arouse curiosity and the desire for learning (educational dimension), such as the plantations of unknown fruits of the glampers, who are mostly foreigners. As for the camping aspect, it can be seen, through the analysis of the comments, that there are no references that are associated with the educational dimension. In what concerns the five senses, the view is the most cited by campers, both from a positive as a negative point of view.

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Fig. 4. Association between the online reviews and the experiential dimension in camping and glamping sites

4.3

Comparing Camping and Glamping

Contrary to glamping, the pictures of the campsite advertised online fall short of expectations, in the campers’ opinion. According to Laroche et al. [24], the risks perceived by customers when making online purchases increase considerably since they are characterized by intangibility - the online booking and payment of accommodation are some examples. Whether on Airbnb or Booking, the comments allow the risk to be reduced, contributing so that the perceived quality is not inferior to the expected quality. Besides, the purchase of new products or services carries higher risks, because consumers lack information and previous experience [24]. In the campers’ opinion, this is a park “perfect for families or groups of friends”, which contrasts with the concept of the glamping site. Some campers also refer to noise - “some night noise from other apartments”, which contrasts with the quiet and silence on the glamper side. However, in this aspect, there are similarities with glamping, as there are also positive comments: “it is quiet, a very calm park”. Still in this segment, it is necessary to mention privacy, an aspect mentioned in both contexts, positively in glamping and positively and negatively in camping, since social interaction is a characteristic of the latter. It is possible to verify that campers refer more often to technological devices (namely due to their absence) that they use in their usual routine. The hospitality demonstrates the difference between the offer of personalized service, camping is associated with a much greater turnover and the influx of tourists, which explains the differences observed in the comments. The campers’ comments that indicate as a negative characteristic “not having the swimming pool”, or as a positive characteristic “of the animation”, reveal the differences that exist in the preferences of demand between the two strands. While in glamping, guests demand evasion and a certain distance from the rest of the world, in the camping experience, customers search for fun. However, it is possible to see in both contexts of experience that there is a high number of commentators who praise and/or seek tranquillity, peace, and a relaxing environment. Contrary to glamping, which receives more tourists of foreign nationality, camping sites host mostly national tourists.

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The price is another curious aspect. In glamping, there is no reference to the price, whether positive or negative, while in camping there are eight references, mostly negative. Two factors explain this reality: the quality/price ratio and the difference in the purchasing power of foreign tourists and between most campers and glampers. The greatest similarity between both contexts is related to the “natural environment”, as well as the location of the site. Another similarity, previously mentioned, is that both value privacy.

5 Conclusions There are numerous benefits associated with the practice of camping sought by most tourists, such as self-regeneration, contact with nature and socialization. The evolution of society led to a reduction of this contact with nature, and comfort is increasingly valued and not always present in camping. The improvement of the experience should not turn it into a hotel accommodation experience. The widespread access to camping and the fact that the facilities and equipment of many sites are in poor condition trivialized and generated disinterest in the experience, making it vulgar. Neglecting the negative aspects or devaluing the positive ones will contribute to the continued neglect of some sites and the stagnation and undervaluation of the activity. Investment in facilities and training of staff is important for upgrading camping. The fact that price is not the main motivation in choosing the campsite shows that the motivations of campers are not common to those who choose a hotel. Glamping works like the mirror of camping, showing its weaknesses through the preferences of an increasingly demanding search, demonstrating the taste for a “comfortable practice” of camping. The lack of definition of the concept and types of accommodation that are glamping is reflected in the lack of adequate legislation and in the presence of accommodation very similar to those that are not considered glamping, or even of the same typology. This study presents a major limitation, which concerns the dimension of the sample in both the quantitative qualitative methods, due to the unavailability of camping and glamping managers to cooperate in the research. However, as an exploratory study, it serves as a means to open avenues of future research. Bearing this in mind, the reproduction of the study in other camping and glamping sites is recommended, as well as with other countries. Due to some identified differences, it would be also interesting to assess the dimensions of experience in different countries.

References 1. Brooker, E., Joppe, M.: Trends in camping and outdoor hospitality - an international review. J. Outdoor Recreat. Tour. 3–4, 1–6 (2013) 2. Weiermair, K.: Product improvement or innovation: what is the key to success in tourism? Presented at the Proceedings of the OECD Conference on Innovation and Growth in Tourism, Lugano, Switzerland, 18–19 September 2003 (2004)

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Blockchain Towards Supply Chain Management António Abreu1(&)

, Ana Paula Afonso1, and João Freitas2

1

CEOS.PP, IPolytechnic of Porto, Rua Jaime Lopes Amorim, s/n, 4465-004 S. Mamede de Infesta, Portugal {aabreu,apafonso}@iscap.ipp.pt 2 IPolytechnic of Porto, Rua Jaime Lopes Amorim, s/n, 4465-004 S. Mamede de Infesta, Portugal [email protected]

Abstract. Blockchain technology has come into our business market with the potential to ensure safer and more transparent trading. This technology allows the optimization of supply chain management processes, while also ensuring control over it. Adaptation, innovation, and sustainability are the pillars of a company in a period of a constant digital transform. Adopting Blockchain signifies to control transparency between suppliers and customers, the veracity of the life cycle of a product, certify sustainability and optimize supply chain processes trough automation. This paper will come up with an outline of the blockchain technology, bring into focus the advantages and the main challenges faced, into the supply chain management of the textile sector. Keywords: Blockchain technology
Supply chain management (SCM) Innovation
Digital revolution
Industry 4.0




1 Introduction Supply chain can be defined as “an entire system of producing and delivering a product or service, from the very beginning stage of sourcing the raw materials to the final delivery of the product or service to end users.” [1]. For example, “on a global scale, the clothing supply chain consists of millions of people along with tonnes of water, crops, chemicals, and oil. This makes it difficult for manufacturers to find where the different parts of their products come from. The demand for increased speed, high volume, and cheaper consumption is increasing with each passing day. Due to this, when blind consumerism has valued the transparency of an ethical supply chain is compromised” [2]. We will try to show how will blockchain disrupt the supply chain Industry. This technology has been the target of growing interest in the logistics and financial sector of the industry, which anticipate the advantages that its adoption will reflect in the processes of the companies, such as the control of all processes and conditions in the logistics chains, from the producer to the final consumer. Thus, in business terms, this enables the implementation and management, under real-time scrutiny, of the processes and other factors involved in the supply chain, promoting transparency. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 396–407, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_36

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This work generically focuses on the presentation of the basic concepts that support this emerging technology, and, specifically, on its applications along the supply chain, based on the analysis and synthesis of the information available on the topic. Thus, this exercise of collecting, reflective theoretical-practical articulation and building suggestions for improvement, aims to improve the reader's perception of the adoption of blockchain technology, namely with regard to the processes and resources to be implemented for continuous improvement in the supply chain.

2 Blockchain Technology (BcT): Overview Blockchain technology is defined by a chain of encrypted and immutable blocks. “The blockchain is an incorruptible digital ledger of economic transaction that can be programmed to record no just financial transactions but virtually everything of value” [3]. The beginning of this technology dates back to 1991, to a group of researchers, Stuart Harber and W. Scott Stornetta. Originally, its purpose was to record documents, sequencing them by date and time, so that their data would not be tampered with by third parties [4]. The term “blockchain” was used in 2008, when an anonymous group known as “Satoshi Nakamoto” decided to use the technology to ensure the transaction and registration of the Bitcoin cryptocurrency [4, 5]. Since then, the global interest of companies for the transparency and security provided by blockchain has grown. According to [8], “It is characterized as an “open-source, decentralized, distributed database for storing transaction information” in any single location, meaning the records it saves are truly public and easily verifiable”. Blockchain technology consists of two key parts: 1) a P2P (peer-to-peer) computer network and a decentralized database. Due to its properties, it is classified as a registration technology, which aims at de-centralization of information and is based on the sharing of data by several users [5, 7]. Since it does not depend on a central management file, but rather on the synchronization and storage of digital data in worldwide databases, it ensures the security, immutability, and transparency of transaction records. The role of third parties in the transaction processes, usually performed by banks, traders or other intermediaries is therefore eliminated. Other researchers [8] consider that the “The blockchain is a technology to store and access data. As such, each ‘block’ stores a finite set of data and transactions, while the “chain” connects all the blocks in a fixed order. The present dataset is determined by following the chain from the first to the (current) last block and resolving the transactions in each block. As a result, the blockchain not only holds the present dataset, but also the complete transaction history”. 2.1

BcT Key-Concepts

We found a published work from [9] where these BcT Key-concepts were very well depicted, below there were a summarized table, where the reader can have a quick overview of the main lines of BcT (Table 1).

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A. Abreu et al. Table 1. Blockchain technology key-concepts.

Key-concepts Structure

Proof of Work

Proof of Stake

Smart Contracts

2.2

Description “The Blockchain consists of linear sequence blocks, which are added to chain with the regular intervals. The information in the blocks depends on the Blockchain network, but the timestamp, transaction, and hash are existed in all the Blockchain variants” [9] The Proof of Work is the algorithm of the security. The mining is the process of solving a computational challenge imposed by the PoW protocol. The node, which wants to participate in mining, uses the PoW protocol for the affixation the block to the Blockchain. In this case, the node must choose the block with biggest hash’s value and after that it can attach the block” [9] The mining is the process of solving a computational challenge imposed by the Proof of Stake protocol. This protocol requires far fewer computations for the mining. The trusted entities work together to add records in PoS protocol and there is the voting process for accepting the block on the Blockchain” [9] The smart contract is the script which is stored in the Blockchain. The smart contract has the unique address, set of executable functions and state variables. The user launches the smart contract by addressing the transaction to it. After that, the smart contract is automatically and independently performed in the established order on each node of the chain” [9]

BcT Trust, Privacy and Security

According to IBM experts, blockchain aims to ensure the integrity of transactions by excluding third parties in their mediation, using only smart contracts, consensus protocols (to authorize the registration of content), HASH algorithms and digital signatures [10]. Smart contracts ensure that the agreement between the parties involved is fulfilled. The consensus protocols ensure that copies of the databases shared by users are identical and consist of immutable records, facilitating the detection of fraudulent transactions [11]. Each block in the string is uniquely encoded by a 64-character long key called Hash and is provided by the SHA256 algorithm. Blockchain keeps a chronological record of transactions occurring in its blocks, with the validation of the consensus protocol. The results of the transactions are stored in the blocks whose contents can be changed or reversed, thus ensuring the immutability of the chain. Peer-to-peer decentralization prevents any hostile participant from tampering with or taking control of the entire blockchain, since all participants have the same power due to the protocols defined in the chain [12]. On a very high level, as it is shown on the figure this technology provides: 1) The ability to store arbitrary data in an immutable and non-repudiable way; 2) The ability to define computer code that can execute over the data (smart contracts) and 3) A detailed log of every action that altered the state of the ledger.

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The smart contract defines a workflow for our blockchain and leverages these three capabilities to provide the guarantees needed by the parties (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. Smart contracts in a blockchain marketplace. Source: https://www.ericsson.com/en/blog/ 2020/3/decentralized-marketplace-cloud

3 The Supply Chain Management (SCM) At first glance, it may seem that blockchain technology will transform the workings of all businesses immediately. Obviously, this will not be the case, but there are some areas - apart from financial services - that seem to be tailor-made for technology. One is health. Another is the value chain. The life cycle of a product and its passage through the value chain - from production to consumption - can be documented as transactions, creating a permanent product history. Through the application of blockchain technology, all the steps, processes, and transactions through which the product has been subjected are registered, without the possibility of changing that information. A representative example is the case of “Suppliers can use blockchain to record the origins of materials that they have purchased. This would allow companies to verify the authenticity of their products, along with health and ethics labels like “Organic,” “Local,” and “Fair Trade”. With the integration of blockchain technology in the supply chain, companies can promote an ethical production process, from the beginning to the end of the product’s life cycle, proving the sustainability and authenticity of their products. Through blockchain technology, it is possible to guarantee supply chain transparency and thus combat fraud. It is also considered as essential to record every step of the production cycle and to identify all associated documents, such as receipts, invoices and payments [13]. The process boils down to three major areas: “(i) Recording every single asset (from product to containers) as it flows through the supply chain nodes, (ii) tracking orders, receipts, invoices, payments, and any other official document, and (iii) track digital assets (such as warranties, certifications, copyrights, licenses, serial numbers, barcodes) in a unified way and in parallel with physical assets” [13].

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The use of smart contracts allows to automate processes that traditionally would last days or weeks in validations. The automation allows the validations to be made on time, accelerating the processes between customers and the company: “Achieving excellence in logistics involves working collaboratively with others to optimize the flow of physical goods as well as the complex flow of information and financial transactions” [14]. It is necessary to bear in mind that for the efficient functioning of blockchain in the supply chain, it is essential that smart contracts are clearly defined, with precise clauses and ready to be implemented. The defined clauses act as “the intermediary”, validating the information and allowing it to be recorded in blockchain blocks. With the validation and registration carried out, the production registration phase is unblocked. Step automation is a key concept: smart contracts facilitate automation of all transactions [15]. The origin of the records starts at the raw material factories where the quality and origin certificates are recorded. Subsequently, packaging and packaging conditions, as well as shipping to the next stage – production – are recorded in the next blocks of the blockchain. The shipping and transport of the product, as all subsequent phases, are also included in the chain’s information blocks. The details of registered information (e.g., packaging, lot and type of product) are defined in advance by the clauses of the smart contracts associated with blockchain. An example of an intelligent contract clause associated with blockchain is the validation and payment method of the raw material to the supplier. A clause may provide for payment to be automatic, without requiring the manual authorization of the CFO (Chief Financial Office) or any other human agent. Therefore, there is no need to monitor the flow of payments to the supplier if it complies with all the pre-defined aspects of the smart contract clauses. An important aspect is a sacred record of all the stages through which a product passes, from storage and transport until its arrival to the consumer, guaranteeing the quality and originality of the purchased parts to the final customer. The use of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) labels or QR (Quick Response) codes facilitates the passage of the product through the different warehouses. These references work as physical original codes, which can be digitalized and integrated into the blockchain. 3.1

Advantages of Adopting BcT in the SCM

Large companies and organizations record in a traditional way the stages defined in their supply chains, but with no major link between them, making it almost impossible to follow the journey made by the products between the producer and the shops. The lack of transparency of the processes and the large number of people involved leads to an increase in the cost of the products, affecting the relationship with the client. The value chain should provide information in a transparent manner to all involved, levelling access to information during negotiations and providing more data on the origin and processes of products. See Fig. 2.

Blockchain Towards Supply Chain Management

Opaque Business Case (Information shared between organizations)

For any variety of reasons, no information is shared between the parties; even operational day-to-day information is obscured

Translucent Ouline information is shared – interface conditions or partial data. This can be similar to “black box” collaborative design. If used tactically, it may be akin to cheating.

401

Transparent Information is shared on a selective and justified basis. Development of information leads to shared knowledge and collaborative abilities.

Fig. 2. Information transparency [6].

The increasing consumer demand in relation to the origin and processes to which a product has been subjected has led to several brands adding value to their products, showing detailed labels on the production cycle, transport, storage and even on tests carried out. With blockchain, the product process is fully recorded with sensors and algorithms. Logging and monitoring are possible through the network, allowing companies to control the supply chain more effectively. In case of fraud or theft, it is possible to identify the origin. Real-time tracking of a product in the supply chain reduces the cost of unnecessary product movement, whether in warehouse or in-store, as it reduces the costs of an audit and extra labor. Trust is a key factor in supply chains to “certify” product assurance and quality. The unchanging nature of the blockchain in the logistics chain is essential to avoid the slightest alteration or tampering, ensuring real trust. One of the most attractive benefits for the use of blockchain, regarding the registration of data, is the simultaneous sharing of the same information between all actors in the chain. The fact that blockchain works as a database in a decentralized P2P (encrypted) network, allows all authorized users to access a copy of the database, in real time and without intermediaries. In short, this technology applied to the supply chain allows, among other possibilities: 1) to monitor the product phases in real time; 2) to reduce costs; 3) to establish trust with transparency and immutability; 4) to decentralize the information and 5) eliminate intermediaries (see Fig. 2).

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A. Abreu et al. Table 2. Advantages of blockchain technology usage by supply chain

Advantages Follow-up of product phases in real time

Cost reduction

Establishing trust with transparency and immutability Decentralizing information

Eliminating intermediaries

3.2

Sources Blockchain’s tracking capabilities (including timestamping) provide a full audit trail which gives businesses increased confidence in the authenticity and quality of goods, impacting sourcing decisions” [16] “It means that information cannot be changed and removed in blockchain without consensus. That prevents falsifying and adulteration of data” [17] When a blockchain is applied to increase the speed of administrative processes in logistics chains, costs are also reduced by the removal of a human agent that verifies the (intermediate) processes. Additionally, the cost associated with human-induced errors and fraud and theft are also annihilated Every transaction is available for everyone to see. Any change will also be publicly available and immutable, i.e., data cannot be altered” [18] Every transaction is available for everyone to see. Any change will also be publicly available and immutable, i.e., data cannot be altered” [18] “The Blockchain technology is decentralized system and it is the main benefit of this technology. Why it is important for our life? The answer to this question is very simple – it is not necessary to work with the third-party organization or with the central administrator. It means that the system works without intermediary and all participants of this Blockchain make the decisions [9]

BcT Key Solutions Towards SCM Challenges

As previously mentioned, the implementation of this technology doesn’t only come with advantages, there are many challenges, currently perceived as disadvantages. Throughout this section those that we have identified as the most pressing will be explored, namely: i) Implementation and maintenance costs; ii) ERP systems not compatible; iii) Membership of partners and iv) Insufficient information and development of technology in this area. i) implementation and maintenance costs - The cost of implementing and maintaining this technology generates a great reduction of interest in its adoption and usage [19]. When it comes to maintenance, the big disadvantage is the high consumption of electricity. All nodes in the chain are constantly updated to ensure the logs in the chain blocks and their validation, as well as to ensure zero error tolerance and immutability of transaction records [9]. Once “the signature verification is the challenge of the blockchain, because each transaction must be signed with

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cryptographic scheme, the big computing power is necessary for the calculation process to the sign. It is the one of the reasons to the high energy consumption” [20]. ii) ERP Systems Not Compatible - ERP Systems, are information systems designed to manage all digital processes of a company that facilitate decision-making in a broad view of all departments of the company [21]. These may not be compatible with blockchain technology or have the necessary tools for its implementation. Most companies operate on rigid ERP systems with structures that do not support blockchain [22]. iii) Involvement of partners - The biggest thread of blockchain is based on integrating suppliers into blockchain registration processes and convincing them of the benefits of transparent operations [20]. iv) Insufficient information and technology development in this area - In 2020, information on the implementation of this technology in supply chains is limited and its real examples scarce [23]. Despite the innumerable promises of blockchain success associated with supply chains, it is currently seen that, in reality, there are several theoretical bases related to the application of blockchain, however, the practical examples are limited.

4 Blockchain Applied to the Textile Supply Chain Management On a global scale, the textile supply chain includes millions of people [24]. Tons of water, crops, chemicals, and oil are used to produce the fabrics. Every stage in the process of manufacturing the fabric, from the production of the raw materials to the completion of the preparation of the final product, has human intervention. The process of purchasing the fabric, the production of the clothing and the logistics inherent in the articles include another series of processes carried out by people, resorting to other materials, at a given time and at a specific location. Under these circumstances it becomes very difficult and even doubtful to know the origin of the logistical process of a certain piece of clothing. The demand for produced parts with greater speed, quantity and lower value is constantly increasing. For this reason, it is essential for retail companies in the textile sector to have a customized and detailed control method, such as blockchain technology applied to their supply chains. Blockchain can be successfully applied in the area of SCM of the textile sector in order to keep the records up to date and to track all the steps that a particular garment has gone through: from the supplier to the final consumer. It also becomes easier to calculate the costs for a particular piece, since documents such as invoices and payment notes are included in your records. There is also a high grade and a lower probability of corruption associated with technology. Overall, the product cycle management process is more controlled and precise and makes it possible to optimize costs in the chain, to guarantee the quality of the part and, ultimately, increase the company’s profit [25].

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Therefore, there are several benefits associated with the use of blockchain in textile industry. However, and despite its multiple advantages, in this sector there are few examples of companies that have adopted the technology. The biggest advantages of implementing this technology in the supply chain in the textile sector are: 1) Transparency; 2) Tracking; 3) Sustainability; 4) Combating slave labor and; 5) Brand protection. Table 2 presents a summary and description of these concepts (Table 3).

Table 3. Advantages of the application of blockchain technology to the textile sector. Advantages Transparency

Tracking

Sustainability

Combating slave labor

Brand protection

Description This concept comes from the possibility of detailing the life cycle record of the product All intermediate processes can be detailed and recorded in a blockchain for later access by the final customer, showing the originality of the product. This prevents customers from buying products whose life cycle description is false or non-existent, linking the ethical principles of the customer to those of the product cycle e.g. a sweater: origin of knitting, dyeing, and finishes until sale of the garment in the shop It consists on constantly adding records with dates and locations, among other relevant information [24]. These records allow monitoring and updating of the status and location of the product in real time, avoiding losses or deviations and thus reducing unnecessary delays and costs Fundamental nowadays. The records list the materials and machinery used in the production of the garment, the amount of raw material used (avoiding waste), how the packaging was made, the type of transport used, and other interactions demonstrating the existence or otherwise of environmental concerns [25] The employment of extremely cheap labor in underdeveloped countries in the manufacture of textile products is a worrying reality in what regards the dignity of the human life condition. The lack of legal regulation allows abuses by major brands, such as the use of minors and the payment of absurdly low wages, is a sad reality [26]. With the application of blockchain to supply chains, there is no opportunity to cover up the use of improper labor. Since it is possible to store workers' information, companies are judged by the execution of the processes they use. The final customer is aware of the conditions to which employees are subject The counterfeiting of products and the brand forgery sold by third parties, not belonging to the holding of rights over a given brand, is a concern of companies in the corporate fabric [27], namely those with worldwide recognized brands. Once again Blockchain acts as prevention in this sector

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5 Conclusions From the study of blockchain technology, applied to supply chains in the textile sector, it is important to emphasize that, in fact, this is an emerging technology with significant beneficial potential for companies. On one hand, it offers the possibility of a company being 100% honest with its customer, guaranteeing quality and control over the product. The transparency and immutability of the processes make blockchain a very attractive technology to be used in logistical control. In any part of the world, access to immutable and secure data from supply chains is made possible to its users, with the possibility of being created by private or public channels. Controlling the access of users who are part of a chain ensures the complete integrity of the data. On another hand, such logistics chain management of a company results in the reduction of fraud and errors, improvement of the stock management system, cost minimization, reduction of delays in details or contracts, rapid identification of problems and, most importantly, leads to increased consumer confidence. Consequently, although blockchain technology initially emerged to serve as a database and transaction validation for cryptocurrency, its gradual evolution in the business environment transformed the way supply chains are thought and operated. This is, therefore, a significantly promising technology in the field of logistics management, pledging to make business processes more efficient and facilitate innovation with the use of new services and models. We can conclude that blockchain technology refers to a fundamental tool regarding the validation, storage and authentication of data and processes. Nevertheless, it is a technology that still raises many doubts regarding its practical application, since there are currently no large practical cases with stated results of companies with technology development, mainly in the sector under study - the textile sector. We can expect an absolute development of this technology once more long-term investment is implemented. Certainly, blockchain will become such a commonly used concept, giving its guarantees of success in the various sectors of the business fabric. Still in embryonic phase in our country, but with high expectations in the application to the supply chain of large companies. Acknowledgements. This work is financed by portuguese national funds through FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, under the project UIDB/05422/2020.

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Weather Variability Control in Three Colombian Airports Karen Vargas-Daza(&) , Giovanny Misat-Gómez and Dionisio Neira-Rodado

,

Universidad de La Costa, Barranquilla, Colombia {kvargas17,gmisat1,dneira1}@cuc.edu.co

Abstract. The aeronautic sector has been economically affected by the closure of its operations with the appearance of the Covid-19. For reducing the impact of weather variables at airport operations, we present a predictive model for better planning. Better planning reduces operative costs and increase the level of client satisfaction. This paper uses hourly observation from 2011 to 2018 at three Colombian airports: The Dorado airport in Bogota, the Olaya Herrera airport in Medellin, and the Matecana airport in Pereira. We build prediction models with deep learning and machine learning methods. These models aim to forecast horizontal and vertical visibility variables with minimum errors. The Random Forest decision tree model performs better predicting theses variables in one, six, and twenty-four hours. This model has better results with the horizontal variable visibility forecasting for the three airports giving errors among 4% and 8%. This algorithm gave a flexible solution, and any airport can implement it. Keywords: Random forest


Horizontal visibility
Vertical visibility

1 Introduction One of the most economically affected sectors with the appearance of the Covid-19 is the aeronautic sector. As a result, many countries decided to stop aerial activity to prevent the virus propagation. To reduce economic effects in a stage of new normality, we propose a predictive model to control the shift of main weather variables in three Colombian airports. This model will be useful for airline planning in the short and long term. Consequently, better planning will reduce operative costs and will increases client satisfaction levels. Weather variability can impact airport operations. For instance: flight cancellations or changes on the route due to unsuitable conditions. Closing airports means that the aeronautic sector would lose around 250.000 million dollars worldwide. As a result, most airlines decided to enter in financing law [1]. Even though, last year the Colombian aeronautical industry performed well, around 41,2 million passengers used aerial transport. It means an increase of 9,1% compared to the 37,6 million passengers who traveled in 2018. As a result of 40 new routes and 4 new airlines [2]. On the other hand, the Colombian government is planning in 2020 to reopen national and international flights by September. Then, airlines will meet challenges, © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 408–414, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_37

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such as recovering their finances and make investments in adapting their system to the biosecurity protocol. Hence, to improve operational costs, airlines must consider two essential meteorological variables in their planning: horizontal and vertical visibility. These variables will affect flight security and operation. Then, if these variables are above or under their limits, it will affect their landing or take-off schedule. For this reason, airlines need a good predictive model to improve short- and long-term planning. This research aims to present an algorithm that helps to forecast these variables. We test this model in three Colombian airports.

2 Related Work Impunctuality and high operational costs affect airlines due to weather restrictions. Then, airlines will need a good predictor of weather variables to reduce this negative impact. Techniques like machine learning and classification models including Random Forest and Neural Networks, provided good results in the forecasting of weather variables [3–5]. [3] uses tree decision techniques to predict a categorical variable that indicates security procedures at airports taking as reference their capacity due to low visibility. This variable merge vertical and horizontal variable; This categorical variable indicates if it is possible for airplanes landing or taking off. These authors test four models at the Vienna International Airport between September 2007–2012, for 1-h predictions. They use four models: Boosting, Bagging, Random Forest, and an ordered logistic regression. The Boosting model produces better results. As well as, [4] uses statistical models, including a machine-learning algorithm to predict vertical and horizontal visibility variables. These authors employ Three Classifiers and Random Forest. The Three Classifier model results with more weight within the final forecast model, obtaining values between 0,3 and 0,4. Similarly, [5] applies deep learning techniques to predict the visibility variable using hourly information for ten years at the Urumqi International Airport. The research proves that when the visibility is more than 1000 m, the absolute error is about 706 m per hour; If the visibility is less than 1000 m, the absolute error is approximately 325 m. This model has better performance when this variable is less than 1000 m. Also, [6] presents exploratory research using machine learning algorithms to classify and predict visibility variables. They collect the data from a meteorological station near the Orlando International Airport in Florida. These authors employ four classifiers, and the neural network algorithm gets 89,71% of accuracy. Furthermore, [7] develop a model to predict climatic variables using data from the meteorological tower at the University of Chennai in India to mitigate the impact of natural disasters. This model gathers important variables as cloud cover, which refers to horizontal and vertical visibility. This study uses two classifiers, and the Random Forest model gets more accuracy, obtaining an 87,1% of success.

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3 Analysis and Data Collection Vertical and horizontal visibilities are the climatic variables with more impact on airline operations. If there are weather variability, airports will have restrictions in their takeoff and landing. Therefore, these are the dependent variables in our forecast model. This research presents a Random Forest model for the forecasting in short: one to six hours, and medium-term: twenty-four hours. We test this model in three Colombian airports: The Dorado Airport, Bogota (SKBO); Jose María Cordova Airport, Medellin (SKRG); and the Matecana Airport, Pereira (SKPE). We follow the next data mining steps to process the data [6]: Data Collection. We use the database of the Iowa State University (ISU) presented in the Iowa Environmental Mesonet. This data is on an hourly basis between January of 2011 until December of 2018. The parameters included were: temperature in Farenheit (tmpf), humidity (relh), visibility (vsby), etc. Data Transformation. We call the data using a CSV file format to feed the model. Mining Tool. We identify missing data in the 29 variables available in the data base from 2011–2018, developing a R code. Data Preprocessing. The data cleansing process is completed. For example, If the skyc2 variable is null, we assume that the sky is clear. For dwpf and tmpf null variables, we take the hour before. With the drct and sknt variables, we replace the null value with cero. In addition, we set a time series with the date. Feature Extraction. We consider 22 of the 29 variables. We consider these parameters considering uncorrelation between them. Data Mining. We analyze the given datasets with the Random Forest and with the Neural Network algorithms. Then, we choose the one who gave better results: The Random Forest Algorithm. We consider 2 to 10 h before the actual time to make predictions with that one (Table 1).

Table 1. Variable description Variable Station Valid Tmpf Dwpf Relh Drct Sknt Vsby Mslp Skyl1

Description Three- or four-character site identifier timestamp of the observation Air Temperature in Fahrenheit Dew Point Temperature (Fahrenheit) Relative Humidity in % Wind Direction in degrees from north Wind Speed in knots Visibility in miles Sea Level Pressure in millibar Sky Level 1 Altitude in feet (continued)

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Table 1. (continued) Variable Skyl2 Skyc2 Metar Gust Alti

Description Sky Level 2 Altitude in feet Sky Level 2 Coverage Unprocessed reported observation Wind Gust in knots Pressure altimeter in inches

4 Methodology Previous researchers [3, 5] use deep learning and machine learning to forecast meteorological variables; they use Neural Networks models and Decision Trees due to their accuracy regard to traditional methods. We use three forecast techniques: Multiple Regression, Neural Network, and Random Forest. First, our data set is taken from the database of the Iowa State University (ISU) database from the Colombia Asos Network. Then, we proceed to select the cities where the study takes place: Bogota, Medellin, and Pereira. Also, we include all available weather variable data. Finally, we select our specific date range between January 2011 and December 2018 (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. Iowa State University (ISU) Data Base [6]

Second, we select the variables presented in the three airports. Third, we construct three forecast models one for each airport, and one for each type of model: two for the short term: 1 h and 6 h, and the third one for the medium term: 24 h; We aim to forecast the horizontal and vertical visibility variables. We work on an hourly basis to make the forecast. We make a considerable quantity of simulations for each method. We select the Random Forest to predict our predictor variables. This model gave better results with our data set than with the neural networks and the multiple regression model. The Random forest model is a classifier that groups several classification trees.

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This model builds each tree individually, and then, variables are selected randomly. This model weight selected variables and then calculates the trees most voted class generated. Finally, the algorithm makes the prediction [7]. First, a sample enters on a tree, and then a binary test series is made at each node. After that, at the training stage, the algorithm optimizes parameters obtained in a split function of training samples [8]. Random Forest fits perfect with a large amount of data, for instance our set is a large amount of hourly data between 2011–2018 [9]. We make 10, 20, 50, and 100 repetitions. The Random Forest algorithm fits better with 100 repetitions. Then, we calculate the error metrics with three different measures: Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE), the Theil’s U statistic, and the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE). The Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) follows the next equation: rffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi 1 Xn 2 RMSE ¼ e i¼1 i n

ð1Þ

Where n are the quantity of error samples and ei, (ei = 1, 2, ..., n) the error samples [11]. ei value is equivalent to Pi  Oi . P are the predicted values and O are the observed values. We use the next equation to obtain the Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE): P j AF j MAPE ¼

A

 100

N

ð2Þ

Where A = current value, F = forecast, N = amount of data. MAPE measures the error size in percentage terms. Finally, we use the following formula to calculate the Theil’s U statistic, vffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi u   uPn1 Y b t þ 1 Y t þ 1 2 u u t¼1 Yt U¼u 2 t P  n1 Yt þ 1 Yt t¼1 Yt

ð3Þ

This measure compares forecast results with historical data. Y t is the current variable value on a specific time with the notation t, and n is the total number of b is the forecast value. observations at that time, Y With these three-error metrics, we compare the results of the models within the different sets of time: 1, 6, and 24 h. We use as error estimators the RMSE, Theil’s U statistic and MAPE to evaluate the model performance. We calculate the RMSE to measure the accuracy of forecast or classification. Accuracy refers to the degree of correspondence mean between individual data of predicted values and observed values [10]. Observed values are those obtained at the meteorological measurement station. Finally, we explain if the data fits well with the forecast model. We select these three-error metrics because of its accuracy in their results.

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5 Results Airlines needs a tool that allows them to reduce error predicting weather forecast, therefore they will improve their planning in the short and medium-term. As a result, airlines will reduce their operative costs and increase client satisfaction levels. This paper presents an efficient technique to predict the most critical weather variables: horizontal and vertical variability. We test this model in three Colombian airports. This algorithm brings an efficient solution in terms of error and visualization using Decision Trees; We use deep and machine learning techniques, such as Neural Networks and Random Forests. The model with better results is the Random Forest that uses decision trees to make predictions. We develop an algorithm using R for three airports: El Dorado, Olaya Herrera and Matecana, more over any airport can implement it. This empiric study finds relevant hour one, two, and three before the prediction of one hour, six hours, and twenty-four hours. In Table 2 and Table 3, we present the Random Forest error metrics results of the vertical and horizontal visibility: Table 2. Error metrics vertical visibility (skyl1) Airports

1 h forecast MAPE RMSE

Olaya Herrera, Medellín 16.9 El Dorado, Bogotá 17.3 Matecana, Pereira 21.0

U

6 h forecast MAPE RMSE

252.967 0.34 18.3 154.851 0.24 17.91 127.42 0.08 16.97

U

24 h forecast MAPE RMSE

277.478 0.37 16.03 178.325 0.27 16.8 929.151 0.78 12.19

U

229.358 0.31 144.729 0.22 927.591 0.78

Table 3. Error metrics horizontal visibility (vsby) Airports

1 h forecast MAPE RMSE U

Olaya Herrera, Medellín 6.37 El Dorado, Bogotá 23.8 Matecana, Pereira 19.03

58 130 127

6 h forecast MAPE RMSE U

0.04 5.5 0.07 18.4 0.08 12.97

53 113 100

24 h forecast MAPE RMSE U

0.04 4.8 0.06 16.9 0.06 5.6

47.93 107 60

0.038 0.05 0.037

This model presented better results for the 1 and 6 h of horizontal visibility prediction of the Olaya Herrera Airport, with an 4% error. Also, for vertical visibility, the 1-h forecast fits better with an 8% error at the Matecana Airport. In addition, for the 24-h prediction horizontal variable, the Olaya Herrera Airport got a 4% error and the Matecana Airport a 5% error. To conclude, the random forest model fits better with the horizontal visibility variable in the 3-time horizons at all the airport´s samples.

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6 Conclusions Due to the high impact of the vertical and horizontal weather variables in airline planning operation, they need to use an accurate forecast model. The aeronautic sector needs to use a forecast model with high level of precision to reduce their costs and increase the level of client´s satisfaction. This paper presents the application of a forecast model using random forest decision trees to predict these variables in three Colombian Airports using 7 years data for the model´s prediction of these two variables. This model can be used in any airport, how ever it will be necessary to understand particular features of each data and compare with other models such as neural network or multiple regression to analyze their error results.

References 1. Semana: ¿En qué consiste la ley de quiebras a la que se sometió Avianca en EE. UU.?. Rev. Sem. (2020) 2. Aerocivil: En 9,1 por ciento aumentó el tráfico de pasajeros movilizados vía aérea en 2019, Grup. Counicación y Prensa - Unidad Adm. Espec. Aeronáutica Civ. vol. 2019, pp. 2019– 2021 (2020) 3. Dietz, S.J., Kneringer, P., Mayr, G.J., Zeileis, A.: Correction to: forecasting low-visibility procedure states with tree-based statistical methods (Pure Appl. Geophys. 176(6), 2631– 2644 (2019)). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-018-1914-x), Pure Appl. Geophys. 176(6), 2645–2658 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-018-1993-8 4. Herman, G.R., Schumacher, R.S.: Using reforecasts to improve forecasting of fog and visibility for aviation. Weather Forecast. 31(2), 467–482 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1175/ WAF-D-15-0108.1 5. Zhu, L., Zhu, G., Han, L., Wang, N.: The application of deep learning in airport visibility forecast. Atmos. Clim. Sci. 07(03), 314–322 (2017). https://doi.org/10.4236/acs.2017.73023 6. ISU Department of Agronomy: Iowa Enviromental Mesonet (2020). https://mesonet.agron. iastate.edu/request/download.phtml?network=CO__ASOS. 7. Medina-Merino, R.F., Ñique-Chacón, C.I.: Bosques aleatorios como extensión de los árboles de clasificación con los programas R y Python. Interfases (010), 165 (2017). https://doi.org/ 10.26439/interfases2017.n10.1775 8. Neira-Rodado, D., Nugent, C., Cleland, I., Velasquez, J., Viloria, A.: Evaluating the impact of a two-stage multivariate data cleansing approach to improve to the performance of machine learning classifiers: a case study in human activity recognition. Sensors (Switzerland) 20(7) (2020). https://doi.org/10.3390/s20071858 9. Ali, J., Khan, R., Ahmad, N., Maqsood, I.: Random forests and decision trees. Int. J. Comput. Sci. Issues 9(5), 272–278 (2012) 10. Vargas, K., Gonzalez, A., Silva, J.: The Effect of Global Political Risk on Stock Returns: A Cross-Sectional and a Time-Series Analysis BT - Intelligent Computing, Information and Control Systems, pp. 540–548 (2020) 11. Chai, T., Draxler, R.R.: Root mean square error (RMSE) or mean absolute error (MAE)? Arguments against avoiding RMSE in the literature. Geosci. Model Dev. 7(3), 1247–1250 (2014). https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-1247-2014

Usability and Accessibility of Institutional Websites in Demarcated Wine Regions: The Cases of Vinhos Verdes and Douro Eusébio Costa1(&), Fátima Matos Silva2, Isabel Borges3, Agostinho Sousa Pinto4, and António Abreu4

3

1 CEOS.PP - Instituto de Estudos Superiores de Fafe, Rua Universitária – Medelo, Apartado 178, 4824-909 Fafe, Portugal [email protected] 2 REMIT - Universidade Portucalense Infante D. Henrique, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida 541, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal [email protected] REMIT - Instituto de Estudos Superiores de Fafe, Rua Universitária – Medelo, Apartado 178, 4824-909 Fafe, Portugal [email protected] 4 CEOS.PP - Polytechnic of Porto, Rua Jaime Lopes Amorim, s/n, 4465-004 S. Mamede de Infesta, Portugal {apinto,aabreu}@iscap.ipp.pt

Abstract. In this article we discuss the problem of usability and virtual accessibility and its importance in the municipalities websites in the Vinhos Verdes and Douro demarcated regions. In this context, the main objective of this article is focused on the analysis, especially quantitative, of the websites from two major demarcated regions: Vinhos Verdes (Sub-regions of Melgaço and Monção, Lima and Amarante) and Douro (Baixo and Cima Corgo) and the specific case of the municipalities websites, the Portal of the Vinho Verde and the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro and Porto, in order to understand the degree of compliance with the requirements of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). However, we support the analysis in the perspective of the wine tourist user. Keywords: Usability
Virtual accessibility Douro
Vinhos Verdes


Accessible wine tourism


1 Introduction Portugal is a country with an important wine tradition, where wines of excellent quality are produced and recognized all over the world with awards and international distinctions. Viticulture is historically linked to Portugal as an agricultural activity of REMIT – The work of the researchers is financed by national funds through FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P., under the project UIDB/05105/2020. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 415–429, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_38

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significant economic and social importance and, for some demarcated regions, winemaking is a very important activity and an integral part of local culture. The concept of accessible tourism was developed as non-discriminatory and inclusive type of tourism, despite the different forms and the difficulty to have a general definition accepted by all. The aim is to offer equity and full participation to all categories of customers in tourism, developing extensive all-inclusive websites allowing people with disabilities to learn about wine, its history, and the winemaking process without physical, visual or auditory limitations [15, 16]. Unfortunately, many websites do not allow easy accessibility for all users. Accessibility and usability are not the same concepts. In general, usability, concerning a website, is related to making the access experience clear and easy for everyone, allowing the user to enter the site and easily find what he seeks, in the shortest possible time and with satisfaction. Accessibility is making a website accessible to people with some kind of special need or not, so that all users can have the same access experience, regardless of their condition. In fact, a website to be accessible, it must also be usable [1, 13]. The main purpose of this article is to contribute to the perception of the accessibility levels provided by the websites related to these two important wine regions. To achieve our objective, we verify the compatibility with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG) Web Content of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). This paper is organised as follows: the second section presents a brief review of the existing literature; the section three presents the method used in the research; the fourth section the results and discussion and, finally, the conclusion.

2 The Wine Tourism The importance of vineyards and wines, as dynamic elements of tourism, has gained increasing interest, both in terms of research, as well as in the various economic and cultural agents working on wine landscapes. From an integrative perspective, wines have been able to assert themselves, through their strong identity, in a tourist cluster, integrating all dimensions of culture. The curiosity to know, learn and taste the products in the production place, accentuates the interest in wine landscapes. This wine heritage and the production of quality wines, produced in specific regions, have led to a new form of tourism: Wine tourism. While winemaking has a thousand-year history, wine tourism emerged as a form of travel relatively late. Not well developed in some regions and quite incipient in the interconnection of wine tourism with other areas [11], wine tourism is an innovative experience, which invites not only wine connoisseurs, but also the conventional tourist, to immerse themselves in the world of wines. There are several definitions for wine tourism in scientific literature, and all of them are, obviously, connected to wine as the primary element. However, the definition and conceptualization of wine tourism does not have a uniform approach. The first author, a pioneer in a definition of Wine Tourism, is Hall who, in 1996, enunciated it as the visitation to vineyards, wineries, wine festivals and wine events whose main motivation is the discovery of wine and the attributes of a wine region [12].

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Benesteau and Morin [4], defined Wine Tourism as the organization and animation activities related to tourist staying in wine regions: visits to cellars, tastings, accommodation, and restaurants in addition to complementary activities related to wine, terroir products and regional traditions. Thus, we can understand the diversity of practices of this tourist product in which wine is the main motivation, but which brings together a multiplicity of possibilities and experiences: visits to farms, visits to wineries, wine tastings and events. The concept of Wine Tourism involves the five senses and is indelibly associated with the gastronomy and experience of the place in which it develops [9], unique and differentiating, and not only with the quality of the wine. Getz [9] defined, in the first publication dedicated exclusively to this theme, that Wine Tourism encompassed three aspects: tourism based on the attractiveness of a wine region and its products; a form of marketing promoting the development of a destination or region and, finally, a possibility of direct sales by wine producers [7]. Wine tourism is an important pillar for the sustainability of many countries or regions. In fact, Wine tourism is a strong and growing area of tourism [7]. This link with wine landscapes, and their implications, makes it relevant to study this new form of tourism that promotes the development of communities and the economy. Wine Tourism has undergone exponential growth in recent years. Of course, it is appropriate to refer Portugal, where Wine tourism has expanded in a very consistent way. Tourism currently attracts several types of interests, and the sector in general and Wine Tourism in particular represent, for the European Union, and for our country in particular, a strategic sector for the development of low-density areas. Currently, wine tourism is increasingly seen as an important part of the wine industry. Despite being recent in Portugal, Wine tourism is growing, with the regions with the highest expression being, for example, Vinhos Verdes and Douro. 2.1

The Demarcated Regions

The Douro Demarcated Region (RDD), the first region to be demarcated and regulated worldwide, still in the mid-eighteenth century (1756) by deliberation of the Marquis of Pombal, benefits not only from an exceptional historical framework, but also from a very favourable image, resulting from the prominence that the Douro and Port Wines have been achieving in the international panorama. The Douro demarcated region extends from Barqueiros, western border, to the border with Spain, in Barca d’Alva. It extends for about 250 000 hectares, very heterogeneous, of which 45 613 are occupied by the continuous vineyard [2, 5]. The dry climate, characterized by a large annual thermal amplitude, combined with the schist soil of the terraced slopes of the Douro valley, complemented by human intervention, constitute the ideal conditions for the production of wines of superior quality [5]. It is not, however, a homogeneous region, and it is worth mentioning the existence of three subregions: Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo and Douro Superior. This subdivision stems from both the natural conditions and the vicissitudes of human history and activity. Our study focuses on the Baixo Corgo and Cima Corgo where the largest number of vineyards are located and the largest tourist flows in the region [5].

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Located in the extreme North of Portugal, the Vinho Verde (Green Wines) region is demarcated since 1908. The name refers to the natural characteristics of the region, that only produces from the indigenous grape varieties of the region. This flagrant typicality and originality results essentially in the preservation of its typicity of aromas and flavors, producing a naturally light, clean, refreshing, and aromatic wine, unique in the world of wine [8]. Issues related to microclimate, grape varieties, type of soils, justify the division of the region in nine subregions: Amarante, Ave, Baião, Basto, Cávado, Lima, Monção e Melgaço, Paiva and Sousa. We will focus on the main and most recognized subregions: Monção and Melgaço, with a very specific microclimate and planted with the very well-known variety Alvarinho, among others; the subregion of Lima, a very rainy microclimate where the most famous and elegant white wines are produced from the Loureiro grape variety; Amarante, protected from the Atlantic influence, with hot summers, promote late maturing varieties like Azal, Avesso or Espadeiro [3].

3 Method and Data Collection: Case Study In the field of virtual accessibility, the progressive need to develop and access reliable information online has stimulated the creation of guarantees to content access. In this context, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) lists several components to be articulated in the interaction and development of a webpage to be accessible and provides the basis for understanding the different accessibility standards developed by the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). This content refers to the information available on the website, including information in a pure state (text, images, shapes, sounds) and the way it is presented in structure and presentation, functioned as the interconnection between web designers/developers and tourists (users) who are web browsers that use web browsers, media players: assistive technologies (screen readers, alternative keyboards, scanning software, among others), evaluation tools (for evaluating web accessibility, HTML validation, CSS validation) and authoring tools (the software that is at the origin of the creation of the website). This is a process of interdependence between components, which must work in a fully integrated manner. In 1999, Portugal was the first Member State to adhere to the accessibility guidelines of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), and the first initiative for the inclusion of accessibility occurred with the promulgation of Decree-Law No. 123/97 of May 22. In 2012, through Resolution of the Council of Ministers No. 91/2012 of November 8, the Portuguese Public Administration would have to adopt WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) 2.0 Standards of WC3 through the publication of the National Digital Interoperability Regulation (RNDI) [19]. With the introduction of the recent Decree-Law No. 83/2018 of 19 October, all websites are required to comply with certain rules and implement them by September 2019. Portugal, thus, transposes Directive (EU) 2016/2102, about the accessibility of websites and mobile applications from public sector bodies (except for public broadcasters), regardless the device used to access.

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The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 covers a varied range of recommendations and guidelines to help to contribute to accessibility in web content. In order to understand the degree of accessibility of the websites studied, we used the Access Monitor Plus. The studied convenience sample was based on 12 websites of the municipalities of Vinhos Verdes and Douro and 2 websites promoting/regulating the two regions. The selected sites were submitted to the automatic validator tests for WCAG developed by the ACCT Unit of FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology, IP. AccessMonitor Plus is an automatic validator that verifies the application of accessibility guidelines in the HTML content of a website. AccessMonitor Plus references version 2.0 of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) [18]. All analysis results were compiled on June 1st, 2020. This data is important since websites are continuously updated, so the validity of the analysis is relatively short. As shown in Fig. 1, the compliance of the analysed websites with the various levels is very inconstant. None of the studied ones reaches the wanted value of 10, and very few are close to that number.

Fig. 1. AcessMonitor Plus indexes for the analysed websites.

3.1

Qualitative Analysis from the User’s Perspective

From the results obtained we can conclude that the sites analysed are not, in fact, prepared to comply with the guidelines of the new European legislation, respectively the new guidelines made public on 21 March 2019 and are based on the European Law on Accessibility and the Standard Design for All.

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This European Standard EN 17161:2019 on Design for All - Accessibility following an approach to Design for All in products, goods, and services in order to extend the variety of users. Given that our goal is a qualitative analysis from the perspective of the user/consumer, and that it is practically impossible to present a study involving the 61 success criteria that make WCAG 2.0, we will analyse only some of those that we consider the most important for accessible tourism. The variables chosen for the qualitative analysis were the variables listed: display of the accessibility symbol, available languages, the existence of the research functionality and the reference to accessibility or accessible tourism themes (Table 1). We can mention that only five use the accessible website symbol and, in contrast, all of them (14) provide the search functionality, very useful for any user. The languages available, being also an indicator of accessibility, vary widely from the presentation of the site only in the native language to the availability of 98 languages, with 40% present only in one language, the native language. Table 1. Characterization of some elements of the analysed websites. Websites home page

AccessMonitor Plus index

Fixing the accessibility symbol

Languages made available

Search Reference Reference To functionality to Accessible Wine accessibility Tourism and/or Wine Culture

Monção: http://www.cmmoncao.pt/portal/page/ moncao/portal_municipal

4.6

Yes

1

Yes

Yes

No

Melgaço: https://www.cmmelgaco.pt/

7.5

No

1

Yes

Yes

Yes

Ponte da Barca: https:// www.cmpb.pt/

4.8

No

1

Yes

No

No

Ponte de Lima: https:// www.cm-pontedelima.pt/

7.2

Yes

9

Yes

Yes

No

Amarante: https://www.cm- 5.1 amarante.pt/

No

98

Yes

No

No

Portal Vinho Verde: https:// 4.4 portal.vinhoverde.pt/

No

1

yes

Yes

Yes

Vila Real: https://www.cm- 5.3 vilareal.pt/

No

7

Yes

Yes

No

Peso da Régua: https:// www.cm-pesoregua.pt/

9.1

Yes

9

Yes

Yes

No

Mesão Frio: https://www. cm-mesaofrio.pt/

6.8

No

9

Yes

No

No

Santa Marta Penaguião: https://www.cmsmpenaguiao.pt/

4.5

No

1

Yes

No

No

Sabrosa: https://www. sabrosa.pt/

7.4

Yes

9

Yes

Yes

No

Alijó: http://www.cm-alijo. pt/

5.9

No

1

Yes

Yes

No

S. João da Pesqueira: https://www.sjpesqueira.pt/

7.1

No

9

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

4

Yes

Yes

Yes

“Verde” Wines

Douro and Porto Wines

IVDP: https://www.ivdp.pt/ 4.8

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We will analyse some of the best performing websites with the selected criteria and with higher rates in the AccessMonitor Plus study results. Later we will summarize the others. It stands out for the positive, the score of the website of the Câmara do Peso da Régua that reached a score of 9.1, in our opinion a high conformity. The Câmara de Melgaço website, compliance index of 7.5, is a site that is easy to consult but heavily penalized for not affixing the accessibility symbol and being only in the native language. The Câmara de Sabrosa website, with a compliance index of 7.4, is a simple and easy-to-consult site. It has no reference to wine tourism. In relation to the website of the Câmara de Ponte de Lima, it has a compliance index of 7.2, it is a simple and easy to consult site. In our opinion despite its simplicity of navigation its use can be tiring due to the image that appears whenever you press a link. It also has no reference to wine tourism. The website of the Câmara of S. João da Pesqueira, compliance index of 7.1, is a site of easy to consult but strongly penalized for not having the accessibility symbol displayed. In our opinion is not a very attractive website, there are subpages that are just a set of links to other pages. In relation to the other analysed sites, all have a conformity index below 7, so we do not present the results in a detailed way. It is also important to highlight the impact of colour blindness (or colour vision deficiency) on the user with this disability and the way to minimize it [10]. It is true that it is studied, we know how to overcome this limitation, but in practice, very little or nothing has been done. Colour blindness affects approximately 10% of the world population, with a ratio of one to ten in men and one for every two hundred in women. Naturally, this inability creates a lot of discomfort when using a website. W3C has a set of recommendations that, when followed, minimize this problem. In practice, we are facing an exchange of the CSS of a website according to the type of colour blindness, whether it is deuteranopia, tritanopia or achromatopsia. Of course, changing all colour references in a CSS, which can have hundreds of lines, is a painful task. But such activity is no longer necessary since there are converters that do this task automatically1. In the analysis of the sites presented, we found no reference in order to help users with this limitation. 3.2

Quantitative Analysis

For the quantitative analysis we have chosen 14 elements. These elements were image subtitles, multimedia usage, headers, text formatting, information contrast, marking hotkeys, data table, links, link menus and text, links for information contour blocks, forms, the w3c standards, elements and attributes of presentation, the metadata presentation elements and attributes and, finally, main language indication (Table 2 and Figs. 2 and 3).

1

http://www.daltonicos.com.br/daltonico/tecnica.html.

–

1

–

–

–

1

–

1

Peso da Régua: https://www.cmpesoregua.pt/

Mesão Frio: https:// www.cm-mesaofrio. pt/

–

–

–

–

–

Vila Real: https:// www.cm-vilareal.pt/

Douro and Porto Wines

1

–

1

Portal Vinho Verde: https://portal. vinhoverde.pt/

–

–

1

Amarante: https:// www.cm-amarante.pt/

1

1

–

Ponte de Lima: https://www.cmpontedelima.pt/

–

–

–

–

1

Ponte da Barca: https://www.cmpb.pt/

–

–

Text formatting

–

1

–

–

Melgaço: https:// www.cm-melgaco.pt/

2

Headers

–

Multimedia

1

Subtitles In the Images

Monção: http://www. cm-moncao.pt/

“Verde” Wines

Website - home page

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

Information contrast

–

–

1

1

1

–

1

–

1

Hotkey marking

1

–

1

1

1

–

1

Data table

1

–

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

Links, menus and text of the links

1

–

1

1

1

–

1

1

1

Links to outline of blocks of information

–

1

1

1

–

1

–

1

Forms

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

Standars W3C

–

–

2

1

1

–

1

–

2

Presentation elements and attributes

–

–

–

–

–

–

1

–

–

Metadata

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

Idiioma main

5

0

7

8

8

3

7

3

10

Total level A errors

Table 2. Detailed results of level A tests performed, and which presented some not acceptable accessibility practices.

(continued)

6.8

9.1

5.3

4.4

5.1

7.2

4.8

7.5

4.6

Indice Accessmonitor

422 E. Costa et al.

–

1

1

–

–

–

1

1

9

Alijó: http://www.cmalijo.pt/

S. João da Pesqueira: https://www. sjpesqueira.pt/

IVDP: https://www. ivdp.pt/

Total

9

1

–

–

Sabrosa: https://www. sabrosa.pt/

3

1

–

1

Santa Marta Penaguião: https:// www.cmsmpenaguiao.pt/

Headers

Multimedia

Subtitles In the Images

Website - home page

1

1

–

–

–

–

Text formatting

0

–

–

–

–

–

Information contrast

7

–

–

1

–

1

7

–

1

1

–

Data table

12

1

1

1

–

1

Links, menus and text of the links

10

1

–

1

–

1

Links to outline of blocks of information

Table 2. (continued) Hotkey marking

8

1

–

1

–

1

Forms

0

–

–

–

–

–

Standars W3C

12

1

–

1

–

3

Presentation elements and attributes

1

–

–

–

–

–

Metadata

0

–

–

–

–

–

Idiioma main

79

7

3

6

2

9

Total level A errors

–

4.8

7.1

5.9

7.4

4.5

Indice Accessmonitor

Usability and Accessibility of Institutional Websites 423

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The results obtained reveal that the institutions studied and related to the regions of implantation of Vinhos Verdes (Sub-regions of Melgaço and Monção; Lima and Amarante) and Douro demarcated region (Baixo and Cima Corgo), in this case the municipalities, the Portal do Vinho Verde and the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto, are not weakly prepared to comply with the guidelines of the new European legislation, published on March 21, 2019 and enshrined in the European Accessibility Law and the Design for All Standard. Of course, it is inferred that these websites do not allow universal accessibility to anyone, but to computer technicians with a lot of knowledge in the area of the Internet. We will look at some of the websites, with better behaviour compared to the selected criteria and with higher indexes in the results of the AcessMonitor Plus study. It stands out for the positive, in the region of Vinhos Verdes, the website of the Municipality of Melgaço (7.5) followed closely by the Ponte de Lima (7.2). Unfortunately, all the others present weak performances, with very low values, such as Monção, Ponte da Barca and the Portal do Vinho Verde itself, with values that do not reach even half a scale. Only Amarante exceeds it, with 5.1. The websites related to Douro region have a better quotation in terms of accessibility, and the Peso da Régua (9.1) is highlighted, followed by Sabrosa (7.4) and Alijó (7.1). The others show lower accessibility results between 6.8 (Mesão Frio) and, as a minimum, 4.5, for the Portal of Santa Marta Penaguião.

Fig. 2. Percentage by type of A level not acceptable accessibility practices displayed on analysed websites.

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Since one of our main objectives is to perform the analysis from the user/consumer perspective, and that presenting a study involving the 61 success criteria that make up WCAG 2.0 proves to be an almost impossible task, we will analyse only those that we consider most important (from the user’s perspective), fit the principles of universal accessibility. As mentioned, the data analysis revealed few positive data, being mostly negative. As positive elements we can mention the absence of errors in the presentation of the main language, in the criteria of the W3C standards, as well as in the contrast level of the information provided. It is also worth mentioning the small percentage of errors, respectively 1%, with regard to the formatting of the texts of the various websites, as well as, in the metadata (title, navigation, redirection and reboot), moreover as we have seen in other, analyses, concerning the conformity of accessibility of websites related to various aspects of European tourism [6, 14, 17]. The presentation of multimedia data, i.e. spots, small films that want to illustrate the realities patented on these websites in order to make them more appealing is the last case with relatively low values, in the order of 4%. All other parameters analysed have a significant percentage of errors, justifying the low Values of the AccessMonitor Plus index achieved. We have results with non-compliance values of 9% accessibility, practices, hotkey tagging, and data tables. With 10% we have the problems detected in the forms, that is, the information that contextualizes the subjects is not presented and explains what should be fulfilled. This creates an obstacle, above all, for people who use assistive technologies, as they cannot access the explanation of what they should fill in and how they should do so. As we can measure in the graphics presented and the marking of headers, it presents errors in 11% of the websites, very high value, significantly increasing the difficulty in the search for the subjects and their subsequent reading, since when reading a large text it’s difficult to keep the attention. With a value close to 12%, we have the subtitling of the images. These errors in the subtitling of the images make it difficult to understand them. In addition to these errors there are still some inaccuracies reported in the warnings. In principle, all images should have a caption (when you look at the image with cursor or your hand on the touch screens), which is not the case on most websites under analysis. These unacceptable non-conformities contribute to the limitation of the awakening do the taste and interest of potential tourists and wine tourists to the various regions and to their potential. The greatest amount of concentration of errors, in the order of 13%, is related to links to the outline of blocks of information, either by repeating many times what has already been said, or because they are so extensive that users do not read them, losing their informative function. These errors are further added, prefiguring the highest values of the wrong practices of accessibility of Level A of the sample, with a magnitude of 15%, in the links, menus and text of the links and in the elements and attributes of presentation of the contents, reinforcing the mentioned in relation to the previous parameters.

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Fig. 3. Results detailed of all the tests carried out of A level and the index AccessMonitor Plus.

These high percentages of non-conformities explain that the indexes reached by most of the websites analysed are based on low average and average values. Since there is no additional information and as such it would be useful to state all errors in relation to the tests of level “A”, “AA” and “AAA”, we present only the results in detail and compared to all the tests of level A, performed and that presented unacceptable accessibility practices, in the graph of Fig. 3. We have seen in this quantitative analysis of non-conformities by level the existence of relatively high values and, as such, reveals the problems that the vast majority of websites present, in terms of compliance with what is intended to be an accessible website, aimed at all.

4 Discussion According to the data presented related to the qualitative analysis and provided by AccessMonitor Plus the average compliance with accessibility requirements is 6.03, on a scale of 1.0 to 10, not enough to pass the level A of accessibility of online pages remaining, in the general set, at very low levels. Regarding the average compliance with the same accessibility requirements reflected in the AccessMonitor Plus index, we found that the websites related to the Vinhos Verdes region is 5.6 and the one for the Douro region is 6.3. We have therefore

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proven that none of the websites under study is considered fully accessible, and the averages are also well below the recommended values. It should also be noted that the effective and efficient development of a website necessarily involves knowledge of different areas, including techniques, but also accessibility experts. It would therefore be advisable to have multidisciplinary teams working together, in order to prevent the existence of failures that should no longer exist, especially since thirteen of the websites studied are representative institutions of the Portuguese public administration. Since October 2019 they must comply with the decree-law 83/2018 of 19 October, in relation to the compliance of WCAG 2.0 of WC3 Standards through the publication of the National Digital Interoperability Regulation (NDIR). As we can see, it is not being taken into consideration. Although the errors found are not serious from a functional point of view, they are crucial for users with some deficiency or poor technological knowledge. The development of a website involves, in addition to technical aspects, valuing the knowledge of visitors as potential consumers, regardless of their technical or personal profile. There is therefore still a great evolution that needs to be made.

5 Conclusions Wine tourism is effectively linked to the experience of the place in which it develops, allowing the dissemination of wine regions, developing and enhancing its strengths, through the use of tourism, both in terms of services and heritage, functioning as a diversification of tourist practices. Understanding the level of knowledge of the tourist and the need to deepen their wine knowledge, it is important to adapt the type of offer that exists, especially online, where everything starts. The need to better know the tourist demand of this segment, leads to a more detailed analysis of the motivations underlying the decision of this tourist product and its consumption profile. Without doubt, accessible tourism must bring numerous changes to wine regions and its institutional websites, particularly in relevant demarcated regions. It requires efforts by the management and all available resources to maximize the use of accessible tools and make accessibility a real priority of the institutions. The process of adaptation for the disability community can be made using all the five senses: pictograms and diagrams describing the wine tastings, using QR codes on the bottles tasted that give access to videos with subtitles, touching the grapes as they pass along the selection table during the harvest or feeling the temperature of a fermentation tank, access for wheelchair users, text in Braille, sign language and subtitles, panels and posters with high contrast and QR codes for the explanation of wines, the winemaking process and wine tasting. It is possible! The key for these two leading wine destinations studied is not only accessibility but inclusiveness. Everyone, with or without disabilities, must be able to visit the properties without the need to make a special appointment or require special attention. Unfortunately, the results of the websites analysed reflect very poor accessibility for anyone other than a computer technician. This reality is aggravated in the situation in

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question, in which the target audience of the study are normal people, potential tourists, and wine tourists with or without special needs, but who in many of the websites analysed will have difficulty finding and later seizing the information they need. These difficulties are compounded when accessibility issues are physical.

References 1. Afonso, A., Lima, J., Reis, Cota, M.: Uma avaliação heurística da Usabilidade de Interfaces Web. Comput. Sci. Eng. (2012). https://doi.org/10.5923/j.computer.20120001.04. p-ISSN 2163-1484, e-ISSN 2163-1492 2. Aguiar, F.: O Alto Douro Vinhateiro, uma paisagem cultural, evolutiva e viva. Douro Estudos Documentos VII(13), 143–152 (2002) 3. Almeida, J.: Guia de Enoturismo. Zestbooks Lda, Lisboa (2016) 4. Benesteau, A., Morin, L. (coord.): Le Tourisme Viti-vinicole, Les Cahiers de L’Afit. AFIT, Paris (2001) 5. Borges, I.: O Enoturismo na Região Demarcada do Douro: a Festa das Vindimas como produto turístico. Tese de Doutoramento em Turismo. Universidade de Coimbra (2017). https://estudogeral.uc.pt/handle/10316/32184 6. Borges, I.; Silva, F.M., Costa, E., Pinto, A.S., Abreu, A.: Infoaccessibility on the websites of inbound markets of Portugal destination. In: Rocha, Á., et al. (eds.) Advances in Tourism, Technology and Smart Systems, Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies, vol. 171, pp. 117–129. Springer, Singapore (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-2024-2_10 7. Costa, A., Kastenholz, E.: O enoturismo como factor de desenvolvimento das regiões mais desfavorecidas. In: 1.º Congresso de Desenvolvimento Regional de Cabo Verde/2º Congresso Lusófono de Ciência Regional (2009) 8. Estevão, J.: Quintas do Vinho Verde. Lello Editores, Porto (1994) 9. Getz, D.: Explore Wine Tourism: Management, Development, Destinations. Cognizant Communication Corporation, New York (2000) 10. Gustafson, A.: Understanding Color Blindness: a guide to Accessible Design. Crux Collaborative (2015). https://cruxcollaborative.com/insights/understanding-color-blindnessguide-to-accessible-design 11. Hall, C.M., et al.: Wine Tourism Around the World: Development Management and Markets. Elsevier Science, Oxford (2000) 12. Hall, C.M., Macionis, N.: Wine tourism in Australia and New Zealand. Cap. 12. In: Butler, R., Hall, M., Jenkins, J. (eds.) Tourism and Recreation in Rural Areas. Wiley, Chichester (1998) 13. Nielsen, J., Loranger, H.: Prioritizing web Usability (2006). https://books.google.pt/books? hl=pt-PT&lr=&id=YQsje6Ecl4UC&oi=fnd&pg=PT26&dq=Jakob+Nielsen% 2Busability&ots=nXUEDJUtN3&sig=GnnAQfsGf9xkrLQjYKTGN08up9A&redir_esc= y#v=onepage&q=Jakob%20Nielsen%2Busability&f=false 14. Pinto, A.S., Costa, E., Borges, I., Silva, F.M., Abreu, A.: Virtual accessibility on digital business websites and tourist distribution. In: Rocha, Á., et al. (eds.) Advances in Tourism, Technology and Smart Systems, Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies, vol. 171, pp. 106–116. Springer, Singapore (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-2024-2_9 15. Silva, F.M., Borges, I.: Religious tourism and pilgrimages in the central portuguese way to santiago and the issue of accessibility. In: Handbook of Research on Socio-Economic Impacts of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage, pp. 375–395. IGI Global, Hershey (2019a)

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16. Silva, M.F.M., Borges, I.: Accessible territories development: hostels and religious architecture in Portuguese way to Santiago. In: Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Tourism Research - ICTR 2019, pp. 308–320. Academic Conferences and Publishing International Limited, Reading (2019b) 17. Silva, F.M., Borges, I.: Digital accessibility on institutional websites of Portuguese tourism. In: Ratten, V. (ed.) Technological Progress, Inequality and Entrepreneurship, Studies on Entrepreneurship, Structural Change and Industrial Dynamics, chapter V, pp. 67–85. Springer, Cham (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26245-7_5 18. Unidade ACESSO da FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. http:// accessmonitor.acessibilidade.gov.pt/amp/ 19. http://www.acessibilidade.gov.pt/accessmonitor/nota_tecnica.html

Gamification, Serious Games and Simulations: Experiences and Contributions of International Projects in Higher Education Paulino Silva(&) and Anabela Mesquita CEOS.PP - ISCAP – Politécnico do Porto, Porto, Portugal {paulino,sarmento}@iscap.ipp.pt

Abstract. This article presents a review of the literature on the origins of business simulations, such as games and serious games, as well as business simulation experiences in Portuguese higher education. Additionally, we present two international projects that can contribute to the improvement of business simulation experiences. Keywords: Gamification
Serious games
Business simulation
International projects

1 Introduction Over the last years, higher education institutions have tried to fill some gaps in accounting and management education, especially those related to the development of technical and transversal skills. More recently, and taking advantage of the opportunity to replace the internship of access to the Order of Certified Accountants, several higher education institutions have introduced business simulation courses in their accounting and related degrees. These courses base their operation on a simulation of the business environment so that students can have a business experience close to the real one, but without risk. In order to contribute to the discussion and reflection on the use of business simulations in the training of young people, this article presents a literature review on the origins of these simulations, namely serious games and gamification. Business simulation experiences are also presented in several Portuguese higher education institutions, in addition to the potential contributions of international projects to improve these experiences. This reflection has the potential to contribute to the improvement of the use of simulations in the classroom environment, especially considering that some factors that may condition its success are related to both the simulation itself and the pedagogical approaches used to justify the introduction and use of simulation in the teaching/learning process.

© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 430–438, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_39

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2 Gamification, Serious Games and Simulations Gamification is usually defined as the use of game elements in non-game contexts [1]. It can also be defined as the set of activities for solving problems using game components. An example of gamification is the use of Kahoot! to consolidate knowledge in the most diverse areas and at the most diverse levels of education [2]. Jones et al. [2] used this online application to assess students’ advanced knowledge in a high school biology course. The concept of serious games is far from being unanimously accepted. For example, Klabbers [3] argues that the designation of serious games is out of place for what it usually designates, that is, if we talk about serious games, these cannot be fun. This situation happens because if there are serious games, on the other hand, there will also have to be non-serious games, and these can be fun [3]. However, for Clapper [4], serious games do not necessarily have to be the opposite of non-serious games, because serious games are often even fun. For this author, what should be serious are the results obtained by the experience of participating in these games, such as accreditation and continuous practice of the profession [4]. When it comes to simulations, and especially in the area of management, we must think about the experience of having a company as real, but without risks, with real tasks, real calendar, real processes and a real market [5]. Simulating the management of a company can be very demanding, not only in terms of technical skills but also in transversal skills [6]. That is why business simulations must have the closest image to a real situation. In this line, we must have commercial or industrial operations, but also interpersonal relationships as a result of teamwork, for example. When human relationships become essential in the process, simulation participants must be able to deal with planning, organisation and also possible conflicts. Running a company is mainly dealing with people, so everyone must know and develop management and leadership skills [7]. Of course, if we want an accounting student to be prepared to do his job, we need to allow him/her to experience situations very similar to real ones [8]. For example, tax returns must be filed every month on a specific date. This means that the student needs to take responsibility for fulfilling the tax obligation during the business simulation experience. It is recognized that gamification, games and simulations promote involvement and motivation in the educational context [9]. However, despite the many successful examples, it cannot always be said that the methodology based on business simulations is more effective than the more traditional methodology, based on case studies. In a recently published article, Rogmans and Abaza [10] sought to assess the effectiveness of business simulation games in increasing levels of student involvement, as they argue that there are some gaps in knowledge about the effectiveness of business simulation games as learning tools. Comparing students who experienced the game with students who experienced a traditional methodology, they concluded that the level of involvement of students who experienced the game was lower than those who experienced the traditional method of case studies [10]. This leads us to question the existence of other factors that may contribute to these results. Flow theory [11, 12] can

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help to perceive these results and, even, to evaluate the quality of the game design [13]. According to this theory, for participants to feel involved entirely, certain conditions must exist, something that may not have happened with the experience reported by Rogmans and Abaza [10]. The conditions are as follows [14]: i) involvement with what is being done - total focus; ii) feeling of loss of self-awareness; iii) feeling of clarity; iv) a sense of control; v) altered sense of time; vi) fusion between action and conscience; vii) experience of the intrinsically rewarding activity. Flow theory is associated with positive psychology and has been used in many educational experiences and, in this field, it is irreparably associated with serious games. The theory that began to take shape in 1990, when Professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi published his book “Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience”, is the result of several experiments on the “optimal experience”, and is not particularly new. Plato, on the other hand, 25 centuries ago, advocated that the main task of education was to teach young people to find pleasure “in the right things” [15]. The serious game Fligby [16], developed with the help of Csikszentmihalyi and based on the theory of Flow, has been used to promote and develop leadership skills. Also, some studies prove its effectiveness in motivational terms as well as in the development of skills in entrepreneurship [17–19]. One of the most prominent professional areas in the future is cybersecurity. However, it has not been easy to convince students to pursue this area, given the low attractiveness and substantial effort to understand fundamental concepts. Kam et al. [20] sought to encourage individuals to learn cybersecurity skills through a laboratory training project in which participants while learning about hacker attacks, were monitored for persistence to complete the proposed exercises while their perception of motivation and flow were monitored. Through this investigation, the authors sought to test a model that integrated the theories of flow and self-determination. As it is admitted as something beneficial, there are already experiences in which it is attempted, in an unnatural way, to introduce the state of flow. If it is true that the state of flow can be induced artificially, for example in soldiers, through electric helmets [21], we are still far from knowing the consequences of these types of experiences and even if we are facing a fully developed technology [22].

3 Business Simulation in Higher Education in Portugal This section presents some experiences of business simulation in Portuguese institutions of higher education. Although not all are portrayed here, it was decided to present the experiences that have published articles. At the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, an institution in which the business simulation course unit was implemented, it was sought to assess the motivation of students in this course unit, as well as the factors that most motivated them [23]. Based on a motivation measurement model, recognised in the literature [24], the authors created their questionnaire and concluded that students are highly motivated in the business simulation course. Besides, they identified as the main motivating factors of this curricular unit the importance of it in the global training of a graduate in

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accounting, the consolidation of knowledge and also the fact that the curricular unit provides the development of the initiative capacity. At the Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave, in a survey of students who attended the business simulation project curricular unit, it was sought to identify the importance that students attach to this curricular unit, as well as their difficulties in implementing the project [25]. The results obtained revealed that students attach great importance to this curricular unit; however, there are difficulties in its implementation. At the Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal, the business simulation course unit was recognised as a success story [26, 27]. Through a questionnaire to the students of this curricular unit, the authors sought to know if the objectives of the same had been achieved. The results obtained show that the students recognise the fulfilment of the objectives, as well as an evolution of the knowledge acquired in several areas related to their accounting training. In addition, the high level of approvals and the respective average contribute to making the course a success. At the University of Algarve, a management simulator (Cesim Global Challenge) was introduced in a curricular unit of management aiming to improve entrepreneurship skills, given that its importance in solving economic problems and in decision making is recognised. In order to verify the students’ involvement and effective learning results in an integrated teaching environment, a study was carried out with the students who lived this experience [28]. The results show a high degree of student involvement and motivation. The same students recognise that simulator contributes to improving their skills. At the Autonomous University of Lisbon, a business game was developed to improve management education. In a study carried out using questionnaires applied to participating students, it was tried to evaluate the game and the way it was used, taking into account its operation, the business games learning methodology and the student’s learning [29]. The results showed that there were improvements in students’ knowledge and a high level of motivation on the part of them. At the Polytechnic Institute of Porto, one of the most prominent higher education intuitions in Portugal, a business simulation project was implemented. This project started in 2003 at the Porto Accounting and Business School (ISCAP). The business simulation project was associated with a degree in accounting and administration, where most of the institution’s students are enrolled. When the business simulation units started, they had the primary purpose of avoiding the need for students to do an internship to access the order of certified accountants. Today, the project proves to be fundamental for the acquisition and development of technical and transversal skills [30–32]. In the business simulation courses, students experience a simulated business environment, without taking risks inherent to the business reality [33, 34]. Their primary function is to manage a simulated company, allowing them to have an in-depth knowledge of the practices inherent in the role of manager and accountant [35].

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4 International Projects International projects are increasingly occupying a prominent place in the role of driving research within the European Union. Partnerships between higher education institutions and other organisations, public and private, enable not only a fruitful intercultural exchange but also a sustained development of research in various areas. The area of education, as a fundamental pillar of society, has received regular support from the European Commission, primarily through the development of international projects. Organisations from different countries and with different legal forms, come together to improve and innovate in education practices. The YBS (www.ybsproject. com) and ELSE (www.elseproject.eu) projects are two clear examples in which public and private resources are used to develop simulations and games, in favour of innovation in terms of training and educational tools. Having well-trained young people with the necessary skills for the job market is a concern that underlies the mission of higher education institutions and also in training companies. In the following sections, these two projects are presented, as well as the tools developed, contributing to the promotion of the skills of young users and their preparation to enter the labor market. 4.1

YBS - Your Business Success

The YBS project emerged from a consortium of public and private organisations from six different countries with a common goal: to improve the training and skills of entrepreneurs and small business owners in the areas of strategic planning and control. In addition to a Portuguese higher education institution, which leads the project (Polytechnic Institute of Porto - ISCAP), the partners in this project are from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Romania, Greece and Bulgaria, two of which are consulting companies and the rest three, non-profit organisations. In addition to a training guide focused on close and personalised support, the project allowed the creation of an online platform, (https://app.ybsproject.com/) which allows simulating the creation of a strategic business plan, helping the user to organise and structure their own business, simply and intuitively. The business plan that results from the use of this simulator is efficient, as it can be used to obtain financing and has as a fundamental focus on the performance of the organisation. Besides, the application allows the management of projects related to each user and each organisation. This platform is available in the various languages of the project partners. In addition to English, it is available in Portuguese, Greek, Dutch, Bulgarian and Romanian. The use of this simulator provides the acquisition of transversal skills and the development of others, improving the preparation of entrepreneurs, whether they are recent graduates, or are developing their small business. 4.2

ELSE – Eco/Logical Learning and Simulation Environments in Higher Education

The ELSE project emerged intending to improve and innovate education tools and methodologies, especially in higher education. In addition, the project aims to develop and disseminate a strategy to achieve the fundamental European objective of

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redesigning higher education, facilitating the application of the Bologna Process principles across Europe. This objective is achieved through the design of an integrated curriculum, in which the teaching process presupposes a simultaneous acquisition of transversal skills appropriate for the digital age. The partners in this project are institutions of higher education, and there is also a company specialised in creating serious games. The countries represented in this project are Portugal, Italy, Spain, Poland, the United Kingdom, North Macedonia, Cyprus and Romania. The use of the flipped classroom methodology allowed the creation of a tool that privileges the use of video as the central resource. The e-voli, (https://evoli.altervista. org/) name of this tool, allows any video, even available on online platforms such as YouTube, to be given specific feedback throughout the video, like “I get it” or “I didn’t get it”, as well as putting comments at a certain point in the video. Another tool, also crucial in this project, was the e-core, (https://else. entropylearningplatform.it/) an online editor for the creation of serious games, developed with the important contribution of the company specialised in this area. This tool allows any user to create their own game, allowing the development of specific skills, by the player, according to the objectives of the game. The use of flipped classroom and gamification approaches allows the valuation and development of skills, which are often overlooked in traditional approaches. Students end up leaving these experiences more motivated and more involved in the learning process, which leads to better results and greater effectiveness in the teaching-learning process.

5 Conclusions Although the use of simulations, serious games and gamification is not exactly recent, it is now that these concepts are being appropriated and broadly put into practice, by teachers and trainers. These users seek to explore their full potential, namely, their ability to motivate and involve students in the teaching/learning process, making their training more effective and efficient and even faster. In practice, these tools allow students/trainees to have contact with reality, to experience it, to dare to make decisions and to identify and evaluate the consequences of those same decisions, without taking any risk. The success of its use depends on the correct design of its inclusion in the learning process. Misused tools can lead to negative results. In this article, which is, above all, the motto for a broader reflection on the use of these tools, the Flow Theory was also addressed, which advocates that learning occurs more deeply when we are emotionally involved with the task. Now, it is precisely in this aspect that simulations, games and gamification find their voice. When students are involved and motivated, learning takes place in a more straightforward, comfortable and deeper way. This type of tool development and training of teachers and trainers has been the target of several European projects. In this article, two examples are given where simulators and games are a central element in promoting the inverted classroom, autonomous work, and the development of transversal skills, while the student gets involved with the materials he uses.

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As was said, also, it is necessary not to forget the pedagogical approaches, and that should frame the use of this type of tools. The success of its use does not depend only on the quality of the game, but on its combination with the interactions, discussions, reflections promoted by the teacher or trainer. The insertion of simulators and games should be seen in a holistic context, with the awareness that everything can contribute to the success of the learning process.

References 1. Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, R., Nacke, L.E.: Gamification: toward a definition. In: CHI 2011, Vancouver, BC, Canada (2011) 2. Jones, S.M., Katyal, P., Xie, X., Nicolas, M.P., Leung, E.M., Noland, D.M., Montclare, J.K.: A ‘KAHOOT!’ approach: the effectiveness of game-based learning for an advanced placement biology class. Simul. Gaming 50(6), 832–847 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1177/ 1046878119882048 3. Klabbers, J.H.: On the architecture of game science. Simul. Gaming 49(3), 207–245 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1177/1046878118762534 4. Clapper, T.C.: Serious games are not all serious. Simul. Gaming 49(4), 375–377 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1177/1046878118789763 5. Wells, R.A.: Management games and simulations in management development: an introduction. J. Manag. Dev. 9(2), 4–6 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1108/ 02621719010002108 6. Oliveira, F., Souza, R., Júnior, J., Anez, M.: Aplicação da simulação empresarial no ensino da graduação. XIII SIMPEP. XIII SIMPEP, Bauru, SP, Brasil, November 2006 7. Golden, P.A., Smith, J.R.: Utilising simulation games: three consulting experiences. J. Manag. Dev. 9(2), 16–21 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1108/02621719010138685 8. Allam, A., Sutton Michael, J.D.: Gamification, serious games, simulations, and immersive learning environments in knowledge management initiatives. World J. Sci. Technol. Sustain. Dev. 14(2/3), 78–83 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1108/WJSTSD-02-2017-0005 9. Bitrián, P., Buil, I., Catalán, S.: Flow and business simulation games: a typology of students. Int. J. Manag. Educ. 18(1), 100365 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2020.100365 10. Rogmans, T., Abaza, W.: The impact of international business strategy simulation games on student engagement. Simul. Gaming 50(3), 393–407 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1177/ 1046878119848138 11. Csikszentmihalyi, M.: Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Harper Perennial, New York (1990) 12. Csikszentmihalyi, M.: Flow: The Classic Work on How to Achieve Happiness. Rider, London (2002). (Rev. ed) 13. Perttula, A., Kiili, K., Lindstedt, A., Tuomi, P.: Flow experience in game based learning – a systematic literature review. Int. J. Serious Games 4(1) (2017). https://doi.org/10.17083/ijsg. v4i1.151 14. Nakamura, J., Csikszentmihalyi, M.: The concept of flow. In: Csikszentmihalyi, M. (ed.) Flow and the Foundations of Positive Psychology, pp. 239–263. Springer, Dordrecht (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9088-8_16 15. Whalen, S.P., Csikszentmihalyi, M.: Putting Flow Theory into Educational Practice: The Key School’s Flow Activities Room. University of Chicago (1991)

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16. Marer, P., Buzady, Z., Vecsey, Z.: Missing Link Discovered: Integrating Csikszentmihalyi’s Flow Theory into Management and Leadership Practice by using FLIGBY – the Official Flow-Leadership Game. ALEAS Simulations, Inc. (2015) 17. Almeida, F., Buzády, Z.: Learning entrepreneurship in higher education through flow theory and FLIGBY game. Int. J. Virtual Pers. Learn. Environ. 9(1), 1–15 (2019). https://doi.org/ 10.4018/IJVPLE.2019010101 18. Almeida, F., Buzady, Z.: Assessment of entrepreneurship competencies through the use of FLIGBY. Digit. Educ. Rev. 35, 19 (2019) 19. Buzady, Z., Almeida, F.: FLIGBY—a serious game tool to enhance motivation and competencies in entrepreneurship. Informatics 6(3), 27 (2019). https://doi.org/10.3390/ informatics6030027 20. Kam, H.-J., Menard, P., Ormond, D., Crossler, R.E.: Cultivating cybersecurity learning: an integration of self-determination and flow. Comput. Secur. 96, 101875 (2020). https://doi. org/10.1016/j.cose.2020.101875 21. The Guardian. US military successfully tests electrical brain stimulation to enhance staff skills, 7 November 2016. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/nov/07/us-militarysuccessfully-tests-electrical-brain-stimulation-to-enhance-staff-skills 22. Harari, Y.N.: Homo Deus: História Breve do Amanhã, 9th edn. Elsinore (2018) 23. Alves, J., Moutinho, N., Pires, A., Ribeiro, N.: A motivação dos alunos em simulação empresarial: Análise de um ano lectivo. XIV Congresso Internacional de Contabilidade e Auditoria, Lisboa (2013). http://hdl.handle.net/10198/8916 24. Tuan, H., Chin, C., Shieh, S.: The development of a questionnaire to measure students’ motivation towards science learning. Int. J. Sci. Educ. 27(6), 639–654 (2005). https://doi. org/10.1080/0950069042000323737 25. Maria de Silva, L., Martins, D., Jesus, M.J.: O Projeto em Simulação Empresarial como um Novo Paradigma de Investigação/Experimentação no Ensino Superior. XVII AECA International Meeting, Lisbon, Portugal, September 2018 26. Maria da Aleixo, C., Teixeira, A.B., Silva, S.: Simulação empresarial: Um caso de sucesso. XXII Jornadas Luso-Espanholas de Gestão Científica, Vila Real, Portugal (2012) 27. Teixeira, A.B., Maria da Aleixo, C., Silva, S.: Simulação Empresarial e as Novas Metodologias de Ensino: Estudo de Caso. XV Encuentro AECA, Esposende, Portugal (2012) 28. Kikot, T., Costa, G., Magalhães, R., Fernandes, S.: Simulation games as tools for integrative dynamic learning: the case of the management course at the University of Algarve. Procedia Technol. 9, 11–21 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.protcy.2013.12.002 29. Piana, J., Erdmann, R.H.: AVALIAÇÃO DE SIMULAÇÃO EMPRESARIAL: UM ESTUDO NA UNIVERSIDADE AUTÔNOMA DE LISBOA. Administração: Ensino e Pesquisa 14(3), 557–589 (2013). https://doi.org/10.13058/raep.2013.v14n3.61 30. Silva, P., Bertuzi, R.: The contribution of business simulation to improve management competencies. In: EDULEARN 2015: 7th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies (2015) 31. Silva, P., Bertuzi, R.: How business simulation methodologies can impact on the improvement of students’ skills. In: ICERI2019 - 12th Annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation. ICERI2019 - 12th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation, Seville, Spain, November 2019 32. Silva, P., Silva, R.: Improving Management skills through business simulation. In: EDULEARN12 - International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies (2012)

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The Laboratory of the Forest: Social, just and Sustainable Management of the Amazon on Focus Karla Nunes Penna1(&) and Camilla Miranda Figueiredo2

2

1 Murdoch University, Perth, Australia [email protected] Secretaria Estadual de Meio Ambiente, Belem, Brasil [email protected]

Abstract. At a time when we face a major global transformation, integration, resilience, and innovation are keywords to redefine collective paths. In this paper, we present the work of a team of Amazonian researchers and professionals, who, tired of waiting for more effective public actions to assist socially vulnerable riverside communities in the Amazon Rainforest, decided to look for innovative ways to reconnect the local people to their territory. The povertyrelated factors and cultural losses experienced by these communities living in the Amazon Rainforest – a Natural and Cultural World Heritage Site by UNESCO – have deeply affected their sense of place, identity and belonging. Bridging traditional and scientific knowledge as a tool for building a desirable future for locals, the work of the Laboratory of the Forest team is based on the principles of social entrepreneurship, transformative education and Theory U. Our goal is the transformation of the currently disrupted system in the Amazon into a co-creative ecosystem economy, by shifting realities and minds. Keywords: Amazon rainforest management entrepreneurship
Transformative education


Social justice
Social

1 Introduction “Leadership is about being better able to listen to the whole than anyone else can” Otto Scharmer.

The above quotation is from Otto Scharmer [14], one of the founders of the Presencing Institute (MIT Sloan School of Management). This institute was founded in 2006 to create an action research platform at the intersection of science, consciousness, and profound social and organisational change. Its team has developed the “Theory U” as a change framework and set of methodologies that have been used by thousands of organisations and communities worldwide to address our most pressing global challenges: climate change, food systems, inequality and exclusion, finance, healthcare and education (Presencing Institute website). Theory U is a process of co-sensing and co-shaping possibilities from the generative social field [14]. Scharmer explains that like a farmer has to pay attention to the © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 439–449, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_40

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quality of the soil to guarantee the quality of what grows above the surface, leaders and changemakers have to cultivate the soil of the social field. The social field is one of the sources from which actions and knowledge come into the world. The other source is the pre-established system. To generate new ideas that can transform current socially unequal scenarios, we cannot feed our minds anymore from the system that is producing results that (almost) nobody wants. We need a new source of knowledge: the field, the generative social field. The ability to search for this knowledge demands from us a strong level of sensibility to exercise soft skills, such as active listening and mindfulness, to allow us to “sense” what the issues, risks, possibilities, potentials and ideas that come from the field are. Thus, together with others under collaborative work, we can shape joint solutions that can attend to the needs. Working in collaboration in a sensitive way is at the heart of the Theory U - co-sensing and then co-shaping a better future. Under this philosophy, reinforced by the core values of social entrepreneurship and based on our experience in working in the field of the Amazon region for decades, we will explain in this paper how the Laboratory of the Forest works. The Laboratory works under the premise that it is possible to make the social management of the Amazon economically sustainable and inclusive for each individual, producer and stakeholder. To achieve this aim, we assist the local communities in transforming themselves into social agents responsible for the cultural, social and environmental management of their places.

2 Social Justice and the Mission of the Laboratory of the Forest “Let ours be a time remembered for the awakening of a new reverence for life, the firm resolve to achieve sustainability, the quickening of the struggle for justice and peace, and the joyful celebration of life.” (The Earth Charter).

Under the same perspective stated by Scharmer and by Theory U, we describe the Laboratory of the Forest as an environment of experiences, exchanges, concerns and sharing the collective “pains” of a group of Amazonians who, worried about the lack of assistance to local communities, have decided to assist locals in managing and improving their small productions. We are individuals whose mission in life is to serve as a bridge and tool to connect traditional knowledge to scientific knowledge and production, making the local culture to echo not only by giving voice to local people but by promoting it. These people form a dimension of the Amazon that has always been neglected: the human dimension. The main focus of our work is the protection of the forest’s intangible heritage and the search for social justice in the region. We, social entrepreneurs, activists, designers, local leaders, teachers and researchers from the Brazilian Amazon Forest, who already had experience with traditional, rural and peripheral communities in the urban areas of the State of Pará, are together for this social cause, the preservation and improvement of the quality of life of the local community. Through practical projects to address reallife issues, we seek to implement ideas based on priorities and needs listed by the

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community and identified first through active listening and then by an empathic listening exercise. According to Scharmer [14], there are four levels of listening: Downloading, Factual, Empathic and Generative. Scharmer states that Empathic listening requires a deeper level of listening than Downloading (a superficial, basic and habitual form of listening) and Factual (entirely open mind and without any presumptions or prior judgements) listening. Total attention to the needs of the individual and a certain level of emotional intelligence have to be used. This is the ability to truly connect with the individual who is being listened to and to see the world, situation, subject or opinion as they do and through their eyes. It provides the listener with an emotional connection to the speaker, which provides the listener with alternative perspectives that can help to sculpt and define their decision-making (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. Four fields of listening. Source: Scharmer [14], p. 36

We seek alternatives to the “one-size-fits-all” model widely practised in governmental and institutional programs, such as entrepreneurship, poverty mitigation and environmental impact management, or even for the so-called social responsibility projects from large companies that have been working in the region for decades. The Laboratory’s projects support communities in their efforts to protect and regenerate the Amazon Forest while living a full and just life. The projects use local resources, seeking to rescue and adapt traditional cultural practices to the changes brought by the development of the area. The innovative characteristic of the Laboratory is to assist small producers by facilitating not only current ways of production but also traditional know-how that can help them to promote and value their culture. Through active listening and the design thinking model adapted to the local language, we help the locals to deal with the devastation of the forest and economic pressures and their consequences. We also help them adjust their livelihood to the new reality that, to a certain extension, was co-created by them. The basic premise we follow is to use social intelligence to help wherever possible. According to Goleman [6], social intelligence is the ability to understand and react appropriately to your social environment and develop healthy and productive relationships. The goal is to develop the capacity for social awareness, through empathy,

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compatibility, emotional intelligence and social cognition, which can connect us deeply with those who need our help and thus enable us to help them effectively [1]. At this time, skills such as verbal and non-verbal communication, self-presentation, assertiveness, and constructive feedback are essential for co-sensing and co-shaping joint solutions. Exchanging knowledge is one of the pillars of the Laboratory. This activity promotes exchanges between professionals, academics, holders of scientific and traditional knowledge of the Amazon and wise citizens. Through this exchange, new products and ideas emerge collaboratively, highlighting local pains and values. The meetings take place by visits in the field and active listening made face-to-face or online. Listening generates dialogical storytelling as the main method of collecting information and demands. Prototyped products then emerge as sustainable and viable solutions for the basic economy they practice. In addition to the exchange of knowledge, the Lab promotes seminars, workshops, practical projects and customisation of educational material to the reality and language of locals. Another matter is the customisation of an entrepreneurial education by adapting courses and workshops to the local reality of the Amazon and making learning effective by addressing the needs and respecting the cultures of those involved. The Laboratory adapts the standard material of the institutions promoting this type of course, such as SEBRAE (Brazilian Service of Support to Micro and Small Enterprises). Activities and procedures are adjusted using the specific language of the region and respecting the people’s speech, way of doing things, beliefs and behaviours. Through fieldwork, local leaders and other natural representatives, other than the official ones chosen by governance bodies, such as leaders of associations or cooperatives, are identified. They are emergent leaders who have a great sense of belonging, cultural heritage and carry within them “the spirit of the place”1 [8]. They are elected by the Laboratory to be multipliers of the exchanges, techniques, travel experiences and training promoted by the Laboratory and its partners. In the field of tourism, we have worked with native residents and local entrepreneurs to rescue their ancestral history, strengthen self-esteem and connect one another to collectively co-create tourism products. The products to be offered to tourists must reconcile income generation with sustainable social management and the maintenance of the integrity of local cultural and environmental heritage. Through active, empathetic listening, for example, the sensorial trail emerged, where the visitor experiences textures, smells, colours and flavours of the floodplain forest and participates in the residents’ routine. In this same project, we identified that

1

Spirit of the Place is recognised by the Quebec Declaration (International Council on Monuments and Sites, 2008) as “the tangible (sites, buildings, landscapes, routes, objects) as well as intangible elements (memories, narratives, written documents, festivals, commemorations, rituals, traditional knowledge, values, textures, colors, odors, etc.), which all significantly contribute to the make up of a place and to creating its spirit”. Considering how the concept of cultural heritage has evolved, I can see that today the concept offers the more comprehensive view of living historic places that still emphasise the authentic features of buildings, sites and cultural landscapes.

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the way of building the vernacular architecture of the riverside communities is also being lost. Without sustainable social and cultural management, traditions like local know-how, stories, memories, knowledge and intangible heritage may be lost and distorted by urban influence. Examples like this make the Laboratory an important environment of experiences, exchanges, connections and collective learning. Above all, they create the premise that in the end, innovation is returning to the simple and the essential. We look for a reconnection between us and the environment, us and others, and us with ourselves. According to Scharmer [14] (pp. 4–5), the disconnection we see today in the world is a symptom of a whole landscape of issues and pathologies that constitute three “divides”: the ecological divide (disconnection between us and the environment), the social divide (disconnection between us and others), and the spiritual– cultural divide (disconnection between us and ourselves), as shown in the “iceberg model” (Fig. 2). These are ruptures between us and important parts of living. We want to bridge this reconnection between the Amazonians and their territory in as many communities we can work with.

Fig. 2. The Iceberg model: a surface of syntoms and structural disconnects (bubbles) bellow it. Source: Scharmer and Kaufer [15] p. 7

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3 The Importance of Social Entrepreneurship and Transformative Education for the Forest People In one of these fieldworks in the forest, we talked to a local entrepreneur, Boaventura Júnior, a young man who served in the Army and then decided to return to the island near the City of Belém, where he was born. He told us he decided to return to live with his parents to rescue the origin of their family business. As he deepened his knowledge of his roots, his Quilombola (African descendent people) descendency and the riverside practices that as a child were possible to do came to the fore. He told us: “Today, sometimes, it is like the island is no longer ours. Children can no longer paddle in their boats, we can no longer swim in peace, our routines are photographed by tourist as if we were in a zoo as if we were caged, and the river, our street, is by where visitors of this great zoo comes to see us.”

This is a common perception among locals regarding tourism in the region. They see themselves as if they were in a large zoo. Boaventura Júnior, as an entrepreneur, depends on tourism. He has a restaurant and an açaí shop. But when we heard him through empathic listening, he told us that the business model recipes available today by the institutions that work with the region, as well as the notions of entrepreneurship, sustainable development, and others related to local social and cultural management, do not apply to the peculiar reality of the forest. The forest and its people have a unique profile, which needs unique solutions so that the local quality of life can be guaranteed. That is the aim of social entrepreneurship adopted by the Laboratory: the creation of social value for a specific community living in a certain area regarding available local resources. The solutions generated to create social wealth must address social issues, problems and needs of the context. In this sense, the Laboratory of the Forest is aligned with the philosophy of serving the needs of the poor, underserved or marginalised local population living in the Amazon Rainforest in the fields of education, health, and environment, among others. Under core values, such as integrity, dignity, justice, vision, and hope, our team of changemakers, together with the locals, search for the construction of opportunities based on their knowledge and competencies to challenge existing paradigms and innovate in unconventional ways. Innovative products and services can be prototyped to provide individual consumers with cost-effective solutions to address social needs and challenges. The social entrepreneurship perspective helps create local industries based on a smart understanding of what the market needs. This also helps with a deep conceptualisation of how a product/service can meet the marked local needs. In many cases, such an industry never existed before; it is an opportunity to create a new trend from scratch. Other issues present in the area need careful attention. While conducting a workshop about governance for local leaders, the core team of the Laboratory of the Forest posed a simple question: What is the greatest issue that you want to solve or transform? The unanimous answer was education. This response reinforces what we observed from other workshops we have conducted in Europe and Latin America: education has emerged as the key factor for transforming the realities of socially vulnerable communities worldwide.

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In this sense, the Laboratory of the Forest searches to bridge transformative education principles with the Theory U framework. This framework generates helpful qualities for social agents and local producers. Transformative education, like Theory U, is a process of personal transformation. According to Boyd and Myers [2], it aims to help individuals develop workable differentiations in the first half of life and meaningful integration in the second (p. 37). It is not focused on the transformation of the ego but on assisting the ego to dialogue with the Self, with capital “S” meaning the potential Self that anyone can be. O’Sullivan [10] states that the main characteristics of transformative vision are critical pedagogy, holistic education and global education perspective. “Critical pedagogy enables individuals to deal with the broad area of social justice issues that are embedded in inequities of power and resources along the lines of class, race and gender. […] Holistic education comes to challenge the fragmentation of modernism that comes to us under a scientific analytical and instrumentally rational world view.” (pp. 63–64).

Global education, according to O’Sullivan, is not that one that prepares us to the global market but the one that carries a planetary consciousness, an integral vision that can combine social justice, human rights, peace perspective and environment concerns (p. 65). This broad, holistic perspective based on critical vision is what is missing for the sustainable management of the Amazon. Any activity to be carried out in the region needs to respect the multidimensional aspect of the forest. The current conservation and socioeconomic policies implemented by the public sector, in general, are fragmented from the “whole”. We can describe an example of fragmented action in the region. The Laboratory's first region of operation, the region of the islands surrounding Belém, has a territorial paradox. Belém, considered capital of the Amazon, has 66% of its territory formed by 39 islands. They form a called Varzea Forest. Despite being the largest part of the territory of Belém, this island area is neglected and forgotten in the urban plans, licenses' processes and public policies for the city. The in-land area, more urbanised, headquarter of the capital, is considered more important than its surrounding region. In this way, many projects for these island areas present solutions that follow external models designed for other realities, even if local professionals have developed the plans. The main issue in our view is that there exists a lack of attention to the peculiar characteristics of the context and respect for the traditional social values, which are much more ingrained to the social dynamic than in more urbanized areas. This situation can be improved through social awareness for local people and for governance.

4 The Challenges of Building a New Social Impact Business Two forms of organisational models are utilised by social entrepreneurship organisations - leveraged non-profit ventures and hybrid non-profit ventures. The Laboratory of the Forest is a for-profit venture. For-profit ventures are also called social businesses. A for-profit organisation is created with the explicit intent to solve a social problem.

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While profits are ideally generated, the main aim is not to maximise financial returns for shareholders but to grow the social venture and reach more people in need. The entrepreneur seeks investors who are interested in combining financial and social returns on their investment [16]. The Laboratory of the Forest is being built as an impact investing business, an entity developing a broad array of profit-seeking investment strategies. The intention is to generate both social and environmental outcomes [7] and measure those outcomes through quantitative assessments. Our focus is on the rural areas surrounding large cities in the Amazon Rainforest, where local communities are being disconnected from their territories. Physically, local people lose their connection to their territory that has been modified by deforestation and the implementation of development projects. Emotionally, their cultural landscape is sometimes destroyed on a certain level such that they feel disconnected from their own identity. This situation affects their sense of belonging.

Categorisation of the SELCO Foundation projects which directly relate to its mission and values. Source: Selco Foundation Annual Report 2015-16

According to Waterton [18], identity and sense of belonging have remained central concepts in recent cultural landscape preservation discussions, and it has become one of the greatest paradoxes when considering the development of management processes. That is because matters of identity and sense of belonging—when it comes to the guidelines, assessment processes and definitions—usually follow international recommendations for designing local strategies. Although the international legislative framework has been comprehensive in approaching such matters, local cultural and natural preservation demands local solutions to move towards social inclusion. Intangible values are stemming from identity and a sense of place, hence the mechanisms for allowing such opportunities need to be put in place according to how people use the landscape towards understanding why and in what way they value it [18] (p. 318).

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Our current activities are focused on the search for identifying social demands in the middle of economic and political uncertainty by giving voice (and echoing it) to local people. In this ethnographic work, we develop local projects that bring rapid returns so that communities have access to education and income alternatives. An example is the community internet network, a social architecture project for exchanging knowledge about herbs and plants from the Amazon, the management of açaí and other issues, such as the routine of coping with the new pandemic status. Some issues have arisen in this initial journey of searching the generative social field of the Amazon. For example, it is extremely difficult to measure social impacts due to the qualitative character of this matter. The developed activities involve a specific community, the experience is gained in the field, and the strategies are experimental. The results of these “speculative” strategies are, by definition, speculative, as stated by Zimmer and Pearson [19]. As the capitalist economic system in Brazil is metrics-based, subjective results are no results. This impacts on the fundraising because it raises doubts about the viability of the projects. In this matter, social enterprises have an additional challenge “although accessing capital is a challenge faced by many ‘regular’ businesses as well, there is an extra dimension for social enterprises as potential investors need to be willing to take the enterprise’s financial and social mission into account” [12] (p. 18). Despite all the obstacles, we are exploring different paths to overcome the challenges of managing the forest by sensing the field to feel the future that wants to emerge. Together with locals, we are redirecting our attention to the field to widen and deepen our perception of the real potentials of the region. The future of the forest depends on our sensitivity to enact prototypes suitable to their peculiar living universe. What is to come depends on them to build but on us to collaboratively help.

5 Conclusion The latest global economic, political, social and health issues around the world have broadened the debate about compatible solutions for new and more sustainable ways of producing, consuming and living from an environmental perspective. The management of the Amazon forest in a just and sustainable way, both economically and ecologically, depends on the awareness of its local communities, policymakers, managers and leaders in respecting the mechanisms of sustaining the ecosystem. This is not a new idea and several public policies are designed for this purpose. However, what is innovative for us is that this management needs to respect local cultural practices, the way of being and living of the Amazonian man and the intangible dimension of the forest. In the Amazon region, small production is manifested in a more characteristic way than in other regions, constituting the base the economic activities, where the extraction of natural resources and most of the food production are applied. The small producer, who uses resources from the forest, and the small business, which uses traditional know-how to manufacture their products, have great economic importance for the people of the forest, and it seems that in these activities lies the future of the region. Some people call it bioeconomy, and the tourism production chain can combine

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traditional knowledge, local practices and cultural diversity as a base for new tourism products such as experience tourism or empathy tourism. What is up to us as restless people who believe in a collective future, is to increasingly immerse ourselves in our ancestry knowledge, rescuing it through generative listening and co-creating desirable better tomorrow for all of us.

References 1. Bastos, M., Ribeiro, F.: Educação e empreendedorismo social: Um encontro que (trans)forma cidadãos. Revista Diálogo Educação Curitiba 11(33), 573–594 (2011) 2. Boyd, R., Myers, G.: Transformative education. Int. J. Lifelong Educ. 7(4), 261–284 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1080/0260137880070403 3. Freire, P.: Pedagogia da autonomia: Saberes necessarios a prática educativa. Paz e Terra, São Paulo (1996) 4. Freire, P.: Pedagogia do Oprimido. Paz e Terra, São Paulo (2003) 5. Garland, J.C., Garland, J.W.: Entrepreneurship education: building for the future. J. Bus. Entrepreneurship, vol. (Oct 2010), pp. 40–59 (2010). https://search-proquest-com.dbgw.lis. curtin.edu.au/docview/762999416?rfr_id=info%3Axri%2Fsid%3Aprimo 6. Goleman, D.: Inteligência Social: o poder das relações humanas. Elsevier, Rio de Janeiro (2006) 7. Harvard Business School: Impact investment. https://www.hbs.edu/impact-investments/ Pages/default.aspx#:*:text=Impact%20investors%20are%20intentional%20in,from% 20principal%20to%20above%2Dmarket.&text=The%20Project%20on%20Impact% 20Investments%20is%20at%20the%20forefront%20of,critical%2C%20multi%2Dmethod% 20research. Accessed 24 May 2020 8. International Council on Monuments and Sites – ICOMOS: Quebec declaration on the preservation of the spirit of the place (2008). https://www.international.icomos.org/quebec. Accessed 5 May 2010 9. Mourao, M.: TEDxTalks: Empreendedorismo social: O que é isso? (2019). https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=w7v41GlFSvo 10. O’Sullivan, E.: The project and vision of transformative education. In: O’Sullivan, E., Morrell, A., O’Connor, M.A. (eds.) Expanding the Boundaries of Transformative Learning. Palgrave Macmillan, New York (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-63550-4_1 11. OXFAM: Relatório ‘Nós e as desigualdades’ (2019). https://www.oxfam.org.br/um-retratodas-desigualdades-brasileiras/pesquisa-nos-e-as-desigualdades/pesquisa-nos-e-asdesigualdades-2019/?gclid= CjwKCAjwrcH3BRApEiwAxjdPTQ2zy8Lcx5gNUhANiaA7WWYPIJVbsVtv8QI7FK9D632wrpMiel5iBoCNyIQAvD_BwE 12. PWC Social Entreprises: Social Enterprises: How to raise capital as a social entrepreneur? https://www.pwc.nl/nl/assets/documents/pwc-social-enterprises.pdf. Accessed 11 Jul 2020 13. Scobar, A.: Encountering development: the making and unmaking of the Third World (2011) 14. Scharmer, O.: The Essentials of Theory U: Core Principles and Applications. BerrettKoehler Publishers, San Francisco (2018) 15. Scharmer, O., Kaufer, K.: Leading from the Emerging Future: From Ego-System to EcoSystem Economies. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, San Francisco (2013) 16. The Schwab Foundation homepage. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/schwab-foundationsocial-entrepreneurship. Accessed 16 July 2020

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17. Tracey, P., Phillips, N.: The distinctive challenge of educating social entrepreneurs: a postscript and rejoinder to the special issue on entrepreneurship education. Acad. Manag. Learn. Educ. 6(2), 264–271 (2007). Accessed 134.7.34.232 on 29 Jun 2020 18. Waterton, E.: Whose sense of place? Reconciling archaeological perspectives with community values: cultural landscapes in England. Int. J. Heritage Stud. 11(4), 309–325 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1080/13527250500235591 19. Zimmer, K., Pearson, K.: Social entrepreneurs can change the world - but these 6 things are holding us back. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/08/six-challenges-social-entrepren eurs-need-to-overcome/. Accessed 11 July 2020

Nature-Based Tourism Travel Planning: A Generational Approach Carla Silva1(&), Juliana Marques2, and José Luís Abrantes1 1

School of Technology and Management, CISeD – Research Centre in Digital Services, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Campus de Repeses, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal {csilva,jlabrantes}@estv.ipv.pt 2 School of Technology and Management, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Campus de Repeses, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal [email protected]

Abstract. Nature-based tourism attracts tourists from all generations. And generational cohorts explain much of the tourism consumer behavior, influencing destination choice and trip planning. Within this context, this study aims to analyze the behavior of Nature-based tourists from different generations (Millennials, Gen Xers and Baby Boomers) regarding the number of visits, accommodation choice, trip planning, transport used, average length of stay and travel companions. The study was conducted with 315 tourists who were fairly evenly distributed among the three aforementioned generations and who had visited the Douro Internacional, Arribes del Duero and Serra da Estrela Natural Parks between April 2017 and April 2018. The results indicate differences in the tourists’ behavior and travel planning behavior depending on the generation to which they belong. Besides, the results can also help Nature-based destination management to define communication and marketing strategies that are more adjusted to those tourists’ behaviors. Keywords: Nature-based tourism


Consumer behavior
Generations

1 Introduction The development of Nature-based tourism is caused by changes in lifestyles, by the consequent change in the tourists’ needs and motivations and happens because tourist are increasingly looking for destinations that offer more than just the usual sun and sea (Silva et al. 2013). Nature-based tourism is seen as an alternative form of tourism that favors contact with nature and that, like all the other alternative forms, is a small-scale type of tourism that values the personalization of services, direct contact with local communities and cultural and natural resources (Brito 2000; Fridgen 1991). Most Nature-based Tourism experiences are carried out in protected natural areas listed as Natural Reserves and National Parks (Fredman and Tyrväinen 2010). Portugal is a Nature-based Tourism destination par excellence because of its rich natural heritage. As a matter of fact, the country offers an enormous variety of landscapes and a © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 450–457, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_41

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higher diversity of natural habitats that provide optimal conditions to the implementation of attractive tourist programs and activities. About 21% of the Portuguese territory is formed by Protected Areas and areas that are part of the so-called Natura Network, with strong fauna and flora biodiversity values and with recognized landscape and environmental quality, offering a wide range of tourism activities tailor-made to attract travelers and match the expectations of the different segments of Nature-based Tourism (THR 2006; ICNF 2019). Nature-based Tourism is a tourism dimension whose demand is growing not only nationally but also internationally. According to the Portuguese Institute for Nature Conservation and Biodiversity, Nature-based Tourism “allows tourists to learn about the destinations’ natural heritage, their landscapes and their traditions while respecting the natural values of said destinations” (ICNF 2019). It is a form of tourism based on direct contact with the environment and is considered by World Tourism Organization as an important, dynamic and attractive tourism segment that may be experienced in combination with other types of tourism such as Sports Tourism, Business Tourism, Cultural Tourism and Rural Tourism (WTO 2002). There is a wide range of activities that may be carried out in a Nature-based tourism environment and that are considered attractive segments. These activities are manifold due to the wide variety of types of tourism commonly associated with Nature-based tourism (Novelli 2005). There are two major categories of activities: soft and hard. The first one encompasses the calmer and less risky activities such as visiting protected areas or natural spots with natural and cultural value, hiking, or fauna observation; the second category includes activities that are much more radical and challenging such as rafting, birdwatching, climbing, among others (THR 2006). The current tourist is, on the whole, a more attentive and more demanding consumer, someone who increasingly seeks to live authentic, unique, challenging, and memorable experiences but who wants at the same time to have a positive impact on the chosen destination (Mckerher 2002). But tourist travel behaviors are different depending on the generation these people belong to. Each generation has its own characteristics that distinguish them from the others (Chen and Shoemaker 2014, p. 60) and that will deeply influence many of their tourism behaviors, including their travel planning. The concept and importance of generations comes from Sociology (Mannheim 1952) and has been applied to tourism to explain tourist behavior. The study of the generations has been explored in other scientific areas, fields of analysis and in the scientific literature in general, but its application to tourism is still sporadic and somehow modest (Yang and Lau 2019). The literature identifies three major generational groups (Leask et al. 2013): Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964), Generation X (born between 1965 and 1979) and Millennials (born between 1980 and 1995) (Chen and Chou 2019; Chen and Schoemaker 2014; Yang and Lau 2019). Baby Boomers represent 30% of the world population (Chen and Shoemaker 2014) and are therefore an important tourism segment. Actually, they are an important group of tourism consumers because leisure and tourism represent a significant part of their leisure choices (Nimrod 2008; Li et al. 2013). Baby Boomers are described as the idealistic generation, the one generation that has experienced technological changes so profound that their lives were forever

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changed (Chen and Chou 2019). In terms of leisure and tourism, they seek experiences that induce emotional satisfaction through freedom, learning and socialization opportunities (Patterson and Pegg 2009). Gen Xers are more flexible, more creative, technologically advanced and entrepreneurial (Devaney 2015). They grew up during a period of low economic growth and great uncertainty about the future (Davis et al. 2006; Heaney 2007; Herbig et al. 1993) so they are more cautious consumers who refuse to waste their money irresponsibly (Gardiner et al. 2014). They prefer traditional values and place high emphasis on authenticity and this kind of behavior influences their travel choices, since they usually choose to travel to safe destinations and always in the company of their family. Millennials were born in a context of globalization and were the first generation to be born and grow up in a digital world (Maxwell et al. 2010). They are considered the “internet generation” because they live completely immersed in an online existence (Nussair et al. 2011, cited by Leask et al. 2013, p. 18). They are digital natives who use the most advanced technology and are strongly social group-oriented, so social networks play a fundamental role in their lives since they make their integration and social interaction much easier (Yang 2006). In tourism, and just like the generation that came right before them, they seek to live authentic experiences, but see themselves more as travelers than tourists (Santos et al. 2016).

2 Methodology 2.1

Development of the Measuring Instrument

The study aims to analyze the travel behavior and planning of Nature-based tourists according to their specific generation. Quantitative methodologies were selected to fulfill that goal and a measuring instrument – questionnaire- was then applied. In the development phase of the questionnaire, several scales of measurement were developed to assess the profile of tourists in what concerns the way they plan their trips to Nature-based tourism destinations. A set of predefined scales were used to collect socio-demographic information (gender, age group, level of education, place of residence, job, and monthly income) and data related to the characteristics of the trip (travel planning, average travel time/average length of stay, accommodation of choice and transport used, travelling companions). The scales used were adapted from those used in the studies conducted by Dolnicar and Fluker (2003a, 2003b, 2004). Some revisions were made to the questionnaire and then a sample of 20 tourists who were visiting the Serra da Estrela Natural Park was used for a pre-test. The results of the pre-test were used to refine the measuring instrument by checking the reliability of the scales and correcting any possible errors. The questionnaire was translated into Portuguese, English, Spanish and French.

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453

Data Collection

The final data was collected between April 2017 and April 2018. The tourists were randomly selected, in loco, in the Douro International, Arribes del Duero and Serra da Estrela Natural Parks. The questionnaire was handed out at the time of the visit to the aforementioned Natural Parks, and tourists were informed of the purpose of the research. This procedure ensured that the data would not be biased and that tourists would get proper information about the topic. All questionnaires were answered anonymously. Ultimately, a valid sample of 315 questionnaires was obtained.

3 Results The results show differences in the travel planning and travel behaviors of Naturebased tourists depending on their generation (see Table 1), Although Millennials tend to use a wider variety of means of transport than their predecessors, they prefer travelling by plane when they choose Nature-based destinations. (Lee et al. 2019. Most of the time they travel alone, stay only for a few days and they would rather stay with family members or friends. Millennials grew up surrounded by technology and have developed a strong connection with their computers, mobile phones and I pads. They rely on this sort of knowledge and on the sense of autonomy that characterizes this generation (Nelson et al. 2016) and are proud to plan their trips to Nature-based destinations on their own. The opinions of others matter to Gen Xers and will eventually influence their tourism choices (Gardiner et al. 2014). This fact explains why they usually stay in hotels, why they usually book their trip on the hotel website where, most of the time, they can find comments and recommendations from other tourists. They tend to travel by car and their average length of stay in Nature-based destinations is longer than that of Baby Boomers and Millennial tourists. Their trips last no more than 5 days on average. This length of stay may be explained by the fact that they usually travel with their families and choose the children’s school breaks to travel. Baby Boomers value the quality of the time they spend with their family (Lehto et al. 2008) and prefer travelling with their partners. As Nature-based tourists, they prefer travelling by car or by bus, they value comfort and safety and are seen as loyal consumers (Patterson 2006; Patterson and Pegg 2009; Patterson et al. 2017). This information might explain why they prefer using a travel agency to book their trips to Nature-based destinations.

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C. Silva et al. Table 1. Nature-based tourism travel planning by generation

Travel planning

Accomodation of choice

Millennials

Generation X

Planning on their own (88,2%)

Accommodation website (53%) Hotel (66,9%)

At family members or friends (64,3%) Average length of the Weekend 5 days stay (71,4%) (51,5%) Transport used Plane Car (62,4%) (85,7%) Travel companions On their own Family (62,8%) (83,3% Source: Own elaboration based on SPSS statistical analyses

Baby Boomers Travel Agencies (43,2%) Rural tourism (48,9%) Weekend (40,5%) Car and bus (57%, 40%) Partners (58,9%)

4 Conclusions Future consumer behavior will be different depending on the generations, so it is important to keep on studying the travel behaviors and habits of each generational cohort (Robinson and Schänzel 2019). This study aims to add to this endeavor. Every generation has different characteristics that were determined by distinct economic, social and cultural contexts as well as by different lifestyles (Benckendorff et al. 2010) that have shaped a wide range of social behaviors and influenced tourism consumption. Therefore, these results are in accordance the literature reviewed that highlights the existence of differences in tourist behaviors when it comes to travel planning influenced by the generation to which they belong. The results of the study show the existing gap in travel behavior and travel planning between the different generations of tourists who look for Nature-based destinations, namely in the way they book their trip, the place where they choose to stay, the kind of transport they use and the people they take with them. This study aims to make a scientific and management contribution. Firstly, the results represent an important contribution to science by adding scientific knowledge to the literature on tourism and on the impact of generations on Nature-based tourism. On the other hand, it allows a more general application and comparison using the same measuring tool and makes it possible to compare countries of origin and Nature-based destinations in future projects. Secondly, and now from a management perspective, we expect that the results can help managers of Nature-based destinations define more effective communication and marketing strategies that will best suit the wishes and expectations of the different generations of tourists. It should also be added that given the current situation triggered by the pandemic Nature-based destinations may be provided with the opportunity to become even more

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attractive to tourists because they are seen as safer destinations where people can relax and really enjoy moments of leisure (Seabra et al. 2020). Those destinations are particularly attractive to Gen Xers who value safety in tourism. Finally, the study presents some limitations that should be taken into account and open the way to possible future research. First of all, it may fail to consider all the travel planning variables and consumer behaviors as far as Nature-based Tourism is concerned. Its application to European destinations may also be a limitation, and it is therefore suggested that other nature-based destinations outside Europe and other international tourists should be included in further studies. Generations may behave differently depending on their countries of origin, so a comparison of those habits and behaviors by country might be an interesting development as well. The final suggestion forwarded is to conduct an analysis of the motivations that may influence the demand for Nature-based destinations and to cross-check the data obtained with the profile of each generational cohort. Acknowledgements. This study is financed by National Funds through FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P., as part of the project Refª UIDB/05583/2020. We would also like to thank the Centro de Investigação em Serviços Digitais (CISeD) and the Instituto Politécnico de Viseu for their support.

References Benckendorff, P., Moscardo, G., Pendergast, D.: Tourism and Generation Y. CAB International, Cambridge (2010) Brito, B.: O turista e o viajante: Contributos para a conceptualização do turismo alternativo e responsável. In: IV Congresso Português de Sociologia? Sociedade Portuguesa: Passados recentes, Futuros próximos. Associação Portuguesa de Sociologia, Coimbra (2000) Chen, C.-F., Chou, S.-H.: Antecedents and consequences of perceived coolness for Generation Y in the context of creative tourism – a case study of the Pier 2 Art Center in Taiwan. Tour. Manag. 72, 121–129 (2019) Chen, S.C., Shoemaker, S.: Age and cohort effects: the American senior tourism market. Ann. Tour. Res. 48, 58–75 (2014) Davis, J.B., Pawlowski, S., Houston, A.: Work commitments of Baby Boomers and GenXers in the it profession: generational differences or myth? J. Comput. Inf. Syst. 46(3), 43–49 (2006) Devaney, S.: Understanding the millennial generation. J. Financ. Serv. Prof. 69(6), 11–14 (2015) Dolnicar, S., Fluker, M.: Who’s riding the wave? An investigation into demographic and psychographic characteristics of surf tourists. In: CD Proceedings of the 13th International Research Conference for the Council for Australian University Tourism and Hospitality Education (CAUTHE 2003) (2003a) Dolnicar, S., Fluker, M.: Behavioural market segments among surf tourists - investigating past destination choice. J. Sport Tour. 8(3), 186–196 (2003b) Dolnicar, S., Fluker, M.: Past destination choice among surfers - is destination choice symptomatic for surfer segments? In: CD Proceedings of the 13th International Research Conference for the Council for Australian University Tourism and Hospitality Education (CAUTHE 2004) (2004) Fredman, P., Tyrvainen, L.: Frontiers in nature-based tourism. Scand. J. Hosp. Tour. 10(3), 177– 189 (2010)

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The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Tourism Industry: A Systematic Review Arnaldo Borges Pinheiro1 , Agostinho Sousa Pinto2(&) , António Abreu2 , Eusébio Costa3 , and Isabel Borges3 1 Instituto Politécnico de Gestão e Tecnologia, Rua Cabo Borges, 4430-646 V.N. Gaia, Portugal [email protected] 2 CEOS - Polytechnic of Porto, Rua Jaime Lopes Amorim, S. Mamede de Infesta, Portugal {apinto,aabreu}@iscap.ipp.pt 3 Instituto de Estudos Superiores de Fafe, Rua Universitária, 4824-909 Fafe, Portugal {eusebiocosta,isabelsantana}@iesfafe.pt

Abstract. The travel and tourism industry are one of the most important in the service industry, occupying one in ten jobs worldwide and with more than 10% of the GDP of the global economy. The existing synergistic interaction with technology has been transforming the industry, observing for several years a constant adaptation to technological developments. Due to its importance and given the proliferation of intelligent systems, successfully applied in other industries, it has raised interest in studying the impact that the latest technology, based on Artificial Intelligence, has had as a strategic tool for tourism. Due to the absence of any study so far, as far as we are aware, a Systematic Literature Review was developed, in order to evaluate and interpret all relevant research available, through case studies or empirical research, which would allow to study what is being done at the level of academic or professional research and evaluate its impact on industry. Keywords: Tourism
Artificial intelligence
Intelligent systems
Systematic review

1 Introduction The travel and tourism industry is one of the top three largest service industries in the world, according to the 2020 report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), this industry’s contribution to the GDP of the global economy was 10.3%, with a volume of $8.9 trillion in 2019, remaining an important driver for job creation worldwide. The importance of technology as a strategic tool for tourism has long been recognized, since the 1980s information communication technologies (ICTs) have been transforming tourism globally [1, 2]. The accelerated and synergistic interaction between technology and tourism in recent times has brought fundamental changes in © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 458–469, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_42

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the industry and in our perception of its nature [2]. E-tourism and the Internet support the interactivity between tourism companies and consumers and, consequently, reshape the entire process of development, management and marketing of tourist products and destinations. All stakeholders related to tourism and hospitality are therefore gradually changing their role and new opportunities and emerging challenges [3]. One of the topics that has been discussed almost entirely from a technological point of view is the issue of intelligent systems in tourism. Smart systems are state-of-the-art information systems that promise to provide consumers and tourism service providers with more relevant information, greater decision support, greater mobility and ultimately more enjoyable tourist experiences. They currently encompass a wide range of technologies relevant to tourist contexts, such as recommendation systems, context awareness systems, research of autonomous agents and mining web resources, and environmental intelligence [4]. This study aims to conduct a Systematic Literature Review (SLR), dedicated to the study of the application of Artificial Intelligence in the Tourism industry and to evaluate the impact of the instruments used, through evidence that results from its use. Throughout this work will be presented a more detailed description of the SLR methodology and exposed in detail the entire review process carried out, where, going through its planning and execution phases, will be identified the reasons that led to the realization of this study, the questions to which it should answer, the way it was conducted and the results obtained. Finally, the conclusions will be presented, synthesizing the results obtained.

2 Methodology In order to analyze the state of the art related to the use of intelligent tools in the tourism industry, a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was carried out following the proposal of [5], whose guidelines, aimed at software engineering researchers, run through multiple stages. As described in Fig. 1, the SLR process is divided into three phases: Plan, execution and documentation. In the planning phase (Sect. 3), the research objectives are identified, and the systematic review protocol is defined. The protocol specifies the main issues of the investigation and the procedures used in conducting the review, which includes the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the quality criteria, the databases consulted and the search string. The implementation phase (Sect. 4) consists of the search and identification of studies relevant to the investigation, their selection according to the inclusion/exclusion and quality criteria established in the protocol. Once the relevant studies have been identified, data relating to research issues are extracted and subsequently analyzed and synthesized (Sect. 3 and 4). Phase three ends with the SLR documentation after the completion has been drawn up (Sect. 4).

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Fig. 1. Phases of systematic literature review process (adapted from [6])

3 Plan of the Systematic Literature Review The aim of this study is to know and evaluate the use of innovations created by Artificial Intelligence and its subdomains in the Tourism sector, in the form of web tools or software integrated with the platforms of companies. According to this objective, an SLR was performed, following the steps described in Sect. 2. 3.1

Research Questions

According to [5], the enormous importance of research issues comes from the fact that they are the driving force that motivates and drives research. In this sense, the research questions were formulated as a matrix of the process, for the identification of primary studies and for the identification of the necessary data to be extracted. RQ1: What types of solutions based on Artificial Intelligence have been used to improve business processes? RQ2: In which industries and their business areas are technological solutions implemented?

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461

Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria

According to the research objectives, the criterion was established to only include relevant studies that present a well-defined approach to the application of technological solutions, based on Artificial Intelligence, in any area of the tourism sector. With special focus on articles with empirical studies or case studies, written in English, available in digital databases and that have been published between January 2015 and May 2020. All articles that do not meet these criteria will be excluded, as well as those that only partially comply with them, namely: 1) Those that do not have a well-defined approach; 2) those which, by their size or quality, prove irrelevant. 3.3

Quality Criteria

After applying the inclusion/exclusion criteria, the resulting articles will be examined qualitatively, evaluating whether: 1) The objectives proposed in the investigation were achieved; 2) Whether the results presented are relevant. 3.4

Data Source

The existing databases were consulted, where there is a higher prevalence of articles on the area of information technology and tourism, the following being: IEEE Xplore, Web of Science, Science Direct, EBSCO and Emerald Insight. Additionally, Google Scholar was consulted to integrate articles published outside these databases that may be relevant. 3.5

Search String

According research objectives, the search string was defined incorporating the keywords concatenated with Boolean terms. These keywords are related to the core concepts of research and aim to accurately and reliably extract all relevant articles (Table 1). Table 1. Keywords Keywords Related words Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Tourism Hospitality, Tourist, Tourists

Keywords used in the composition of search strings, with the necessary adaptation to meet the specific syntax of each database consulted, as described in Table 2.

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Data source IEEE Xplore Web of Science Science Direct EBSCO Emerald Insight Google Scholar

Search strings ((“Abstract”: “artificial intelligence” OR “machine learning”) AND (“Abstract”: tourism OR hospitality OR tourist OR tourists)) AB = ((“artificial intelligence” OR “machine learning”) AND (tourism OR hospitality OR tourist OR tourists)) [Title, abstract or keywords] (“artificial intelligence” OR “machine learning”) AND (tourism OR hospitality OR tourist OR tourists) AB (“artificial intelligence” OR “machine learning”) AND AB (tourism OR hospitality OR tourist OR tourists) (abstract: “artificial intelligence” OR “machine learning”) AND (abstract: “tourism” OR “hospitality” OR “tourist” OR “tourists”) allintitle: (“artificial intelligence” OR “machine learning”) AND (tourism OR hospitality OR tourist OR tourists)

4 Execution of the Systematic Literature Review At the time of this investigation and based on the inclusion process, a total of 1105 studies resulted from the initial research, which are distributed by each database as described in Table 3. Table 3. Data source search results IEEEX WoS SD EBSCO EI GS Total Initial Search 102 170 56 281 399 53 1105 After exclusion of inaccessible and duplicate 102 100 56 133 22 13 426 After exclusion and inclusion criteria 34 5 26 17 5 2 89 After quality assessment 8 0 10 3 0 0 21

From the list of studies resulting from the initial research, all duplicate articles and all those whose full text was not available were deleted. In the next phase, all studies that, by reading the title and abstract, or in case of doubts examining the entire article, did not show relevance to integrate the study, leaving 89 potentially relevant articles. In the last phase, all articles that, although being case studies or empirical studies, did not achieve the objectives proposed in the investigation, or in which the results presented are not relevant, were excluded, resulting in 21 primary studies. 4.1

Data Extraction

The data extracted are directly related to research issues. These data were systematically collected for a table through the full reading of the articles. Table 4 shows the elements extracted, necessary for the answer of the questions of investigation and subsequent analysis.

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Table 4. Extracted data Author Year AI based solution

Industry

Business Area

[7]

2018 Analysis of customer sentiments in online reviews 2017 Analysis of customer sentiments in online reviews 2016 Personalized recommender travel plan 2017 Personalized recommender system 2017 Personalized recommender system 2019 Predict booking cancellations 2018 Relationship between prices and online reputation 2018 Analysis of customer sentiments in online reviews 2018 Analysis of customer sentiments in online reviews 2020 Tourist satisfaction through emotions with facial recognition 2019 Forecasting demand

Hotel

Maintenance

Hotel Travel Agencies

Maintenance Commercial/Marketing Customer support

Travel Agencies Hotel Hotel Hotel

Commercial/Marketing Commercial/Marketing Commercial/Marketing Commercial/Marketing

Aviation

Customer support Commercial/Marketing Maintenance Commercial/Marketing Quality service

2020 Forecasting room prices in selected cities 2019 Forecasting demand 2020 Forecasting demand

Hotel

[8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21]

2020 Analysis of customer sentiments in online reviews

[22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27]

2018 2017 2019 2019 2018 2020

4.2

Image recognition Predict booking cancellations Personalized recommender system Personalized travel plan Personalized recommender system Predict booking cancellations

Hotel Guided tour Camping

Customer support Commercial/Marketing Commercial/Marketing

Museum Maintenance Quality service Hotel – Aviation - Commercial/Marketing Guided tour Hotel Maintenance Commercial/Marketing Quality service Recreation Customer support Hotel Commercial/Marketing Hotel Commercial/Marketing Guided tour Customer service Hotel Commercial/Marketing Hotel Commercial/Marketing

Data Analysis

According to Table 4, 21 articles were identified that present solutions based on AI in the tourism industry. It is observed in this study that, although the investigated interval ranges from 2015 to 2020, the first relevant investigation appears only in 2016, as shown in Fig. 2, with a higher numerical expression in the last 3 years.

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Fig. 2. Number of studies per year of publication

To present the results found in this investigation, the research questions will be analyzed individually. RQ1: What Types of Solutions Based on Artificial Intelligence have been Used to Improve Business Processes? The type of AI-based solutions found in this investigation and their frequency are shown in Fig. 3. It is verified that the “recommendation systems” and the “analysis of feelings” of clients stand out from the others, presenting the highest frequency.

Fig. 3. Artificial intelligence-based solutions frequency

Forecasting solutions also have an expressive frequency. No less important, despite having a lower frequency, we find solutions used in facial or image recognition, solutions for personalization of services and price prediction. These solutions are presented below, describing the basic idea that was at its origin and a superficial approach to the techniques used. The methods/algorithms based on Artificial Intelligence that were used, although outside the scope of this study, are approached here in a slight way whenever they can help in understanding the solution presented. Analysis of Customer Sentiments in Online Reviews. Today, consumers are increasingly using electronic mechanisms to share their experiences and express their opinion

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about products or services. Online reviews often appear on social networks or specialty sites, and experiences and opinions about different aspects of the service or products are also used by other consumers seeking additional information. This rich and easily accessible information is attractive to companies looking to improve their decisionmaking capabilities by addressing relevant issues inferred from these positive and negative feedback. The analyzed studies combine web crawling, computational linguistics, machine learning and statistical techniques to collect, analyze and interpret information that allows them to track trends and consumer feelings placed on platforms such as TripAdvisor, Expedia or Booking.com [7, 8, 15, 21] or Airlinequality.com [14]. Personalized Recommender System. The huge amount of information available on destinations, leisure activities and previous assessments of other travelers has turned travel planning into a very challenging and time-consuming task [10]. In online environments, recommendation systems are used as decision support systems to overcome information overload, these systems have been used on online platforms to actively recommend relevant information to customers and assist them in the decisionmaking process [26]. The studies analyzed use the best-known recommendation methods to develop their research, such as: 1) collaborative filtering, which addresses the interests of users on a premise that what they liked in the past will also like in the future; 2) Content-based filtering that addresses the issue of features, assuming that people like products with identical characteristics; 3) demographic filtering, which addresses the issue from the point of view of the demographic profile of the user, such as age, sex and country of origin. These methods use the data collected on TripAdvisor and then be implemented individually [11, 26] or hybrid [10] through different machine learning algorithms. A different approach has been taken [24], which through positive customer experience and in response to a growing concern about sustainability and consumer sensitivity to environmental deterioration, proposes a recommendation system based on corporate social responsibility (CSR), promoting companies that implement CSR initiatives such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). Using the information available on the social networking service (SNS), such as Facebook or Twitter. [9] proposes a solution that, by reading GSM, GPS or WI-FI trajectories collected on mobile devices, the next most likely point of interest (PoI) that a tourist will visit in a city can be predicted. This can be useful in at least two scenarios, recommendation and location-based advertising. The process consists of two modules: A module with the knowledge model, that is, a visit pattern and another module that uses the information of the current tourist visit trail to generate a recommendation of the next PoI, thus creating customized visit plans for each client. Forecasting Demand. Demand forecasting is an important tool for managers to understand what is driving demand, how to respond to increased demand and how to predict future demand [17], enabling effective management strategies to help maintain the quality of tourism without compromising its volume [19]. This is crucial for companies, which can thus establish adjusted pricing policies, inventory allocation or working hours.

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For the construction of these forecast models, the analyzed studies used existing offline data in the database of institutions related to their industry [17, 19], and these data were then processed through predictive models based on Artificial Intelligence, such as SARIMA (Seasonal Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average) and ANN (Artificial Neural Networks), among others. On the other hand, [20] it used hotel room price data, made publicly available on the booking.com website, to demonstrate that it is possible to safely predict tourist demand. These data are interpreted through Gaussian processes and then used to predict the hotel occupancy rate after compared with linear regression, ARIMA and machine learning models. Predicting Cancellations. In the hotel sector, booking cancellations have a significant impact on demand management decisions, and they prevent the production of accurate demand forecasts, a critical tool in terms of revenue management performance [23]. To mitigate losses, hotels often resort to implementing overbooking strategies and restrictive cancellation policies. However, these alternative demand management decisions can have a negative impact on the hotel’s revenues and social reputation [12]. Identifying bookings that may be cancelled allows them to take measures to prevent them from happening, such as offering additional services, discounts, or other perks [23]. For the construction of these forecasting prototypes, the analyzed studies used data extracted from the Property Management Systems (PMS) of hotels and developed models based on machine learning in a real production environment. Remaining AI-Based Solutions. The remaining solutions not yet analyzed are quite recent, three of which are from 2019 and 2020 and the rest from 2018, which may help explain their low numerical expression as solutions investigated, using augmented reality and facial recognition-based approaches. For hotel managers it is important to know the factors that affect the industry and closely monitor price changes, trying to anticipate any changes that may have an impact on their companies. For [18] this is particularly important because many products and services in this sector cannot be stored and need to be consumed on the same day. For [13] the issue of prices is of other importance, establishing its relationship with the online reputation, evaluating the value and quality of the hotel’s services, perceived in booking.com publications depending on the category of accommodations. Image recognition has emerged as an innovative tool in the identification and classification of people or scenarios, in a transversal way to all industries. For [22], image recognition was used in the creation of a mobile application that would assist visitors to small national parks in South Africa, in identifying the animals existing in these reserves, as a way to captivate visitors and simultaneously to bridge the lack of professional rangers. In the [16] approach, facial recognition was used to analyze emotions and measure customer satisfaction during a guided tour. The study aims to evaluate the functionality of Artificial Intelligence to measure the emotions of tourists and, consequently, their satisfaction with the quality of the service provided. Finally, [25] proposes to the tourist who arrives at a place of which he has no prior knowledge, an alternative to the traditional tour guide, developing for this purpose an

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application that allows the user to navigate through various tourist attractions, recommending routes and which has as strong point the assistance by AR in the PoI. RQ2: In Which Industries and their Business Areas are Technological Solutions Implemented? This RQ aims to reveal the most attractive tourism industries for academic and professional research and simultaneously understand the dynamic relationships with the underlying business areas. In this sense, it is not surprising that the hotel industry, one of the most important and dynamic in the sector, emerges highlighted in the results of this investigation, as shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 4. Business-area studies by industry

It will also not be surprising that the Commercial/Marketing business area is the most addressed in the studies, realizing its importance in cross-cutting dissemination by almost all the industries involved. However, the volume presented in the hotel industry is remarkable. The concern with maintenance also arises in this study, addressed in the hospitality and museum industries, given the perception that customers have of the general quality of a space through the state in which it is, whether in terms of cleaning or equipment, contributing significantly to the customer experience and their satisfaction. Finally, to note the interesting dynamics of the tourist guide industry by presenting here an expressive result, revealing the attractiveness and capacity of evolution.

5 Conclusions In this study, we investigated the state of the art related to the use of intelligent tools in the tourism industry, carried out through an SLR where 21 articles were identified in the interval from 2015 to 2020. The proposed objectives were achieved by being able to fully respond to the QRs through 9 different types of solutions, resulting from case studies or empirical studies, which covered 7 areas related to the tourism industry.

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Although some of the solutions presented have used tools already widely used in other areas, such as facial recognition, recommendation systems or forecasting systems, they have nevertheless been expertly adapted to the specific needs of this industry. However, regarding business areas, excluding hospitality, there was a low dispersion in the number of solutions found, the reason for which cannot be explained here, leaving the question for future investigation. As pointed out, the need for further investigation to find an answer to the question left behind should be initiated.

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The Restrictions on Travel of Elderly Tourists and Their Mitigation by Facilitators and Negotiation Strategies Maria Carlos Lopes1, Dália Liberato2(&) and Pedro Liberato2 1

2

3

, Elisa Alén3

,

School of Hospitality and Tourism of Polytechnic Institute of Porto (ESHT), Rua D. Sancho I, 981, 4480-876 Vila Do Conde, Portugal [email protected] School of Hospitality and Tourism of Polytechnic Institute of Porto (ESHT), and CiTUR Researcher (Centre for Tourism Research, Development, and Innovation), Rua D. Sancho I, 981, 4480-876 Vila Do Conde, Portugal {dalialib,pedrolib}@esht.ipp.pt Faculty of Business Sciences and Tourism, University of Vigo, Ourense, Spain [email protected]

Abstract. The segment of the elderly population has taken on a heterogeneous character due to the various economic and social policies and reforms that have been implemented by the governments of the various countries. This is the babyboom generation, that is, individuals who were born between 1946 and 1964, and who currently have greater purchasing power than previous generations and have a high interest in leisure moments where travel ends up having great meaning. However, about half of the population is affected by several factors, which prevent travel. In this sense, the objective of this work aims to investigate how, in the literature review, travel constraints are mitigated or eliminated through facilitators or negotiation strategies. Tourism promoters and managers, stakeholders and DMO’s, have, thus, the great challenge of mitigating, as much as possible, the travel restrictions of elderly tourists, through several strategies and tools that allow a greater participation of this segment of the population in tourism activities. Keywords: Elderly population
Travel restrictions
Facilitators
Negotiation strategies

1 Introduction The elderly population has been holding the attention and commitment of tour operators and travel agencies [8, 13, 25, 29, 33, 35]. Initially, this group of the population didn’t arouse any interest for the tourism sector, as it was characterized by its homogeneity, which highlighted the disease, weakness and low economic capacity [15]. However, there have been beneficial changes for this age group of the population, namely those implemented by government policies, which have started to support this segment of the population, financially and socially. Likewise, this group of the © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 470–478, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_43

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population has been able to count on the work carried out by several organizations and entities that have developed and oriented social programs related to tourism activities, promoting interaction and interrelation between the elderly, within the framework of the so-called social tourism [13]. The demographic trend of many countries – except for the African continent and some Asian countries – points to a continued growth of this older age group. However, it is essential to carefully study this segment of the population, and consider how heterogeneous this group has become [2, 5, 37]. Thus, and within the scope of the study concerning the individuals included in this segment, their characteristics, desires, needs, desires, fears, limitations, and other factors that may in some way influence their choice to participate, or not, in tourism activities should be understood, and in relation to which the offer cannot have a deference attitude. For the Europe of 27 (EU-27), Eurostat data (2020) are quite enlightening as regards the choice not to travel for elderly tourists. Thus, in Fig. 1 we can observe this same fact and find that 45.1 million individuals from the EU-27 do not participate in tourism activities, against 43.3 million who participate. Regarding this result, it is urgent to understand the reasons why part of the elderly population is inhibited from participating in tourism activities.

ParƟcipaƟng in tourism

Not parƟcipaƟng in tourism

(Millions) 50 43.5

45 40

43.1

43.3

38.8

45.1

37.0

34.7

35 30 25 20 15

21.1

22.0

16.9 13.3

14.8

10 5 0 15 to 24 years

25 to 34 years

35 to 44 years

45 to 54 years

55 to 65 years

65 years or over

Fig. 1. Population by age group and participation in tourism, EU-27, 2018. Source: Eurostat (2020), adapted

Through the literature review we can observe the existence of a high number of studies that relate tourism and leisure activities with the general satisfaction of life and quality of life, having as predictors the push and pull motivations, however, neglecting the restrictions. However, when trying to understand the quality of life of elderly tourists, only from the perspective of motivations, researchers fall into an abstraction, not realizing the factors that prevent elderly tourists from traveling.

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2 Literature Review 2.1

Travel Facilitators, Anticipation, and Intervention Negotiation Strategies

To understand the reasons considered at the origin of the non-participation in tourism activities by elderly tourists, [27] developed a study which focused on these limitations. From this investigation, the author classified the restrictions as: external resources that include lack of information, financial difficulty and lack of adequate travel items; the time factors whose items are insufficient time and the normal routine is interrupted by the trip; the approval that comprises the fact that family and friends do not agree to the trip causing feelings of guilt; the social factors covering the fact that the spouse doesn’t like to travel and therefore doesn’t have company to travel; and the physical well-being that contemplates the situations of lack of energy or health to travel. [11] also focused on understanding the reasons why older individuals do not travel. The authors report that restrictions are considered impediments and limitations that individuals face, and are often imposed by themselves or, by society itself. Later, [39] developed a study in which they intended to understand the relationship between the behaviours - motivations and restrictions - of travel of elderly tourists and how these influenced their Quality of Life (QoL). Thus, and based on the studies of [7, 16, 20, 32] the authors identified 5 motivations - novelty, entertainment, relaxation, socialization and internal motivations. To define the restrictions, the authors were based on those contained in the studies by [7, 24, 28] and compiled them into 4 categories of restrictions, namely: external sources, time and money, approval and social condition, and physical condition. Furthermore, in this study, the authors wanted to go further, and investigated the influence of these restrictions on the behaviour of elderly tourists. Also related to the impediments of elderly tourists in traveling, [9] presented a model of constraints that was later adapted by [10]. This model presents three classifications of constraints that are called: intrapersonal constraints, interpersonal constraints, and structural constraints. Thus, the authors defined intrapersonal constraints as being intrinsic to the individual himself, and relate to, for example: lack of health and weak moods such as loneliness, often experienced due to the loss of the partner, depression, and other symptoms that lead the individual to a fragile mood state, not allowing him to feel impelled to travel [9]. Regarding interpersonal constraints, [9] consider that they are related to the lack of friends or family with the same tastes and preferences for the activities preferred by the individual [30]. Finally, structural constraints that include elements external to the individual, such as family approval, dependence on family members, and difficulty in accessing information arise [38]. Furthermore, a study developed by [17] concluded that the availability of time and financial resources, commitment to the family (caring for family members), and other macrostructural factors such as climate, regulation stemming from entry into countries, health systems, or prices of tourism products also play an important role in decision-making to travel. [17] developed a study that clarified how travel behaviour changes in the phase of old age. The study relates the restrictions and facilitators of the trip with the causes associated with them, also presenting the negotiation strategies that will allow to

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overcome these restrictions, through anticipation and intervention. The authors report that an analysis of the life events that had the most impact on the tourist behaviour of these elderly, revealed twelve inhibitory factors that translate into restrictions, to note: the deterioration of health, aging as a continuous transition of the course of life, the detachment of children, and pets as family members, migration, living environment, performance of the functions of grandparents, illness of the spouse, loss of the spouse, meeting with a new partner, work commitments and inheritance. Therefore, life events have an impact on the dimensions of restrictions and facilitators and will affect participation in tourism by the elderly. However, the elderly who intend to travel will circumvent these restrictions through facilitators and anticipation and intervention negotiation strategies. Concerning intrapersonal constraints that comprise weak psychological states experienced by many individuals, [17] report that, nevertheless, some events, for example, lack of health, significantly mark the psychological state of the individual, and, therefore, negatively influence their participation in tourism activities. However, they can also result in what the authors call facilitator. The authors consider that, for example, if the elderly choose the health and wellness tourism segment for their holidays and choose a resort to treat/mitigate their health problems, the embarrassment of lack of health as an impediment to travel, no longer makes sense because one choose a place - which plays the role of facilitator here - where this embarrassment will fade. The other alternative presented by the authors is called a negotiation strategy and may be of anticipation or intervention. As its name implies, the first strategy is to anticipate the restriction with the aim that the restriction in question has a reduced impact on participation in tourism. It happens, for example, when an individual, aware of their immobility, opts for affordable trips that are consistent with his need for wheelchair use, or else opts for tourist destinations closer to his city, or even for making air travel in which both the flight time and the distance from home become shorter. In turn, the intervention strategy is related to situations that may occur during the trip, but which are safeguarded, for example, by travel insurance. Regarding interpersonal constraints, [17] also obtained answers in the study. Thus, and regarding interpersonal dimensions, where the company stands out for travel, the authors assessed that this restriction leads individuals to stop traveling. However, this restriction may be a facilitator in the sense that the loss, for example, of the spouse can lead to the search for travel activities for the individual to re-socialise and find new travel partners. In this sense, [31] also found that individuals who lost their spouse chose to register for associations, which allows them to socialize with other people and eventually get a new company for tourism trips, an attitude that is based on a negotiation strategy. Finally, in the structural constraints, regarding the time and money factor to travel, the authors found that these restrictions acquired a minor importance in this phase of life for some of the interviewees, who reported that, at this moment, they no longer need to travel because they are no longer exposed to the stress of daily professional life. Some, however, revealed that at this stage of life they had more time but less money to travel, a fact that had already been mentioned by [30] in demonstrating the negative impact of the lack of resources on the tourist trips of elderly tourists. Thus, and as a facilitator for this restriction, the interviewees praised the fact that some tourist

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products have a lower price for elderly tourists. This will make the low incomes pointed out by them as a restriction for travel, have a mitigating, thus resulting in a greater participation of these individuals in tourist activities. However, as a negotiating strategy to compensate for this lack of income, some retired participants have opted for part-time employment to obtain more income and be able to meet tourism expenses. As a relevant conclusion, the authors suggest that health (intrapersonal constraints) has a very significant impact on the tourist behaviour of the elderly, being a restriction or may even result in an absolute obstacle in the participation in tourism activities by the elderly. On the other hand, [21] found that the most important travel restrictions are interpersonal restrictions. This discrepancy will be related to the fact that the study of the last authors focuses on individuals aged between 50 and 64 years, that is, it coincides with a stage of life in which episodes of lack of health, in general, have not yet manifested, so aspects related to the company to travel are of great relevance to these tourists. To mitigate these constraints, the elderly tends to integrate into tourism activities that are consistent with their limitations, whether physical or psychological. For its part, the offer, faced with a market segment with an increasing representation in the total of trips made worldwide, begins to meet the needs, concerns and desires of this age group of tourists, and is reconfigured as an essential tool in combating the restrictions or constraints of travel previously mentioned and inherent to the stage of the life cycle in which these individuals are, giving them the possibility to participate in tourism activities. In this orientation, in this work, we intend to perceive how in the literature review the constraints of [39] - external sources, time and money, approval and social condition, and physical condition - were being mitigated or even eliminated, through facilitators or negotiation strategies, as described by [17]. Thus, and regarding the restriction pointed out by [39] called – external sources – and where items are understood such as: not having information about the place to visit, having had difficulty obtaining information, the trip requiring too much of itself at the time of planning, we also advance several studies that meet the above by these authors. For example, a study carried out by [34] concluded that elderly tourists need special attention and treatment in several aspects, including travel information. In this sense, the author warned of the need for travel agencies to provide human resources to inform, guide and specifically support elderly tourists in making the trip. This need stems from the fact that elderly tourists are not familiar with the internet or digital information, which was a barrier to tourism travel by these tourists. However, this barrier can be overcome through the presence of travel agency employees with elderly tourists at the time of the information is made available. Also, a study developed by [19] on the perception of the quality of service by elderly tourists, concluded that the high performance of the services of travel agencies is highly valued by elderly tourists, who said that they prefer that information be transmitted to them in a physical space and by representatives of travel agencies. In opposition, a study developed by [14] found that the internet takes on a prominent and essential place regarding the tools and means essential for travel by elderly tourists. In this study, it was concluded that the use of the Internet and mobile

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devices with internet during travel by elderly tourists was consensual and that they attribute positive evaluations to the use of these technologies during the travel experience. However, the disadvantage pointed out by elderly tourists towards technologies was related to the cost of mobile data in rooming service and the fact that the wifi network doesn’t always have the necessary speed. Therefore, the reluctance to use technology to make the trip was not at all observed in the study conducted by these authors. Also related to the information about the trip, in a study conducted by [2] in which it was intended to obtain the profile of elderly tourists according to the type of trips they make - namely: trips in the field of social tourism, tourist packages or independent trips - it was concluded that the typology of trips most chosen by this group of tourists are the tourist packages, because, among other factors, tourists do not have time to schedule their trips or have knowledge of other languages that allow them to travel alone. In this way the barrier of lack of information is bridged by this typology of travel organization. Regarding physical condition, [17] reported that health has a significant impact on the tourist behaviour of the elderly, resulting in an absolute impediment with regard to participation in tourism activities by these individuals. In this approach, also, in a study developed by [19] which aimed to gauge the role of the tourist guide’s services in the perception of the well-being of elderly tourists, it was found that elderly tourists give much more value to the services provided by tour guides than tourists from other age groups, because they are afraid of feeling some discomfort or physical discomfort during the trip, what happens have in these elements a support in their assistance. The role of the services of the tour guides assumes such importance that in the research carried out, the authors concluded that elderly tourists, even feeling satisfaction with the tourist destination, do not demonstrate their total satisfaction if they understand that the services provided by the tour guides did not meet their needs and expectations. Regarding the approval constraint and social condition that comprises the items: my spouse does not like to travel; feel guilty for having travelled; concern that the family did not approve the trip; to be afraid to leave the house alone; not having company to travel and family and friends are not interested in traveling, the study conducted by [22] concluded that restrictions such as “family concern” and “not having a companion to travel” were the most reported by elderly tourists as being preventative of traveling. In this field, the study developed by [4] also concluded that, although the elderly consider that tourist trips are important, they give preference to travel in company, which is not always possible to achieve, because they do not have a family member or a friend who shares this will or possibility to travel. Finally, the embarrassment of time and money is presented, of which the items are part: I cannot afford to spend money on travel; not having time to make the trip; have something more important to do than travel; not wanting the trip to interrupt my normal life; have no clothes or luggage to travel. Regarding this embarrassment, also in the study developed by [3] found that the travel restrictions that most affected elderly tourists relate to economic issues, even though the issue of health was also widely conveyed. About income, [18] said that there was a positive income elasticity of the demand for travel by the elderly. In this sense, too, [7] concluded that the greater the purchasing power of the individual, the greater their tendency to travel.

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[3] also concluded that there was a significant relationship between the disposable income of individuals and their propensity to travel, and that income is an important factor in decision-making related to travel. The authors found that the trips recommended by IMSERSO - where as we know the prices charged are lower - were highly sought after among individuals with modest incomes and retired individuals, as they allow them to enjoy tourism activities at a much more affordable price than that practiced outside the scope of this program, thus mitigating the low incomes that these individuals face. In this orientation, it makes perfect sense to consider social tourism as a facilitator used by the most deprived individuals or subject to other health, physical or social contradictions, allowing them access to tourism activities. Thus, in these situations, we can see how the embarrassment of money is filled by the entry by these elderly people into social tourism programs. 2.2

Conclusion

It is notorious the importance that tour operators are dedicating to the segment of elderly tourists. This attention comes from two main reasons, both because this segment is growing rapidly and representing an increasing percentage in the global tourism compute, or because it is a very heterogeneous segment, which, itself, implies a different strategy of action for each of the groups included. However, we are faced with statistics [12] which alert us to a less enthusiastic reality, in the sense that we are aware that only half of the elderly people participate in tourism activities. Therefore, it is legitimate to conclude that travel restrictions curb the motivation to travel of elderly tourists. Despite the numerous restrictions imposed or self-imposed, through the literature review we conclude that the more the elderly are involved in tourism activities, the greater the possibility of seeing their quality of life improved [6, 23, 26, 29, 36, 40, 41], so it is urgent for the stakeholders in the tourism industry, to implement strategies that promote participation of the older population, in tourism. According to [1], there has not yet been sufficient research on the needs and other emerging aspects, concerning the elderly tourists, in order to feel comfortable while traveling and have a life with more meaning while enjoying their retirement. The challenge takes on too much significance for tourism promoters and managers, stakeholders and DMO’s, who will have to mitigate as many travel restrictions as possible for elderly tourists, improving strategic policies, allowing them even higher participation in tourism activities.

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Exploring Pilgrim’s Satisfaction and Emotions Derived from the Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage Route Suzanne Amaro1(&), Bruno Barbosa Sousa1,2, and Tânia Gomes2 1

2

Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Viseu, Portugal [email protected] Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave, Barcelos, Portugal

Abstract. Pilgrimage tourism, of which the Camino de Santiago is a notable example, has a significant social and economic impact and is therefore included in tourism planning activities. Given the economic and social importance of pilgrimage routes, it is important to examine pilgrim’s satisfaction and emotions during their journey. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to examine pilgrims of the Camino de Santiago satisfaction and emotions. Based on a sample of 124 pilgrims of the Camino de Santiago, the results show that they are satisfied with the Camino, with the strongest emotions being happiness, joy and peace. These findings are important to support the management of pilgrimage routes. Keywords: Camino de Santiago tourism
Satisfaction


Emotions
Pilgrimage route
Religious

1 Introduction Religious tourism represents an important tourism segment. Not only does it have significant economic impacts, contributing to local development [1, 2], it also creates awareness of humanity’s common heritage and builds cultural understanding [2]. Pilgrimages are an important part of religious tourism and are considered one of the oldest forms of tourism by many authors [e.g. 3, 4]. Although Pilgrimages were traditionally taken to ask for forgiveness or other religious motives, nowadays they are a tourism product that have become increasingly important [2]. Different studies have evidenced the importance of pilgrimage tourism. For instance, Vijayanand [5] demonstrated not only the significant economic and social impacts of pilgrimage tourism, but also stressed that it could contribute to reduce poverty in local communities. This conclusion is echoed in Parga-Dans [6] study that found that the pilgrimage route to Finisterre not only had a positive social and economic impact on local communities along the route, but had also contributed to the revitalization of the supply of services in the local communities. Rotherham [4] also highlights the impacts of the pilgrimage to Lourdes, in France, and of the pilgrimage to Mecca in South Arabia. Several studies have also discussed the positive effects of the Camino de Santiago, namely its substantial impact on the local economies and rural © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 479–486, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_44

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areas [e.g. 7, 8], its important role regarding the preservation and restoration of the cultural heritage [9], in rehabilitating city centers along the route [10] and on how it helps the rural population to preserve their values [8]. The Camino de Santiago (The Way of Saint James) has also been considered a good example of successful destination management [11] and has received researcher’s attention in the past years. Studies have focused on motivations to undertake this pilgrimage [e.g. 12–14], its cultural heritage and history [e.g. 15] and pilgrims use of technology along this route [e.g. 16, 17]. However, there appear to be no studies focusing on Camino de Santiago’s pilgrim’s satisfaction and emotions. This is an important issue because satisfied pilgrims are more likely to return and recommend the pilgrimage route. In order to fill this gap, and given the importance of this pilgrimage route, the main aim of this study is to examine Camino de Santiago’s pilgrims’ satisfaction and emotions. Managing religious tourism requires a better understanding of the experience and of the site [2]. Therefore, the findings of this study will provide useful insights to the Camino de Santiago stakeholders, such as local businesses, policy makers, religious site managers, among many others.

2 Literature Review 2.1

The Camino de Santiago

The Camino de Santiago is one of the main pilgrimage routes of Christianity that ends in Santiago de Compostela, located in the northwest of Spain [18], where the remains of the Apostle Saint James the Greater are believed to be buried. During the Middle Ages, the Camino was very popular, due to the rich cultural and architectural heritage along the way in the form of churches, monasteries and medieval hospitals. The Camino lost popularity after the Middle Ages, but gained popularity in the 1980s [see 13 for reasons for this revival]. The Camino has received several international awards, such as Declarations of Historic Santiago (1985), the Way as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO (1993), the first European Cultural Route (1987), and the appointment of Santiago de Compostela as a European Cultural Capital (2000), which have contributed to its international recognition [19]. It is the first route to see the return of pilgrimages in the West and therefore, it is considered as a good example for the promotion of cultural routes [10]. The Church considers a Camino de Santiago pilgrim to be one who travels 100 km on foot or 200 km by bicycle or horse and who obtains a certificate for reaching this objective as the meaning of this effort. However, the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela is a spiritual practice that is very different from religious practice. Many of these pilgrims are atheists or agnostics, Christians, Muslims or Jews [13, 20] and move to a sacred place due to a contemporary posture of individual spirituality, less institutionalized and lived in a more free and creative way. It is not only the religious motivations that lead people to the Camino[18]. Many pilgrims travel to Santiago de Compostela for cultural, adventure or simply to find themselves in the peace that the Way transmits.

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In 2019, the Camino de Santiago reached, and for the third consecutive year, a new record, with 350 thousand pilgrims arriving at Santiago de Compostela through the various routes. According to the Spanish agency EFE, the Camino de Santiago reached 300 thousand pilgrims for the first time in 2017 and 327,378 in 2018, a new record. None of these years were Jacobean Holy ones, years in which there is a large increase of pilgrims. The last one was in 2010 and the next will happen in 2021. Despite the steady growth, the pandemic caused by the Covid-19 will most likely affect the numbers of pilgrims. 2.2

Satisfaction with the Camino de Santiago

Antón et al. [21] argue that satisfaction is “a post-purchase evaluation made by consumers concerning their experience with the product and emerges from comparing the latter with previous expectations” (p. 241). However, satisfaction is not limited to products as this definition seems to suggest and has also been studied extensively in the tourism field. For instance, research has examined satisfaction with tourist destinations [e.g. 22], with tourist attractions [e.g. 23] and with hotels [e.g. 24]. What is common in studies addressing satisfaction is that regardless of the field, most studies have found that it has a positive effect on loyalty. Many studies have found that satisfied tourists are more likely to be loyal to a destination [e.g. 25, 26]. Destination loyalty is defined as tourists’ intention to revisit the destination and recommend it to others [27]. Many tourist destinations rely heavily on the repeat visitor segment [28]. These findings demonstrate the importance of having loyal tourists, where satisfaction has a crucial role. Despite the importance of satisfaction, apparently, there are few studies addressing pilgrims’ satisfaction with pilgrimage routes. Regarding the Camino de Santiago, only one study seems to address satisfaction with the route and indirectly. Indeed, Fernandes et al. [29] did not ask pilgrims directly if they were satisfied with the Camino, they asked respondents the probability of repeating the Portuguese Camino de Santiago, with 24% answering very likely. The authors concluded that this number suggested a relatively high level of intention to repeat the route and therefore, the level of satisfaction amongst pilgrims appeared to be high. 2.3

Emotions felt on the Camino de Santiago

The emotions tourists evoke during their leisure and tourism experience is of central importance to tourism marketing researchers [30]. Yet, they tend to be neglected in tourism research [31]. Research has shown that tourists that experience greater emotions, such as pleasure and arousal, have an increased level of satisfaction as well as they tend to be more loyal and willing to pay more [30, 32]. Positive emotions such as joy, love, and pleasure are also relevant to tourist’s experience and influence their satisfaction [33, 34], as well as they have been to lead to place attachment [34].

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Buda et al. [31] argue that tourism studies should pay closer attention to emotions. There appear to be no studies addressing pilgrim’s feelings felt on a pilgrimage route. However, it is also important to understand pilgrims’ emotions. The current study examines how pilgrims feel on the Camino de Santiago, therefore, expanding our knowledge of pilgrim’s emotions.

3 Methodology An online questionnaire was developed to examine pilgrim’s satisfaction and feelings regarding the Camino de Santiago. The questionnaire was divided into two main sections. The first section contained questions to measure satisfaction and emotions, based on existing measures or adapted from similar scales (see Table 2 in Sect. 5 for the items used). These were measured using a 5-point Likert scale, with 5 being “Strongly Agree” and 1 “Strongly Disagree”. The first section also included questions regarding pilgrim’s intention to return and if they recommended the Camino to others. The second section contained socio-demographic questions and some general information regarding the context of the pilgrimage (e.g. how it was taken). The questionnaire was available in English, Portuguese, Spanish, French and Italian. The online questionnaire was distributed on Camino de Santiago Facebook groups and was aimed at pilgrims who had taken the Camino de Santiago at least once. A total of 124 complete responses were considered for the empirical analysis.

4 Results and Discussion 4.1

Pilgrim’s Profile

A demographic profile of survey participants is summarized in Table 1. Regarding age there is a great diversity, since several age groups answered the online questionnaire. The age group with the most significant number of responses was the age group 35–44, with 26% of the total of responses, while only approximately 7% are aged over 65. In terms of gender, there is a balanced distribution, since there is not a great difference in the number of men and women that filled out the questionnaire. Regarding the country of residence, there was a prominence of responses from the Portuguese. Regarding the number of times that the respondents undertook the Camino de Santiago, 53.2% had taken it only once, while 16.9% had taken it twice. The remaining 30% had undertaken the Camino more than 3 times. Most of the respondents had walked the Camino (88.7%).

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Table 1. Demographic profile of respondents Variable Age

Category 18–24 25–34 35–44 45–54 55–64 Over 65 Not available TOTAL Gender Male Female TOTAL Nationality Portuguese Brazilian Argentine French English, American and Italian* Ukrainian, Australian and Spanish** TOTAL * Two of each nationality ** One of each nationality

4.2

N 11 25 32 27 18 9 2 124 67 57 124 70 36 5 4 6 3 124

% 9% 20% 26% 22% 15% 7% 2% 100% 54% 46% 100% 57% 29% 4% 3% 5% 2% 100%

Satisfaction and Emotion

The mean and standard deviation of all items used to measure satisfaction and emotions are presented in Table 2. Emotions were divided in positive and negative emotions. Overall, pilgrims are satisfied with the Camino de Santiago (average of 3.97). They are more satisfied with the information available (4.26) and with the general conditions of the way (4.13) and less satisfied with the quality of the hostels (3.6). Regarding emotions pilgrims feel on the way, overall, pilgrims have positive feelings (4.27), with the feelings of happiness, joy and peace standing out the most. Negative emotions have a relatively low average (1.9), with disappointment being the highest negative emotion (2.79). Pilgrims demonstrate high levels of loyalty, since 98% of them said they had recommended the Camino de Santiago to others and 95% had intentions to return. These results reveal the important role that satisfaction and positive emotions play in creating loyalty.

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S. Amaro et al. Table 2. Means and standard deviations of satisfaction and emotion items

Variable Satisfaction (3.97)

Indicators STF1-Information Available STF2- Hostel Quality STF3-General Conditions of the Way STF4-Existing support during the Path STF5 - Safety on the Way Positive emotions (4.27) PE1-Joy PE2- Happiness PE3- Gratitude PE4- Peace PE5- Hope PE6- Euphoria PE7- Enthusiasm PE8- Pleasure PE9- Pride Negative emotions (1.9) NE1- Disappointment NE2- Anxiety NE3- Distress NE4- Fear NE5- Sadness NE6- Concern

Mean 4.26 3.60 4.13 3.75 4.11 4.62 4.66 4.43 4.54 3.87 3.54 4.37 4.34 4.05 2.79 1.33 1.47 1.87 1.69 2.28

Std Deviation 0.857 1.192 0.849 0.955 0.993 0.719 0.687 0.942 0.861 1.130 1.25 0.936 1.023 1.336 1.363 0.709 0.899 1.208 1.153 1.243

5 Conclusions and Implications Pilgrimage tourism is an important sector in socio-economic development [5]. Therefore, the significant research focusing on the Camino de Santiago and its pilgrims is not surprising. However, none of the existing studies focus on pilgrim’s satisfaction and emotions with the Camino. The present study contributes to the literature mainly because it examines these variables. This is an important issue, since satisfaction and positive emotions will affect pilgrims’ intentions to return and their level of recommendation of the pilgrimage route. This study shows that pilgrims of the Camino de Santiago show high levels of satisfaction and feel mostly positive emotions and not negative ones, most definitely the reason for the success that this pilgrimage route has faced in the past years. Since they are satisfied and feel positive emotions they want to return and recommend it to others. The findings offer useful insights for the Camino de Santiago’s stakeholders. Indeed, since emotions are closely associated with satisfaction [30], their aim needs to be providing ways of improving such emotions to maximize satisfaction and, consequently loyalty. Positive emotions also increase the likelihood of tourist’s posting their experiences on social media [35], which further demonstrates the importance of positive emotions. It is crucial that stakeholders provide pilgrims with positive

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experiences, which can be obtained by improving the less satisfying factors identified in this study. A better understanding of satisfaction and emotions with the Camino de Santiago will assist managers in attracting pilgrims. With the right planning and promotion, pilgrimage routes can stimulate the economic and social growth of communities. This study is not without limitations. Firstly, results should be generalized with caution, given the small sample size. Despite the questionnaire being available in five different languages, this sample is clearly overrepresented by Portuguese pilgrims. It would have also been important to have collected a greater number from different nationalities. Future research should include a higher response rate from other nationalities. With a higher number of responses from other nationalities, it would be worthwhile to compare differences between them.

References 1. Vukonic, B.: Religion, tourism and economics: a convenient symbiosis. Tour. Recreation Res. 27(2), 59–64 (2015) 2. Griffin, K., Raj, R.: The importance of religious tourism and pilgrimage: reflecting on definitions, motives and data. Int. J. Religious Tour. Pilgrimage 5(3), i–ix (2017) 3. Rinschede, G.: Religious tourism. Geographische Rundschau 42(1), 14–20 (1990) 4. Rotherham, I.D.: Sustaining tourism infrastructures for religious tourists and pilgrims within the UK. In: Raj, R., Morpeth, N.D. (eds.) Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Festivals Management: An International Perspective, pp. 64–77. Cabi, Oxfordshire (2007) 5. Vijayanand, S.: Socio-economic impacts in pilgrimage tourism. Int. J. Multidisc. Res. 2(1), 329–343 (2012) 6. Parga-Dans, E.: Socio-economic impacts of the Camino to Finisterre. In: Sánchez-Carretero, C. (ed.): Heritage, Pilgrimage and the Camino to Finisterre, pp. 121–134. Springer, Cham (2015) 7. Graave, E.J., Klijs, J., Heijman, W.: The economic impact of pilgrimage: an economic impact analysis of pilgrimage expenditures in Galicia. Int. J. Religious Tour. Pilgrimage 5 (3), 39–54 (2017) 8. Szerb, A.B., Bakucz, M., Martínez-Cortijo, F.: The impact of the santiago pilgrimage way on rural Spain. The case of the French Way (Northern Spain). J. Tour. Challenges Trends 9(1), 47–63 (2016) 9. Galicia Tourism: Analysis of The Socioeconomic Impact of The Camino De Santiago (2018) 10. Lois-González, R., Medina, J.: Cultural tourism and urban management in northwestern Spain: the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Tour. Geogr. 5(4), 446–460 (2003) 11. Lourens, M.: Route tourism: a roadmap for successful destinations and local economic development. Dev. South. Africa 24(3), 475–490 (2007) 12. Amaro, S., Antunes, A., Henriques, C.: A closer look at Santiago de Compostela’s pilgrims through the lens of motivations. Tour. Manag. 64, 271–280 (2018) 13. Lois-González, R.: The Camino de Santiago and its contemporary renewal: pilgrims, tourists and territorial identities. Cult. Religion 14(1), 8–22 (2013) 14. Oviedo, L., de Courcier, S., Farias, M.: Rise of pilgrims on the Camino to Santiago: Sign of change or religious revival? Rev. Religious Res. 56(3), 433–442 (2014) 15. Murray, M.: The cultural heritage of pilgrim itineraries: the Camino de Santiago. Journeys 15(2), 65–85 (2014)

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Creative Industrial Tourism in Alentejo: The Case of the Estremoz Anticlinal Marble Route’ Maria do Rosário Borges(&) , Noémi Marujo , Armando Quintas , Carlos Filipe , and Jaime Serra CIDEHUS, University of Évora, Largo dos Colegiais 2, 7000-812 Évora, Portugal {mrborges,noemi,jserra}@uevora.pt, [email protected], [email protected]

Abstract. The offer of tourist routes in inland destinations has increasingly assumed a relevant role because they have the potential to give new uses to a great diversity of resources of endogenous character. They have a multifaceted character and are easily adaptable to audiences with very different sociodemographic characteristics in terms of age, educational level, economic level and time availability, among others. This article explores the case of a tourist route that is offered in the segment of creative industrial tourism, in a perspective still under development in the Alentejo region in Portugal. In this approach, creative industrial tourism is understood as the active participation of tourists in educational activities linked to the industrial heritage of a region. Its objective is to characterize the Estremoz Anticlinal Marble Route’, in terms of the structure and processes developed for its commercialization. The institutional, sociocultural and environmental context on which its planning and management was based, coupled with the fact that it was integrated into the CREATOUR network for the enhancement of creative tourism, make this route a reference in the offer of the destination where it operates. Keywords: Industrial tourism


Creative tourism
Marble route

1 Introduction Despite their being a huge offer of routes around the world, according to Olsen, Trono and Fidgeon “there has been little research on […] routes and trails within academic literature” [1; p. 4]. Also, creative tourism is considered an evolving field [2] and different creative ways of doing tourism should be discussed in the context of theory and practice reflections [3]. This study case contributes to fill in this gap, especially in the field of thematic routes on cultural tourism, with special focus on creative industrial tourism. Tourism routes can be understood as circular or “linear tourist attractions that bring together tourism activities and attractions from different destinations regions that would independently not have the potential to entice visitors to spend time and money” [1; p. 2]. Furthermore, routes are itineraries defined by point of origin, point of © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 487–496, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_45

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destination (which in some cases are coincident) and stops [4] that facilitate visits to different attractions and consumption of specific services. There are different types of routes according to their geographical scale (e.g. regional, national, transnational), linear or circular shape, generalist or theme based (e.g. culture, religion, gastronomy, trade). The focus of this chapter is on a thematic route based on industrial heritage - the Estremoz Anticlinal Marble Route’ (EAMR), located in the Alentejo region of Portugal. Using a qualitative approach, this route is analysed as a case study that explores endogenous resources, specifically the marble, in an effort to contribute to promote regional economic development based on creative industrial tourism activities. The EAMR bases its approach on the industrial heritage perspective to explore benefits from the economic, socio-cultural, environmental and community dimensions. Thought the sections that follow, a brief reference to industrial tourism and creative tourism will be presented and the EAMR study case will be developed based on its main characteristics and dynamics.

2 Industrial Tourism and Creative Tourism The offer of industrial tourism is based on resources, spaces or processes and productive activities that, although not having initially been planned to be tourist attractions, have heritage value of relevant interest to some segments of the tourism market. The significance of industrial heritage emerges from the environment in which it is located, in its landscape that is revealed as iconic and also in the relationships it establishes with space and memories [5, 6]. Industrial heritage is associated with the cultural identity of a region and, like many other heritage values, it has become the object of demand and consumption [7]. Indeed, industrial heritage has authentic characteristics that are closely linked to the culture of a territory. According to Cardoso [8], industrial heritage is a cultural treasure, because there is a story in each element included in it; it can be a life story, the story of a place, or a little story to tell. Each element has a very rich historical, cultural, social and personal value and, together with the other elements, tells the story of a people [8]. Tourists who are motivated to consume what is authentic can be attracted by industrial heritage because it can testify the authenticity of a place. It should be noted that in tourism, for some authors [9, 10], authenticity is related to the genuine meaning of culture and its origin, to the real and the unique. Therefore, “authenticity is characteristic of what is genuine, unchanged or true. And when it comes to tourism, the term refers to a motivation for seeking authentic cultural experiences” [11; p. 425]. Visiting industrial heritage permits tourists to see places and have experiences of industrial interest which are currently disabled, and thus can learn about techniques and instruments used in the past and relive old stories [12]. Savoja [13] defines three models for industrial tourism. The first model is characterized by the interest of industrial artefacts and symbols of the past. The second relates to industrial spaces converted to free time practices, such as the old factories that have become places of tourist interest. The third model of industrial tourism is associated with visits to living companies that the author defines as ‘living industry tourism’. It is a model that is oriented towards “the direct knowledge of typical and representative processes and products of a territory” [13, p. 94]. Industrial tourism

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allows learning about past, present and future activities, and involves visiting industrial heritage and active industries [14]. To this, Brandão adds that industrial tourism “includes visits to the living industry, which allows visitors to visit the facilities of companies or centres that support the industries, as well as to know their histories, facilities and the entire process of production” [12; p. 25]. In the consumption of industrial tourism activities, the visitor with cultural motivations associated with the industry, can have an active or passive participation, depending on the programme of activities associated with it. Industrial tourism can be explored in the huge scope of cultural tourism and different questions about how culture-based creative tourism can be explored as a creative industrial tourist product can arise [15]. Creative tourism is defined by Richards and Raymond as “tourism which offers visitors the opportunity to develop their creative potential through active participation in courses and learning experiences which are characteristic of the holiday destination where they are undertaken” [16, p. 18]. Therefore, creative industrial tourism implies active participation of tourists in educational experiential activities linked to the industrial heritage of a region [15, 16]. According to Marujo, Serra and Borges, “in parallel with the growth of cultural tourism offer in the Alentejo region, there is an emerging demand for active learning experiences that provide an authentic dive into the local culture, in situ, based on process of co-creation and enabling self-expression and development of creative skills for the visitor” [17; p. 705]. The (EAMR’ is an interesting case of how this combination of fields can be explored in an innovative format, in the context of ateliers and visual arts workshops exploring the marble theme. Cultural routes are related to the cultural identity of a place and are made up of tangible and intangible elements and the EAMR combines both. It encourages participation and knowledge gathering in marble based activities and also raises awareness to this dimension of common cultural heritage [16]. According to Paiva, Seabra, Abrantes, Reis and Pereira, cultural routes “preserve what is considered unique and authentic, preserving local ethnography and indigenous traditions, being a means of promotion and economic development” [18; p. 384].

3 Methodology The proposed study of the route implies analysing the planning and management processes, the institutional context, as well as the experience lived by tourists. A qualitative methodology, specifically the case-study approach, was chosen to achieve the objective of describing this case of offered services, based on Smith [19]. Documental analysis as well as on-site observation helped assess tourism-relevant information resources. This approach was facilitated by the fact that two of the authors of this article are they themselves responsible for the development of the EAMR route. This fact facilitated different informal contacts, in the form of non-structured interviews held regarding the features and details of the route.

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4 The Estremoz Anticlinal Marble Route’ (EAMR) 4.1

The CEHAP Institution

The Estremoz Anticlinal Marble Route’ (EAMR) is a project created by the CECHAP Studies Centre – Centre for Studies of Culture, History, Art, and Heritage. CECHAP is a non-profitable association founded in 2011 based in the city of Vila Viçosa, in the region of Alentejo Central (Portugal). Its mission is to “promote and disseminate culture, history, arts and different heritages through the development of scientific studies and the promotion of cultural activities” [20]. The focus of this work is on the ‘marble zone’, area in which it is located, and aims to be an active player in safeguarding the cultural identities of the area’s communities, fighting desertification of the territory, awakening younger generations to their culture through educational and training programmes and through collaborations with other entities and individuals, national or foreign [6]. It undertakes various activities, including the organisation activities of cultural, artistic and heritage nature and decentralises studies in the areas of culture, history, arts and heritage, promoting awareness to these areas to protect and foster local cultures (Table 1). Table 1. Identification of the CECHAP’ Services. Services domains 1. Consultancy in the areas of heritage, documentation, culture and history 2. Cultural touring 3. Technical support in the treatment and organization of documentary funds 4. Consulting and editing support 5. Documentation reproduction 6. School support and monitoring Source: Based on CECHAP [21].

In the domain of ‘cultural touring’ services, currently CECHAP actions are concentrated in three fields: i) Estremoz Anticline Marble Route, with tourist animation programs and cultural and industrial tourism experiences; ii) Development of new tours and tourism projects; and iii) Support for the conceptualization and planning of cultural touring services. They develop much of their services around the region’s main endogenous resource – marble stone [21], because its where the exploration fields and industries are concentrated. However, some visits can also occur outside this specific region (like Elvas, Évora, Lisboa, Redondo, Mérida (Spain)) whenever there is relevance on application of marbles in the heritage context and in the built environment [22]. It is in this context that the route EAMR emerges as a core service, that had been improved in the segment of cultural tourism since 2014, with special focus on creative industrial tourism since CECHAP participation on the CREATOUR project.

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The Marble History in the Region

In the Alentejo region, according to Quintas, Filipe and Hipólito, the history of marbles is related to the “history of men and their lives, it is the history of a culture and civilization, a community and its relationship with stone, the habits of the productive form, creative genius, art and artefacts” [23; p. 584]. According to the authors, marble has had and continues to play a fundamental role in the region. The activity of marble and its industry is more than an extractive activity. “They are also a cultural value that arises from the work and transformation of the raw material, when it becomes an artistic and ornamental object. It is an activity that generates a way of life, a community around an ancestral practice and a heritage based on immaterial knowledge, production structures and the transformed landscape” [24, p. 246]. The Borba, Estremoz and Vila Viçosa region (known as the Anticline of Estremoz) is one of the oldest and most productive marble extraction surface for ornamental purposes in the country, with about 200 quarries in activity [6, 25]. The geographic area of marble has a set of heritage assets (material and immaterial) that can contribute to the economic and socio-cultural development of these regions [6, 25]. The so-called industrial tourism can be a way of safeguarding and giving new uses to the rich heritage that these regions still maintain. In fact, marble has potential that can be transformed into tourist attractions. According to Tinoco, Filipe and Hipólito, “since marble is one of the richest ornamental raw materials, and having a very pronounced importance in this whole area of marbles, its valorization as a cultural and tourist product is necessary” [25; p. 59]. The case of the route under analysis in this chapter is a successful example of this appreciation. For the reasons presented, EAMR arose, precisely, not only to contribute towards the preservation of the industrial heritage of the three localities that make up the Anticline of Estremoz, but also to offer differentiated tourism in the Alentejo region. 4.3

The EAMR Service

The EAMR is a service offered in the CECHAP’s cultural touring segment, that contributes to explore and visit one part of the Alentejo’s marble region through a different perspective (Table 2). It is assumed as a dynamic tourist service explored in an industrial environment, offering visitors a unique experience in getting to know the different heritages related to the marble industry, whether geological, urban, technical, landscape or others [20]. According to Quintas], the EAMR intends to be “a product of experience for the visitor, involving him in the various phases of this industry, in connection with its territory, its history and its community” [24; p. 246]. Table 2. EAMR’ mission and objectives. Mission and objectives Dissemination of the cultural heritage of the region, the knowledge of the ancient history of the marbles, the dissemination of memories and artisan knowledge of ancient masters, contributing to an integrated and sustainable economy in the development of the surrounding territory To contribute towards the valorization of the territory, being an active agent in the reflection on various issues such as the environment, waste, planning, culture, museology, tourism and the economy Source: Based on CECHAP [26]

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The idea of this project started with the development of an academic study in 2007/2008 which in the years that followed (based on the experience of educational visits) evolved into a professional tourist product, having become official in 2014. The study was registered as Intellectual Property (registration No. 3855/2011), at the General Inspection of Cultural Activities [22]. The RMAE trademark was registered in the Portuguese Institute of Industrial Property (registration No. 177/2012) and since 2014 the RMAE is part of the National Register of Tourist Entertainment Agents, from Turismo de Portugal (registration No. 145/2014) [22]. Based in Vila Viçosa, in the heart of the Alentejo Marbles, EAMR’s activity is concentrated on an extension of territory that covers the municipalities of Alandroal, Borba, Estremoz, Sousel and Vila Viçosa. It is based on five vectors of action: i) the dissemination of the heritage of the marbles area in its various dimensions (geological, urban, landscape, architectural, gastronomic); ii) the preservation of memories and know-how of industrial and artisanal work; iii) exploring the active and constructive role of heritage sites; iv) the appreciation of culture, the local and regional economy and the endogenous resource of marble; and the v) education and heritage awareness of young people and adults [6]. Table 3. Cultural touring service: identification of the EAMR’ 9 routes Routes/paths 1. Historical and Architectural Heritage Route 2. Pedestrian Trail from Landscape to Archeology 3. Lands of Holly Mary Route 4. Literary and Cultural Route 5. Museum Route 6. Route of the Duchy of Bragança 7. Creative Workshop Route 8. Science for All Roadmap 9. Moving School Source: Based on CECHAP [27]

Nine routes are available all year round (Table 3). The MREA is an offer of tourist recreation in an industrial environment, providing visitors with a unique experience in learning about the different heritages related to the marble industry, whether of geological, urban, technical, landscape or know-how techniques [6]. It offers visits to see quarries, the manufacturing industry, monuments, architectural heritage sites and participation in crafts workshops, while experiencing the gastronomy of the region [6, 22]. The MREA is a product, which normally works en route, that is, visiting various points along the way. At an institutional level, in the context of Turismo de Portugal’s policy to promote Portugal’s services and resources in an international context, the concept of Portugal Marble Route was created based on the offer of the route under study in this chapter. Through the ‘Programa Valorizar’ to support investment in promoting the qualification of the tourist destination Portugal, CECHAP obtained financial funding in 2017. The cultural experience provided through MREA is conducted by guides – interpreters who are knowledgeable about the realities and

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dynamics of the territory, being periodically updated by the developing knowledge of current ongoing research, as is the case of the Heritage and History Study of the Marble Industry [26]. The EAMR Creative Activities in Industrial Heritage Regarding the case of EAMR, creative industrial tourism involves the participation of tourists in the discovery of new cultural landscapes and also in a learning context regarding the industrial heritage singularities of the region where it operates [6]. On the EAMR route, specifically in the case of the ‘Creative Workshop Route’ experience, the creative industrial tourist experiences being a co-producer and consumer of the industrial activities in which he himself took part. Their motivations can be accomplished through the active and genuine activities that EAMR offers, especially in the creative construction ateliers, in the workshops, among others experiences. In the case of creative tourism, the two formulas have already been applied, one of which consists on just attending the construction site workshop, the other consists in combining both activities, touring the marble area and participating in the construction site workshop. The second formula is the most appealing where visitors are taken for a walk around the exploration areas, to get to know the surrounding area and how the raw material is extracted, followed by the construction site workshop or the art workshop or any other type of activity previously agreed on with a specific site. Then, a visit to a quarries circuit follows, for example the Moura/S. Marcos in Pardais (municipality of Vila Viçosa). Quarries are in a proximity of only 750 m which enables a visit sites where visitors can observe the different dimensions and characteristics of each one of them, in an integrated landscape context. A creative activity then follows in another space, most take place in the municipality of Vila Viçosa. The largest share of tourist customers are foreigners and there is a growing interest in the commercialization of services in this field. i). The Ateliers In the construction site creative ateliers, participants come into contact with the reality of the jobsite work, in a place settled in Vila Viçosa, whose activity is not commercialized in the web. Through the observation of the work performed by the site master (‘canteiro’), the participants have the opportunity to experience how the carving of the marble is done and which instruments are used for the effect, enabling them to practice and take part in the first steps of roughing and shaping the stone (see Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. Illustrative images of the Canteiros Creative Workshop (Source: Photographs provided by Carlos Filipe and Armando Quintas (2019))

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The aim of this experience doesn’t focus only on transmitting professional learning but aims to show the tourist how this type of work is developed and how hard this profession is in terms of the production of the artistic pieces. However, contact with the art of stone working provided by this workshop allows them to have a unique experience whilst visiting the territory. In these workshops, participants can “literally get their hands dirty, learn the basic steps of sculptural modelling, learn about the different types of stone, learn how to make objects out of waste, among many other activities” [24; p. 248). ii). The Visual Arts Workshops In the visual arts workshops, the main goal is to emphasize and promote the exchange of ideas as well as demonstrate how the application of techniques is undertaken in the marble industry (see Fig. 2). The workshops have the participation of self-taught designers. Its main objective is for the participants to try out the different techniques on small pieces of marble considered scrap and therefore rejected by the industry, playing with its chromatic differences. In this experience, participants are encouraged to paint the stones provided inspiring themselves on the industrial landscape of the visited region.

Fig. 2. Illustrative images of visual arts workshops (Source: Photographs provided by Carlos Filipe and Armando Quintas (2019))

Through this type of initiative, the aim is also to sensitize the participants in regards to the possible uses and management of stone resources such as the heaps of marble scraps deposited next to the quarries. Another creative activity, involving marble as a resource, is associated with the photography contest themed ‘A Paisagem do Ouro Branco’.

5 Conclusion It can be said that the EAMR nine services explores the theme of marble in several dimensions, from the point of view of tourism, from the point of view of industry, natural landscape, culture and society. EAMR is part of the concept of industrial heritage, which is increasingly an essential resource for the growth of industrial tourism in the Alentejo region. This type of tourism can be a positive boost for the development of creative industrial tourism in Alentejo. Note that the cultural value that the industrial heritage and its landscapes have is increasingly present in the mind of the tourist consumer [28] and, therefore, industrial tourism can improve the image of the

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destination and contribute to the development of tourism because industrial tourism essentially encompasses three aspects: cultural, pedagogical and scientific. Thus, the RMAE in its activities seeks, whenever possible, to offer a set of experiences that contemplates the visitor’s involvement in these aspects. RMAE does not aim to ‘sell’ the heritage, but rather to value the resources that exist viewing the integral development of the local community and visitors [24]. This is a project that is in constant development and CECHAP has sought to establish partnerships with new agents that can contribute to the reinforcement of the image and promotion of its sub-routes products, as well as to the improvement of the service characteristics, in an innovative and competitive way. Creative tourism is a promising growth segment, but the recent market is already quite demanding in terms of supply standards. The analysis of this case study made it possible to identify other complementary research approaches for more focused future studies, such as marketing policy, customer policy, price policy, product policy or integration in national and international networks that can leverage in a larger scale the demand market and thus have a most expressive direct and indirect impact on the Alentejo region. Acknowledgments. This research is funded by national funds through the Foundation for Science and Technology, under the project UIDB/00057/2020 – CIDEHUS. Also with the support of CREATOUR project (with the reference 16437), which is funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT/MEC) through national funds and cofunded by FEDER through the Joint Activities Programme of COMPETE 2020 and the Regional Operational Programmes of Lisbon and Algarve.

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9. Sharpley, R.: Tourism, Tourists and Society. Elm Publications, Huntingdon (2008) 10. McKercher, B., Cros, H.: Cultural Tourism: the Partnership Between Tourism and Cultural Heritage Management. THHP, New York (2002) 11. Getz, D.: O evento turístico e o dilema da autenticidade. In: Theobald (org.), W. Turismo global. 2.ª (ed.) São Paulo, SENAC (2002) 12. Brandão, G.: Turismo industrial em São João da Madeira – Relatório de Estágio. Mestre em Línguas e Relações Empresariais, Universidade de Aveiro (2016) 13. Savoja, L.: El Turismo de Industria Viva. Herramienta de la Responsabilidad Social de Empresa y oportunidad para el desarrollo local. Revista Turismo Desenvolvimento 1, 93– 103 (2012) 14. Otgaar, A.: Towards a common agenda for the development of industrial tourism. Tourism Manage. Perspect. 4, 86–91 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2012.05.004 15. Marujo, N., Borges, M.R., Serra, J.: Tourism, culture and creativity: the case of the CREATOUR project in the Alentejo/Portugal region. In: Advances in Tourism, Technology and Smart Systems, pp. 691–704. Springer, Singapore (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/978981-15-2024-2_59 16. Richards, G.W., Raymond, C.: Creative tourism. ATLAS News 23, 16–20 (2000) 17. Marujo, N., Serra, J., Borges, M.R.: The Creative tourist experience in the Alentejo region: a case study of the CREATOUR project in Portugal. In: Advances in Tourism, Technology and Smart Systems, pp. 705–714. Springer (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-152024-2_60 18. Paiva, O., et al.: Rotas Culturais no Centro de Portugal: duas propostas. In: Correia, A., Homem (Coords), P. (eds.) . Turismo no centro de Portugal: potencialidades e tendências. Lisboa, Actual Editora, pp. 380–399 (2018) 19. Smith, S.L.J: Practical Tourism Research. (2nd edn). Cabi, Boston (2017) 20. CECHAP: Portugal marble route. http://www.rotadomarmoreae.com/en/about (2020) 21. CECHAP: Serviços – o CECHAP ao seu dispor. https://www.cechap.com/servicos/ (2020) 22. CECHAP: Portefólio. CECHAP, Vila Viçosa (s.d.) (2011–2018) 23. Quintas, A., Filipe, C., Hipólito, R.: A rota do mármore do Anticlinal de Estremoz (Portugal): Contributos. II Congresso Internacional sobre Património Industrial. Património, Museus e Turismo Industrial: Uma Oportunidade para o Século XXI. Universidade de Évora (2014) 24. Quintas, A.: Rota do Mármore do Anticlinal de Estremoz: Uma forma diferente de conhecer o melhor do Alentejo. Callipole, Revista de Cultura, Câmara Municipal de Vila Viçosa, 26, 243–249 (2019) 25. Tinoco, A., Filipe, C., Hipólito, R.: Rota do Mármore do Anticlinal de Estremoz (Projecto). Cadernos de Sociomuseologia 42, 51–60 (2012) 26. CECHAP: Mission and objectives. Portugal Marble Route (2020). http://www.rotadom armoreae.com/en/about 27. CECHAP: visit. portugal marble route (2020). https://www.rotadomarmoreae.com/en/visit 28. Jansen-Verbeke, M.: Industrial heritage: A nexus for sustainable tourism development. Tourism Geographies 1(1), 70–85 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1080/14616689908721295

Wine and Food Tourism Gamification. Exploratory Study in Peso da Régua Dália Liberato1(&) 1

2

, Marta Nunes2, and Pedro Liberato1

School of Hospitality and Tourism of Polytechnic Institute of Porto (ESHT), CiTUR Researcher (Centre for Tourism Research, Development, and Innovation), Rua D. Sancho I, 981, 4480-876 Vila do Conde, Portugal {dalialib,pedrolib}@esht.ipp.pt School of Hospitality and Tourism of Polytechnic Institute of Porto (ESHT), Rua D. Sancho I, 981, 4480-876 Vila do Conde, Portugal [email protected]

Abstract. The use of games in the tourism sector has been applied to an increasing number of tourism destinations. The objective of this research is to propose the creation of a digital game, using the storytelling, which allows to deepen the knowledge of the cultural and natural heritage about Peso da Régua. In defining the research methodology, it was considered appropriate to implement the collection and analysis of primary data through a qualitative approach, using the focus group, with the objective of collecting information on cultural and natural heritage, identifying tourism resources based on wine production and gastronomy, as well as the most relevant characteristics of the region. The results presented show that telling the story about a tourism destination is an important element for gamification. Keywords: Tourism destination
Peso da Régua
Gamification
Storytelling
Cultural heritage
Wine and food tourism
Tourism experience

1 Introduction In 2018 [1], arrivals of international tourists grew by 5%, reaching 1,400 million, due to several factors, namely a relatively strong global economy, a growing middle class in emerging economies, more affordable travel costs, as well as technological advances and new business modes. The digitalisation context and innovation will shape the sector, and destinations will have to adapt to remain competitive, according to [1]. In this away [2], travel trends will be mainly determined by the intensive use of technologies. Currently [3], tourists are connected at all stages of the trip and the information should be timely and relevant. In this sense the games offer benefits in several areas, such as entertainment, education (interpretation) [4], however, they are not being valued and implemented in tourism [5]. The co-creation of tourism experiences [6], allows to increase the interest of tourists in the destination, provide experiences and knowledge that are otherwise not available, provide a personal experience during the visit, engage other players and locals, allowing to further improve this experience. Therefore, [7] the narrative of the place allows the different organizations © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 497–508, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_46

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to tell the stories about their places, allowing, also, to highlight the management of storytelling as a strategic communication, involving stakeholders in the process of building the identity of the place. The Douro region offers a set of anchor and complementary products [8] that allows the existence of several experiences, travelling by boat, train, car, bicycle, walks, allowing to stop at viewpoints, get to know the farms, museums, villages, historic centres, stroll in vineyards, and visit cellars [9]. This research selected Peso da Régua due to its location, characteristics, specificities, personalities, and potential tourism. In 1988, has been recognized by the International Office de la Vigne et du Vin as International City of Wine and Vineyard. In 2019, it was the first Douro region to be elected by the Associação de Municípios Portugueses do Vinho, as Wine City. Also, in this city there are several institutions linked to wine and the river, such as Casa do Douro (Douro House), Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto (Douro and Port Wine Institute) and the Museu do Douro (Douro Museum). The aim of this article is to present and discuss the results of an empirical study on the importance of gamification and storytelling in a tourism destination, in this case, Peso da Régua, as well as to identify the significant tourist attractions and the famous historical figures to incorporate in the game.

2 Literature Review 2.1

Tourism Destination

The meaning of tourism destination [10] is diversified and can cover concrete places, spaces, social activities and cultural events that lead to the displacement of visitors, at the same time [11] the tourism destination is in the centre as the main attraction. Tourism destination can be defined [12] as: “A physical space in which a visitor stays at least one night, includes tourist products, covering support infrastructure and attractions, and tourist resources within a day’s round trip. It has physical and administrative delimitation that circumscribed its management, and an image and perception defining its market competitiveness”. Tourism destinations [13] are amalgams of products and offers and an integrated experience for the consumer. The destinations [14] contain several basic elements, which can be divided into attractions (the ‘must see’ and the ‘must do’) that attract the visitor to the destination and meet their needs on arrival. The availability and quality of these elements will influence the choice of the tourist. 2.2

Gamification and Storytelling

2.2.1 Gamification The gamification concept [15] has been applied for several years, however it only appears documented for the first time, in 2004. With Nick Pelling, in 2010 this term begins to be widely adopted, when Jess Schell, professor and game designer at Carnegie Mellon University, in a presentation, stated that games’ elements are invading much of people’s daily lives.

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Gamification [16] is “the process of using game mechanics and game thinking in non-gaming contexts to engage users and to solve problems”. There are four essential elements that are part of the experience of the game [17], namely: i) aesthetics, which is related to the sensory experience of the individual, what he hears, sees and feels; the aesthetics of the game are the most visible aspect ii) mechanics, which comprises the rules and procedures, it means, the system that makes the game work; iii) the story, which is based on the narrative, the sequence of events that take place in the game; iv) and technology, what makes the game work. Gamification is not only applying some game elements to non-game [18], but rather the interaction of all the elements with the objectives of the gamified activity. 2.2.2 Tourism Gamification One of the most innovative and interesting ways to transform the stages of a journey into unforgettable life experiences is through gamification [19] and some tourism managers use it in their marketing strategy, with the aim of creating a culture of wellbeing and fun for their customers and employees, allowing the creation of engagement [20]. Games in recent times [6] are used by some tourism sectors as a marketing tool to promote tourism destinations, offering an opportunity to create informative and fun environments for the security of brand awareness, interaction, and communication. Gamification [21] can benefit the tourism sector in the following areas: i) increase brand recognition; ii) improve tourism experiences; iii) improve involvement with players; iv) improve customer loyalty; v) provide entertainment to the tourist experience. DMO’s [22] must value the player’s motivation when using gamification. In this sense, the information is fundamental, the opportunity to socialize with other tourists and residents is also important, but the flow of the game should not be ignored, to the extent that the need to provide pure fun to the travel experience, stimulates this experience, and allows tourists to engage with the destination in an interactive way. Consequently, gamification [23] emerges as a tool to support the competitiveness of tourism destinations, differentiating itself from other destinations, allowing a closer approximation of the tourist and a greater involvement and interaction, providing information, proposals for interpretation, representation and resources of tourist destinations. 2.2.3 Storytelling Currently, DMO’s [24] increasingly adopt the narrative to engage, entertain and activate the participation of real and potential visitors, the storytelling at the destination allows tourists memorable experiences. Studies on storytelling argue that [25] this is a differentiating element in tourist products, especially for tourists looking for more and more innovation products, contributing to their tourist experiences, while strengthening the connection between tourists and local community [26] which automatically contributes to give greater value to the product and add value to the destination [7], promoting historical and cultural heritage, as well as additional authenticity to the destination [27]. The best stories told [28], from generation to generation captivate the audience, and emotions may be linked to their own characters. The content of the story [29] has a

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direct and positive effect on empathy and persuasion, proving that a story can engage and inspire participants. The storytelling associated with a region [7] is more than a “tell a story” or a mere chronology of facts, it also encompasses [30] communication, as well as (…) “all the processes of seduction of a tourist, the cultural and ritual exchanges between visitor and host, the tourist narratives on which the identities of people, places and brands are built”. It is interesting to note [24] the tourist experiences require the development of a history, to define, describe and substantiate tourist events. 2.3

Cultural Heritage

The Charter of Krakov [31] defines heritage as: “the complex of men works in which a community recognizes its particular and specific values, and with which identifies itself. Identification and specification of heritage is therefore a process related to the choice of values. And the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity [32], article 7th states that: “Creation draws on the roots of cultural tradition, but flourishes in contact with other cultures. For this reason, heritage in all its forms must be preserved, enhanced and handed on to future generations as a record of human experience and aspirations, so as to foster creativity in all its diversity and to inspire genuine dialogue among cultures”. Regarding the concept of cultural heritage, [33] “refers not only to the building and monuments of the past, but also to the traditions that have been transmitted from generation to generation. As a vehicle of identity and social cohesion, the intangible cultural heritage must also be protected and promoted”. According to [34] cultural heritage should be used as a differentiating resource for the promotion of tourism products, through the development of innovative offerings that can act as promoters of local identity, territorial cohesion, valuing cultural and environmental awareness. 2.4

Wine and Food Tourism

Wine and gastronomy can be expressive of a regional culture [35]. This relationship is extremely significant for tourism due to the possibilities of establishing an association of wine and vineyard landscape with a strong regional identity. The wine tourist [36], in addition to the need concerning to wine, has also need, interest and opportunity to relate to the region, and all its surroundings, where wine is produced, being part of this experience the scenery, the rural landscape, the local culture and the rural lifestyle. Tourists interested in Gastronomy [37], are attracted by the opportunity of being able to participate in the production and direct involvement in the culinary activity, tasting, meet new culinary cultures and have a sensory experience generating good memories and perception of improving personal well-being. Wine tourism can be defined [38] as visits to vineyards, wineries, wine festivals and wine shows for which wine tasting and/or experiencing the attributes of a wine region are the prime motivating factor for visitors. The connection between wine and the place where the farm or winery is located [36] implements the culture, gastronomy, history, and local tradition. The environment provides the visitor with a holistic experience, the mythical narratives, with their historical contents, capable of fascinating through their

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fantastic characters. It can be the reason that gives the wine, even more, a power of attraction. 2.5

Tourism Experience

An experience can be defined [39] as a “set of activities in which individuals engage in personal terms”. In this sense consumers are involved and become absorbed in the experience they are enjoying. The experience of leisure and tourism [40] can be described as the subjective mental state felt by the participants. Providing memorable experiences [41] are the essence of tourism. A tourist, when talking about his visit to a destination [42], often refers to the experiences he had, and therefore, “these experiences are memories that are created in a constructive or reconstructive process within the individual himself”. The authenticity [43] and unique character of the products are concerns of most destinations. It is natural that these places seek to offer unique or rare experiences to be found, to maintain their competitiveness and the tourist differential. Therefore, the tourist experience [44] is not an optional value, it is a mandatory benefit that any destination should work for the benefit of creating memorable events. In fact, according to [45] the growing demand for experience and the adaptation of tourist brands to the new “direct to consumer” model also help to sustaining the positive tourism model with greater tranquillity for the local community.

3 Methodology Concerning the empirical study, included in this research, data collection was developed through conducting focus group surveys. The focus group [46] “is an interview conducted with a group of individuals” and combines interview and observation. The focus group aims to investigate perceptions or practices of a group who have common knowledge about a certain subject. The focus group was held on July 30, 2020 and four residents participated in the session. It was a requirement to be natural or resident in Peso da Régua (Table 1). Table 1. Residents interviewed in focus group No. interview Age R1 37 R2 33 R3 60 R4 69 Source: Authors

Professional activity Coordinator of the local learning center Guide at the Douro Museum Writer Journalist

The interview took place via zoom, in a calm and noise-free environment, and lasted 2h30m. The main objective of this focus group was to measure the perception of residents about the design of a game about Peso da Régua. As specific objectives 1 –

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To know the opinion about tourism; 2- Detect the main potentialities and weaknesses of the tourism development in Peso da Régua; 3- Identify the main cultural elements for the history of the game. 4- Identify the context characteristics visioning the design of the game. In this sense, the focus group was divided into six themes: I- Information about the interview, II- Sociodemographic data of the interview sample, III- Tourism in Peso da Régua, IV- Perception about the Region, V- Perception about the wine, VIPerception about the game, VII-Focus group finalization. The questions were divided into three categories, quick answers, semi-open answer, and reflection answers, as follows (some): – Do you consider that tourism is responsible for the development of city of Peso da Régua? In what ways? – What are the main attributes that the tourist seeks, and what has Peso da Régua to offer? – What are the tourist attributes to be enhanced for the development of tourism activity? – List a positive impact related to tourism: economic, social, environmental, in Peso da Régua. – List a negative impact related to tourism: economic, social, environmental, in Peso da Régua. – What do you associate with Peso da Régua when talking about this region? What differentiates Peso da Régua from other municipalities? – What is the main material and intangible heritage relevant to the municipality? What natural physical, patrimonial resources, among others. – Do you consider it advantageous to use a game to know Peso da Régua? In your opinion, what advantages can the territory gain from creating a game? – For to the tourism heritage, propose five attractions (historical, cultural, and natural) which you consider relevant to incorporate in this game. – Which are the historical figures that associates with Régua, and that may be part of the narrative? – (…).

4 Results To understand the importance of gamification and storytelling for tourism in the city of Peso da Régua, a focus group was held to four residents who assume an involvement in the activities and initiatives that the municipality proposes in the context of tourism and the valued territory. These were named by R1, R2, R3, R4. In this section a description of the results with transcriptions of the participants is presented. Tourism is responsible for the development of the city of Peso da Régua. Wine and culinary tourism, nature and religious tourism are very important, but tourism associated with the history of the Douro stands out. The storytelling gives value to the destination and authenticity [27]. The tourism of wine, the vineyard, and especially the history of the Douro and the people who made it through history (R1). Nature tourism, religious tourism, wine and gastronomy tourism, and the story (R2) The great

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challenge is to be able to combine all this, sensations that go through to create differentiating experiences (…) the local community and trade associations have not yet seen what the tourist wants to buy (R3). Today, the landscape that we have, is more beautiful, because there are more vineyards (…). It is necessary that there are more people prepared to receive tourists, who knows stories, and the places (R4). According to attributes that the tourists are looking for, and what Peso da Régua has to offer, they are associated with history, landscape, heritage (…) essentially the story, not only good wines, and good food (R1). The landscape, the heritage, the story, we need to find a way to present a cohesive product and present it to the tourist (…) to give him also the experience, the sensations, the discoveries, the emotion, is what makes the difference in each destination (R2). Régua as the capital of the Douro can be transformed into a centre that incorporates the story of the Douro and the way this immense work was made (R3). The train line, navigability, gastronomy, wine potential, landscape, history (R4). The attributes to be enhanced for the development of tourist activity are heritage, nature, wine and gastronomy tourism and history. Wine, gastronomy, history (R1). Combine the issue of existing heritage, landscape, nature, sport experiences, gastronomy (R2). The product that remains complementary is to tell the story, which is an odyssey that can be transformed into a good tourist product if it is well narrated, presented, communicated; is charming, reveals a lot and tells the story of how, rarely, man interacted with nature and did not spoil it, but improved it. (R3). Landscape, history, churches, wine tourism (R4). In the positive impacts mention the rehabilitation of real estate, especially in the historic centre. Recovery of real estate (R1), rehabilitation of real estate and historic centre (R2), more cosmopolitan city, recovery of real estate (R3). In turn, the negative aspect, highlight the absence of someone who tells the story. Someone is missing to tell the story (…) We have everything, we have the story, we have the landscape that speaks for itself, but we need someone to make everything more magical and beautiful. (R3) Regarding the differentiating attractions of the city in the regional context refer to the river, wine, history, landscape, riverside area, and the fact that it is the institutional headquarters of the designation of origin of Port Wine. The wine, the history, the landscape, the river (R1), is the fact that we have a city, the riverside area of the Douro, which was all requalified (…) and be institutional headquarters of the denomination of origin of Port Wine (R2) The river, the bridges, the institutional nature, as the administrative capital of the Douro (R3). What sets it apart is the river, the water mirror (R4). As the main material and intangible heritage, they highlight: The Pedestrian Bridge, which tells the story and has a view of the whole city and the viewpoint of São Leonardo da Galafura’ (R1). I add the ‘Casa da Companhia’, which is the headquarters where the Museum is installed, and distinguished as a property of public interest and the property of ‘Casa do Douro’, immaterial, perhaps the Rabelo boat, because it is part of the identity, of the coat of arms of the city (R2). ‘Casa do Douro’, its building, the noble hall, the stained glass windows. (R3). The viewpoints, farms, the warehouses that characterize them and the houses of production linked to wine, the Rabelo boat, the train, and the navigability (R4).

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The game can be a heritage enhancer in the region and offers benefits in several areas such as entertainment, education (interpretation) and co-creation of tourism experiences, allowing to increase the interest of tourists in the destination, provide experiences and knowledge that are otherwise not available and provide a personal experience during the visit [6]: it is added to innovation, new technologies, knowledge, sharing, history and people (R1). Yes, I think when we combine the playful with the feeling of discovery, the game pulls to play, pulls competitiveness and all these aspects motivate the visitor in another way, in what way? The very movement of people and the fact that the game provides a tool of knowledge, interpretation, and value (R2). All initiatives are positive and welcome (R3), this is one excels in originality, so it to applaud, cherish and develop (R4). Thus, gamification emerges as a tool to support the competitiveness of tourism destinations, allows a greater proximity of the tourist, a greater involvement and interaction, providing proposals for interpretation, representation and communication of the places and resources of tourism destination [23]. Regarding the tourist attractions to include in the game: the landscape (…) the Museum, for its charisma, for the people and everything else. The religious aspect (…), the pedestrian bridge, viewpoint of São Leonardo de Galafura, and the residents, without them there was no story (R1). The wharf, the vineyard landscape of the Douro (…) the Museum, not only for the value of the museum itself, as a museum unit, full of history, a place of memory (…), the bridges, the train station, with the history of the train and the ‘rebuçadeiras’, (rebuçadeira is the woman who sells the famous Régua candy), and also the ‘Casa do Douro’ With the Port Wine Institute (R2). To all this, I would add the ‘Cruzeiro Church’ and the human figure of D. Antónia, the figure of that woman can be a tourist product of excellence (R3). The landscape, the navigability, the fishing, the nature of the river and its story, the Rabelo boat, there is a whole universe of things that can be connected and that the game should value (R4). The best stories told from generation to generation captivate the audience and emotions may be linked to their own characteristics [28]. Concerning the historical characteristics linked with Régua, and which could be part of the narrative, they are: D. Antónia (R1, R2, R3, R4), it’s a living narrative that enchants, and combining it with the fact that she is a woman, is very interesting. Also, as we are talking about the context of tourist product, D. Antónia has all the potential (R3). Barão de Forrester (R2, R3, R4) a very complex personality. There is a duality of the man of science and the man of art, he was an artist, he painted, he photographed, and never ceased to be on the topics related to the issues of wine, the defenses of farmers and the region, the purity of wine. He found the cure for mildew. The characteristics of the region, such as the ‘arrais’, (arrais is a merchant navy professional), the Farm’s Maker, the Ruler (R2) or the ‘rebuçadeiras’ (R1, R2), the Frei de Mansilha, who proposed the creation of the ‘Companhia Geral das Vinhas do Alto Douro’, and General Silveira, a hero (R3). Moreira da Fonseca with the methods of scoring the plots and João de Araújo Correia, writer has many tales about the characteristics of the Douro region, the pictures of the social life of the Douro, the small experiences (R4). About the stories, legends, associated with the city, point out the following: the Douro is very rich in its intangible heritage, there are many stories with the historical occupations. The Muslim occupation, many legends appear of this Arab imaginary, the hermitages, chapels, and the cliffs have some legend associated (R2). The riverside

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area itself it was transforming (R1, R3, R4). There is a narrative that if it is well explored and well told, it can be very interesting (R3). The nature of people of Régua, its connection to the river, made by the people of Ovar who came to sell salt (…) the Galicians, who came mainly from southern Galicia, and who came to make the walls of shales of the Douro. (R4). And refers some words. There is lexicon that has everything to with the vineyard, I do not know if it will be more specific to the region, such as the ‘geios’, ‘wine growing terraces’, ‘pilheiros’, ‘podas de torno,‘escadas de salta cão’, all these are specific regional expressions (R2) There’s salt in Régua” (R1, R2, R4) “You talk like a cop from Régua” (R4). About the ancient traditions and those that can recover, they mention: The Wine Fair, is more than hundred years old and is very interesting. The festivals and pilgrimages, are all to have continuity, even if they use some modernisms, some traditions related to wine, which should be maintained, the ‘feira das samarras’ (feiras are markets; samarras are a typical coat of Alentejo), the ‘blanket market’, the ‘cheese market’, all these are aspects regarding which tourism could take advantage of (R4).

5 Conclusions Digital technologies configure the traveller’s experience and transforming tourism, providing more personalized experiences. The desire to live as a local in search of authenticity and transformation, as well as the desire to listen to the narrative of the place allows the different organisms to tell the stories about their places, making the storytelling become a strategic communication, involving stakeholders in the process of building the identity of the place [25]. Therefore, combining storytelling with gamification allows to give a personal touch to the destination. The history of the Douro and, in particular, Peso da Régua is rich and intense, its characteristics, the way the Upper Douro Wine Region was built, the river and its navigability, the train, the landscapes, the legends, tell stories that must be communicated. This story that enchants and tells the story of how man interacted with nature and improved it, becoming a true postcard illustrated. In this sense, the game can become a differentiating and desirable product which allows to enrich the offer itself. Peso da Régua, capital of the Douro region can be transformed into a centre that incorporates history and the way this significant work was made. In this way, according to the focus group, the complementary product that is missing is to tell the story, the unique product, the odyssey that can be transformed into a good tourism product if it is well communicated, well transmitted, with involvement, and rigorously. This study allowed us to verify that storytelling can be revealed as a factor of attraction of tourists, becoming an element capable of valuing the destination image of a region [25]. At the same time the rural landscapes, villages, folklore, religious beliefs, as well as gastronomy are being sought by a more demanding and educated tourist [47–50]. Thus, destination managers must understand that this phenomenon is fundamental [25] and that strategies should be developed and differentiated elements such as gamification and storytelling in order to attract more tourists, enhance their material and intangible heritage and involve residents.

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Crossing Borders in Cultural Heritage Management Training in Higher Education – The Case of E-Cul-Tours Sandra Vasconcelos1,2(&), Elisabeth Kastenholz3, Maria João Carneiro3, and Conceição Cunha3 1 Polytechnic Institute of Porto, ESHT, R. R. Dom Sancho I, 4480-876 Vila do Conde, Portugal [email protected] 2 CIDTFF - Research Centre on Didactics and Technology in the Education of Trainers, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal 3 University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal {elisabethk,mjcarneiro,ccunha}@ua.pt

Abstract. Focusing on an Intensive Study Program (ISP) within the scope ‘E-CUL-TOURS’, an Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership involving Higher Education Institutions, external consultants and the European Projects Association, this paper describes the teaching and learning strategies and activities developed in order to improve cultural heritage management training within the scope of Tourism Education. After drawing the general outline of the project, authors set out to describe the planning, implementation and evaluation phases of an ISP that took place in Ílhavo (Portugal), providing an insight on the didactical principles that framed the different activities and how they were put into effect. Relying heavily on case studies and innovative and collaborative approaches that focused on critical thinking, problem-solving and entrepreneurship, the paper draws on literature, unstructured observation and informal feedback to give a general account on educators’ perceptions and the overall experience, offering a reflection that can be useful for future initiatives within this scope. Keywords: Cultural heritage management
Tourism education
Case studies
Skills
Erasmus+
Immersive learning
Intensive Study Program

1 Introduction As Higher Education Institutions (HEI) are increasingly challenged to innovate and promote more flexible and meaningful learning experiences, that address relevant, market-related subjects, the discussion concerning key skills, learning outcomes and didactical approaches has intensified, having prompted different cross-sectorial projects that ultimately aim to develop students’ skills, as a way of improving their employment perspectives. This is particularly true for higher education in tourism management, where the development of practical competences is generally appreciated, with sensitivity regarding the endogenous destination assets typically being the object of such © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 509–517, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_47

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management. This requires a particular, sustainability-yielding, interdisciplinary and participatory approach, considering diverse interests and requirements from distinct fields and stakeholders [1]. This paper will focus on a specific initiative – the E-CULTOURS: Managing Cultural Heritage in Tourism project – a Strategic Partnership in Higher Education within the scope of Erasmus+ that addressed some of these key and current issues, particularly within Cultural Heritage Management in Higher Education. In addition to presenting an overview of the project itself, it will mostly concentrate on one of the two Intensive Study Programs (ISP) that took place within the project, describing the planning, implementation and evaluation phases of that initiative. Rather than address students’ perceptions, the paper will provide an outlook on the educators’ perspectives, reflecting on the didactic approaches that underpinned the practical and innovative teaching and learning strategies and activities developed within the program. Based on documentary research, unstructured participant observation and informal feedback, the paper draws on the didactic tutorial created to support the project and is divided into three sections. Following a general description of the project as a whole, the authors will provide a detailed account of the approaches and activities carried out within the ISP that took place in Aveiro (Portugal) and conclude by reflecting on its affordances, merits and shortcomings. This final reflection will also include recommendations and references to future work and improvements to be made in future iterations of the project.

2 E-CUL-TOURS – Managing Cultural Heritage in Tourism 2.1

Background and Intended Outputs

“E-CUL-TOURS: Managing Cultural Heritage in Tourism” is a Strategic Partnership in Higher Education within the scope of Erasmus+ that aimed to address present day issues in tourism management master courses associated to cultural heritage. This partnership involved stakeholders from Germany (EUFRAK-EuroConsults Berlin GmbH and the Fachhoschule Stralsund), Sweden (Dalarna University), Portugal (Aveiro University), Italy (Bergamo University), and Belgium (the European Projects Association) and aspired to support the development of new, market-oriented skills, namely by implementing innovative teaching and learning strategies and activities in multimodal international settings. Working on these premises, partners came together to develop a common strategy to be implemented with students attending cultural heritage management master courses in the different participating HEI, which could improve their technical and transferable skills, as well as their future prospects in terms of employment. In order to design the strategy and define the project’s outputs, partners started out by finding shortcomings, i.e. areas in which tourism management students are considered to be lacking in, particularly in what cultural heritage is concerned. It is noteworthy that the team involved professors specialized in the fields of tourism management and planning, heritage management, cultural tourism, language, didactics, geography, entrepreneurship, consumer behavior research, and marketing in tourism, as well as specialists in

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higher education collaboration and EU funding, all bringing in multiple and diverse perspectives, and both a theoretical and practical understanding of the challenges and opportunities of cultural heritage management for tourism purposes. Having defined key issues, partners carried out a survey as to get stakeholders’ input on this particular subject. This survey, which targeted respondents working directly with or responsible for cultural heritage management in different countries, made it possible to not only pinpoint specific competences perceived as essential for future tourism and cultural heritage managers, but also to further support and complement potential problem areas within this scope [2]. The following areas requiring particular attention stood out: the lack of use of technological platforms and digital materials and experience in developing co-creation experiences within the heritage context; the limited training and knowledge on appealing and accessible heritage interpretation; the lack of skills in developing integrated destination/attraction management plans and involving and articulating diverse stakeholder groups, specialists and themes; poor capacity of effectively communicating and relating in multicultural contexts; and the short supply of case studies showcasing examples of appealing heritage interpretation. Taking these into consideration, the HEI and organizations involved in the project designed a cross-sectorial approach, grounded on didactic principles, technology and mobility, as to address these issues and ultimately support the development of a wide range of skills. In order to achieve these goals, an innovative three-fold master module on Cultural Tourism Management was developed. This module, which was then implemented within tourism master programs in the different participating HEI, was designed as to incorporate fresh and innovative teaching and learning methodologies, which included an online course, blended mobilities and ISPs, all of which featuring interactive seminars, collaborative and peer learning activities and context-based case studies that involved a network of both international and national experts, as well as local stakeholders and communities. This involvement was key throughout the different phases of the module and made it possible to adopt a truly entrepreneurial approach, in the sense that students had firsthand and in-depth contact with the sites, policy makers and locals, being able to reflect on and come up with answers to current challenges and demands, recognizing opportunities and assessing feasibility of proposals. On that account, the master module was based on three key components: an online/video course, two ISP and two blended mobilities, all of which were specifically designed bearing in mind the partners of the project, its goals and intended outcomes. As to support these components, four Intellectual Outputs were developed and delivered: a Textbook (IO1), an Online/Video Course (IO2 – which has been converted into a Massive Open Online Course (https://mooc.du.se/webapps/bbgs-cloud-portalBB58bb1752f3dab/app/portal), a Didactic Tutorial (IO3) and a Technical Tutorial (IO4). These outputs are currently available and accessible to students, faculty and stakeholders in order to support further initiatives and activities. One of the goals of the project was the effective integration of these materials and approaches in the master courses provided by the partner HEI, i.e. not only in the year of the project’s implementation (2019–2020), but also for other students in different editions. As a matter of fact, this was the case for the Aveiro University’s master program in Tourism Management and Planning, where two new courses were officially

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created, one with the content of the Online/Video Course and the other focusing on the perspective of the ISP, i.e., the collaborative, peer-learning and context-rich case-study approach. These two courses are now available to those students specializing in the field of cultural tourism. 2.2

Intensive Study Programs (ISP)

Designed to “support a wide and flexible range of activities in order to implement innovative practices, promote development and modernization of organizations, and support policy developments at European, national and regional level” [3, p. 112] Strategic Partnerships are Actions within the Erasmus+ program, which, among other initiatives, foresee the development of “curricula, courses, joint study programs, common modules (including e-modules), [and] integration of a greater variety of learning modes (distance, part-time, modular learning)” [3, p. 294]. In Higher Education, these Actions’ goals can include the development and implementation of joint curricula and programs “between partnership members from different countries, disciplines and economic sectors (public/private), ensuring the relevance towards the needs of the labor market” [3, p. 295], something that can be achieved through the blended mobility of learners or Intensive Study Programs. An ISP is a short study program through which selected students, teaching staff and invited experts can travel abroad in order to experience new learning opportunities and knowledge exchange, hence developing new skills in a transnational and multidisciplinary settings, eventually developing new networks of cooperation in both education and research. Designed to encourage collaboration, these programs often rely on the manifold perspectives from faculty, students and experts on current relevant topics, as well as innovative approaches and the use of technology. Within “E-CUL-TOURS”, students taking part in the ISPs were expected to develop case studies concerning cultural heritage and tourism, working closely with faculty members and experts from specific heritage sites in the region of the welcoming HEI (in this case, Aveiro University – Portugal – and Bergamo University – Italy). Having completed an online course, which introduced and further expanded key concepts of Cultural Heritage Management in Tourism and leveraged their previous knowledge and learning experiences, students participating in the programs took part in activities at the destination, having had the opportunity to visit cultural heritage sites and interact with local stakeholders, experts and communities, as well as amongst themselves. The phases described below refer to the ISP that took place in Aveiro (24th–28th November 2019) and its implementation, documenting the different stages, activities and assignments carried out, as well as the rationale behind their design and application.

3 Intensive Study Program: Aveiro Overall, as mentioned in the previous sections, the ISPs strived to develop practical, context-driven teaching and learning activities, that encouraged collaboration and direct contact amongst students from distinct universities and cultural background, and

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with experts and locals. Bearing in mind the need to guarantee active participation, foster interaction and ensure that the majority of time spent abroad is related to education and training [3, p. 298], the teaching and learning activities mostly relied on the creation of immersive experiences, rather than on traditional lectures and frontal teaching. Nevertheless, however, there were multiple seminars and onsite work sessions in which students were presented with key information and given the opportunity to discuss their work with academics and stakeholders. These team-oriented sessions were designed to support, as opposed to direct, students’ work and were mostly based on the discussion and development of real case-studies. Even though the ISPs took place in different settings and involved different students, a common framework was developed and coordinated as to ensure that the activities and assignments were balanced and consistent. For that effect, partners defined general stages (see Table 1) and key activities than framed each HEI’s actions. Table 1. ISP Aveiro – general outline Stages 1. Planning

2. Implementation

3. Follow up 4. Assessment

Key Activities • Designing the program • Defining key topics • Developing cultural/fact file • Contacting incoming students • Group formation • Welcoming students • Introducing case studies and discussion topics • Onsite Visits • Data Collection • Work sessions • Presentation • Data collection • Final report • Evaluation • Award ceremony

Time frame September 2019 – November 2019

24/11/2019 – 28/11/2019

27/11/2019 – January 2020 November 2019 – June 2020

Aspects regarding the type and length of assignments, assessment criteria and activities were agreed upon by all partners, prior to the implementation of the ISPs, other elements such as the size of groups, the topics to be addressed and overall weight of the final report on students’ evaluation was left to the design of each institution, depending on the number of students enrolled in the course, the partners involved and institutional regulations and norms. Phase 1: Planning As you can see in Table 1, referring to the ISP that took place in Aveiro, the program involved a substantial degree of preparation, as it was necessary to make several contacts and ensure partner and stakeholder participation, as well as prepare students’

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assignments, namely by providing them with information about the destination, partners and case studies. As a matter of fact, the case to be studied and respective implementation partners had already been defined when preparing the Erasmus+ call, with those partners, in the Aveiro case, being the municipality of Ílhavo and its Maritime Museum, the latter representing local and regional heritage. These local partner institutions assumed collaboration within the project as a way to a) stimulate cooperation with the University of Aveiro within the tourism field, which they identify as a strategic field of development, and b) as an opportunity to reflect collectively on possible improvements on the Maritime Museum’s management, helping it increase its tourist appeal. In order to design the final program, multiple meetings with partners and regional policy makers were held as to ensure their cooperation and participation. These meetings were also helpful in determining the key challenges and topics to be addressed by students, namely internationalization, the role of the attraction within a wider destination experience, designing co-creation experience opportunities and maritime heritage and community. These topics stemmed from partners’ specific needs and are closely related to the sites’ surrounding and included geographical features, such as the coastal and lagunar landscape and local communities, and their inherent characteristics (namely the fact they were working with museums). Simultaneously, some of these topics had been previously identified through am extensive literature review and the ongoing debate amongst partners when elaborating the online course. Phase 2: Implementation In addition to 6 students from the host institution, 12 incoming students, 3 academics and 2 guest experts took part in the ISP in Aveiro. Overall, the program involved over 12 other people, including local stakeholders and academics, all of whom played an important role in the different activities carried out. Having taken place between the 24th and 28th of November 2019, the first day focused on welcoming students and helping them get acquainted with the region. In addition to a visit to the city’s museum, students took part in a team building activity around the city, followed by a boat tour and an informal dinner. These activities served a two-fold purpose, as they fostered collaboration and helped students create a rapport with each other and their surroundings, having proven and effective way of introducing cultural heritage elements, setting the tone for future work. The following days were reserved for the case studies and preparation of students’ assignments. As none of those students who were assigned the case of the Maritime Museum in Ílhavo was a Portuguese native speaker, other Portuguese and Brazilian students also involved as‘cultural brokers’, intermediating not only in terms of language but also culture [4], so as to optimize the students’ experience and enhance their capacity of conducting field work and interviewing locals. Considered to a be “pervasive methodology in tourism” as they are “used extensively in tourism research and teaching” [5, p. 37] and “often seen in research pertaining to tourism development, planning, and community perceptions of or reactions to the impacts of tourism” [6, p. 742] case studies are ‘‘the study of the particular’’ [7, p. 438] which is embedded in a specific, typically complex destination context, and are considered to provide a comprehensive analysis of complex phenomena [6, 8].

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However, despite this perceived importance and relevance, according to stakeholders and the literature, the number of studies that focus specifically on cultural heritage and cultural heritage management is considered to be lacking [9]. Based on this premise and the need to set a solid base for students’ work, particularly considering the time constraints, the planned activities were intensive and concerted, having combined field and classroom work. In addition, all activities were developed as to include input and participation of different lecturers and experts. Aiming to help students develop an in-depth and practical understanding of cultural heritage management, as well as critical thinking and entrepreneurial skills, it was crucial to promote sessions based on networking with experts and stakeholders. As a result, on the second day, students took part in a seminar on “The role and potential of the Maritime Museum for Tourism in Ílhavo”, focusing on one of the topical cases to be worked on by the students. In addition to a panel that helped to establish a context by addressing national and regional cultural management policies, as well as local natural and cultural heritage, students were given the opportunity to gather in groups and discuss their understanding of the case and methods they would like to implement. Later that day, they also took part in a workshop regarding case study approaches. These activities served the purpose of preparing the following days’ activities, namely the visit to the sites and the field work. Following the more theoretical introductory activities, on day three students came into direct contact with the study objects through onsite visits. Working closely with the municipality and the maritime museum’s curators, the host team tried to design immersive learning experiences that promoted active involvement (immersion), continued interest (engagement), the element of surprise (risk/creativity) and user control (agency), which, according to Blashky [10], are key elements of immersive learning experiences. Throughout the trip, that included a sightseeing tour around the municipality of Ílhavo, with stops at the creative pier and fishing community of Costa Nova and the seaport, and visits to the Maritime Museum of Ílhavo and the Santo André Museum Ship and the Vista Alegre museum, participants were given time to explore the surrounding areas and interact with the experts taking part in the visit as well as with locals. Wanting to go beyond a traditional guided tour, there were opportunities to engage in conversations and take part in sensory experiences involving both tangible and intangible heritage. On day four, students went back to the sites on their own, as to decide on their approach on the case study and data collection methods. Besides local stakeholders, who, once again, were available to answer students’ questions, students could also interact with local communities, having had time to observe, take notes and carry out short surveys and interviews. One group took the chance to accompany a school visit and observe the type of experience provided by the museum guide interacting with school children. Combined with their previous knowledge and background information, this exploratory work made it possible to outline the final case study report and make suggestions pertaining to the specific sites. At the end of the day another work session was scheduled, which allowed students to review and discuss their work with lecturer and experts.

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Phase 3: Follow up Based on the work carried out throughout the week, final group meetings were held as to discuss students’ overall impressions and preliminary findings. The public presentation of each case was followed by peer, expert and lecturer feedback and a discussion on how to further develop the topic and compose the final report. Students were then given until January to collaboratively work on and submit their final reports. This approach was again in line with the Erasmus Agency’s intended outcomes of promoting the “use of participatory approaches and ICT-based methodologies” [3, p. 98]. Internally, this follow up session also entailed the assessment of the implementation phase. As a result, organizers designed a questionnaire and set up a focus group with students as to collect their impressions on the activities and methods used. Even though the preliminary data suggests that the strategies defined were perceived as being effective, a more thorough and conclusive analysis is still underway and will be available once the project is concluded. Phase 4: Evaluation Following this process, evaluators also ranked summaries of the case study reports from 1 to 7, making it possible to determine the best case study, which was publicly recognized, after presentation, in a final project event. The winning report – “Maritime Heritage Preservation and Community Involvement in the Maritime Museum of Ílhavo” – was developed in the ISP described in this paper. In addition, a representative of the Municipality of Ílhavo, who collaborated closely the university’s team during the ISP, and helped students dig into the maritime heritage and the locality’s historical, cultural, social and economic context, as well as specificities of its public management, was invited to share their thoughts on the experience and the work achieved by the students, at the event.

4 Final Thoughts The “E-CUL-TOURS: Managing Cultural Heritage in Tourism Strategic Partnership in Higher Education was developed within the scope of Erasmus+ with the objective of designing and implementing innovative didactic approach to cultural heritage management in tourism courses. This approach, which included an online course, seminars and field work, had a strong entrepreneurial element, harnessing the potential of case studies and real scenarios and applied contexts to develop students’ creative and problem-solving skills. Overall, the project can be considered to have enhanced tourism, heritage and cultural management studies by establishing a benchmark and a model for other initiatives. Moreover, the outputs produced within the project can provide practitioners with useful and practical guidelines and advice that can easily be transferred to other settings and initiatives. Regarding the ISP, which is the focus of this paper, from the partners’ and organizers perspective, the strategies used were successful in designing peer and immersive learning activities and bringing participants into contact with experts, stakeholders and local communities. On the other hand, working within applied international contexts,

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gave them a deeper understanding of the heterogeneity of cultural heritage and the adjacent managerial practices and research methods. However, thus far, and due to the fact that data collection and analysis are still ongoing, current results are preliminary and based on unstructured observation and partners’ and stakeholders’ feedback. An in-depth assessment based on quantitative and qualitative analyses is still lacking and is expected to provide more comprehensive results, paving the way for a more profound reflection, as opposed to the descriptive approach followed in the current paper. On the other hand, given the nature of case studies, future iterations should allot for more time for data collection and analysis. Globally, students would have appreciated the extra time to carefully discuss their case and solutions, which would have enhanced the experience and made it more fruitful. Nevertheless, drawing from the project’s current outputs, as well as the work produced by students, it is possible to conclude that, in this particular setting, the teaching and learning strategies used throughout the ISP were successful. Moreover, the combined effort of tourism, heritage, management and didactic experts has resulted in an added value for the project, as all activities and materials were carefully planned, taking into account the learning outcomes, the setting and the participants, who played a central role by taking on an active stance, not only in managing their own learning but also in providing feedback to stakeholders and other students, in a truly peer-based, practical and collaborative learning experience.

References 1. Jamal, T., Taillon, J., Dredge, D.: Sustainable tourism pedagogy and academic-community collaboration: a progressive service-learning approach. Tour. Hosp. Res. 11(2), 133–147 (2011) 2. Kastenholz, E., Gronau, W.: Enhancing Competences for Co-Creating Appealing And Meaningful Cultural Heritage Experiences In Tourism. J. Hosp. Tour. Res. 3. E. Commission, “Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2020,” Brussels (2020) 4. Cohen, E.: Authenticity and commoditization in tourism. Ann. Tour. Res. 15(3), 371–386 (1988) 5. Beeton, S.: The case study in tourism research: a multi-method case study approach. In: B. W., Burns, P., Palmer, C. (eds.) Tourism Research Methods - Integrating Theory with Practice, Ritchie. CABI Publishing (2005) 6. Xiao, H., Smith, S.: Case studies in tourism research: a state-of-the-art analysis. Tour. Manag. 27, 738–749 (2006) 7. Stake, R.: Case studies. In: Denzin, N., Lincoln, Y. (eds.) Handbook of Qualitative Research, pp. 435–454. Sage, Thousand Oaks (2000) 8. Dufour, S., Fortin, D.: Annotated bibliography on case study method. Curr. Sociol. 40(1), 167–200 (1992) 9. Ballereau, V., Sinapi, C., Toutain, O., Juno-Delgado, E.: Developing a business model the perception of entrepreneurial self-efficacy among students in the cultural and creative industry. In: Kuhlke, O., Schramme, A., Kooyman, R. (eds.) Cultural Entrepreneurship in Theory, Pedagogy and Practice (2017) 10. Blashki, K., Nichol, S., Jia, D., Prompramote, S.: ‘The future is old’: immersive learning with generation Y engineering students. Eur. J. Eng. Educ. 32(4), 409–420 (2007)

The Strategic Management Process in a Border Destination: The Eurocity Chaves-Verín Dália Liberato1(&)

, Anabela Peixoto2, and Pedro Liberato1

1

CiTUR Researcher (Centre for Tourism Research, Development, and Innovation), School of Hospitality and Tourism of Polytechnic Institute of Porto (ESHT), Rua D. Sancho I, 981, 4480-876 Vila do Conde, Portugal {dalialib,pedrolib}@esht.ipp.pt 2 School of Hospitality and Tourism of Polytechnic Institute of Porto (ESHT), Rua D. Sancho I, 981, 4480-876 Vila do Conde, Portugal [email protected]

Abstract. The aim of this study is to analyse the process of managing a border destination: The Eurocity Chaves-Verín. The research was carried out with a view to different levels of action, namely, to understand the importance of water for the region as a tourist product, to evaluate the positive and negative aspects of the destination development, and to determine the importance of the innovative product “Bio-healthy plans”. Using the qualitative methodology, through semi-structured interviews in a [32] analysis proposal, it was concluded that the model used may be an added value concerning the approach to tourism destinations, because it is considered a wide range model viewing results and plans for future actions, to be implemented at the destination. It is a current model, easily adaptable to the generality of tourism destinations, particularly in the pandemic context of health, experienced in this year. The main results show that we are facing a thermal and wellness destination, which involves all stakeholders, and currently, tourism provides many positive elements for the region. Keywords: Border tourism
Destination management tourism
Eurocity Chaves-Verín


Health and wellness

1 Introduction “Cross-border tourism is the reinvention of the border as a tourist destination, with a differentiated identity in sociocultural terms, establishing regional and transnational relations, based on each of the regions as a central object of motivation and tourist experience, related, regarding to the “dry border”, with interculturality, thermal, historical, natural and gastronomic tourism. Crossing the border ensures the sharing of the tourism destination” [1], where borders still tend to celebrate the neighbourhood [2]. New tourism trends emerge, which try to respond to the new motivations of tourists, capable of attracting their own tourist demand and generating a complementary supply in the destination, also giving the possibility to the border tourism growth, namely in the Eurocity Chaves-Verín (ECV). It uses resources that attract populations on both sides of the border, given the attractiveness resulting from cultural differences and © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 518–531, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_48

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existing natural conditions, promoting several possibilities of stays with enriching arguments for leisure activities, as they are places of international permeability, presenting conditions to increase the number of visitors who can stay on their travels and enjoy nature and heritage [3].

2 Literature Review 2.1

Tourism Relevance

Tourism as a global phenomenon affects people and nations that establish relationships with each other and aggregates phenomena of culture, heritage, economy and environment, guiding their economic, social, cultural and environmental development, in a permanent change process, so that one can define tourism as an activity that is constantly evolving, covers a wide range of offers and products of different nature, involves a diversity of economic actors and their impacts are felt across the economy [4]. In 2019, estimates show that the number of non-resident tourists arriving in Portugal should have reached 24.6 million, corresponding to a growth of 7.9% compared to the previous year, above the one registered in 2018 (+7.5%). Spain kept being the main inbound market (share of 25.5%; +0.1 p.p.), having grown by 8.2% in 2019 (+8.9% in 2018) and contributing with around 26.1% to the total increase in the number of tourist arrivals. “Leisure, recreation or holidays” was the main motivation to travel in 2019, justifying 12.1 million trips (49.4% of the total, +3.0 p.p.), followed by “visits to relatives or friends”, with 9.2 million trips (37.8%, −3.6 p.p.) and “professional or business” reasons (2.0 million), with 8.2% of the total 6 (−0.1 p.p.) [5]. The Northern Region has been experiencing a very positive dynamic in Tourism in recent years, not considering the pandemic situation experienced in recent months, which is believed to be over soon. The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) foresees sustained growth for the tourism industry in the next 20 years: Emergence of new consumption patterns and motivations, focusing on destinations that offer diverse experiences and with a high degree of authenticity and environmental quality in different types of Tourism (Culture, Heritage, Nature, Gastronomy, Sport…) [6]. 2.2

The Eurocity Chaves-Verín

An innovative project, ECV is based on the geographical proximity, was born in 2007 with the support of the Eixo Atlântico (Atlantic Axis) and is formed by the municipality of Chaves in Portugal and the city of Verín, in Spain. The border regions (Raya/Raia) have many characteristics that can be used as differentiating elements viewing the creation of new tourism products, taking advantage of the activities that make or were part of the populations to create unique and inimitable tourism products, producing tourist activities based on local rural and industrial activities. The “raia” (border) is a space of possibilities for the creation of intercultural tourism, and it is necessary to identify innovative tradition elements that position the “raia” as a tourism destination [7]. The border between Spain and Portugal marked the way of life of the different populations established in this region throughout history [8], and many studies have

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recognized the importance of border, and border culture, as tourist attractions for the development of regional tourism. 2.3

The Tourist Products of Eurocity Chaves-Verín

The Northern Region of Portugal has a set of diversified and differentiating tourist resources, valued, and enhanced, in an exploratory survey conducted to hikers in Portugal. The main motivation identified was to observe and enjoy the beauty of the landscape, breathe fresh air, and interpret nature [9]. The differentiating aspects include water, namely rivers, lakes, reservoirs and thermal waters, which are one of the bases and substance of the national tourism offer, and is part of the emerging well-being products, once it begins to be recognized internationally and has a high growth potential, generating high added value flows, enhancing also the multiplier effect of tourism in the economy [10]. In Galicia, thermal and wellness tourism is also of recognized importance and great potential to attract a medium-high profile international target [11], planning to consolidate the thermal offer, strengthen and position the Galician region as a health tourism destination based on thermalism through the properties of thermal waters, at national and international level, so it can be perceived that on both sides of the border is intended to present a unique and differentiating destination based on water. The Tourism Master Plan of the Eurocity, Water Destination Chaves-Verín, also aims to reposition the border destination as an active wellbeing destination, combining several physical activities, and different tourist products developed, such as water routes, bike paths along the Tâmega river, among others, whose infrastructures were designed for this purpose.

Biohealthy

Well-being DesƟnaƟon AcƟve

Relaxing

Culture

Fig. 1. Repositioning the eurocity of water destination Chaves-Verín Source: Tourism Master Plan, Adapted.

The destination is linked as an active one, but it can also be relaxed, depending on the desire of each tourist, because nature tourism is equally conductive to relaxation and rest, whose leisure tours can be done as well in the available parks. It is intended to combine the historical differentiating products – thermalism and golf, to nature tourism,

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culture and wine and gastronomy in a competitive advantage, as explained in Fig. 1, creating the Well-being destination, integrated with the bio-healthy, active and relaxed [12]. According to the ten strategic products defined by national tourism [13], related to ECV there are six identified: Cultural and Landscape Touring, City Break, Nature Tourism, Health and Wellness, Wine and Gastronomy, and Golf, among the distinctive and differentiating offer of the destination, which can place it in a reference destination regarding the tourist product of Health and Wellness. The tourist attractions are based mainly on nature, history and culture, but the elements or natural factors originate the structuring and organization of most tourism destinations, which is distinctive for the ECV. This region has a significant landscape and natural value, where Water, History, Culture, Nature, Gastronomy, Wines,… Health Tourism and Wellbeing, and the complementarity between them can effectively increase the competitiveness of the destination. Regions are associated with the provision of health and wellness tourism services capable of developing complementary tourist products, based on the diversity of endogenous resources present in its territory [14]. Table 1. Eurocity’s tourism resources Nature — Water — Mountainous Plateaus of Trás-os-Montes — Tâmega River — Thermal and water route — 21st century thermalists — Ecofluvial path of the Tâmega — Chaves Cycle Route — Birdwatching Route — Ham mountain bike route (…)

Historical-cultural — Historical, Artistic, Architectural, Cultural Heritage — Thermal Baths (Thermal Heritage) — Festivals and Pilgrimages — Crafts — Way of Saint James — Smuggling Route — Route of castles — National Road 2 (Km 0) — Urban route of Verín — Urban route of Chaves — Urban route of Vidago (…)

Gastronomy — Typical Gastronomy/Local Products — Wines from Monterrei and Chaves — Wineries and Gastronomic Fairs — Healthy Bio Plans (…)

Source: Own Elaboration.

From the analysis to Table 1, it is verified that Health and Wellness Tourism is referred in the three main tourist products, and it is this complementarity between offered products that intend to make the destination unique. In tourism it is the offer of differentiating services and promoters of competitive advantages (based on synergies between endogenous resources) that will have to meet the needs of an increasingly demanding, more informed and with a variety of alternative destinations available [14]. The products: Thermalism, Health and Wellness; Birdwatching Route; Ham mountain bike route; Smuggling Route; Wine and Gastronomy and the Healthy Bio Plans are the dominant destination products and Thermalism, Health and Wellness is the product that offers greater complementarity to other tourist products in the region, positioning itself as the leader of the tourist offer [13]. It may possibly add thermal tourism, nature,

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adventure, urban, family, among others, beyond the proper segmentation of the tourist system [15]. 2.4

Thermal Heritage of Eurocity Chaves-Verín

The objective of the Tourism Master Plan is to reposition the ECV destination as the Eurocity of Water, promoting the Wellness Thermalism as a reference tourist niche and convert the management of services and events in the niches of Nature, Culture, Wine and Gastronomy into a competitive advantage. The fundamental characteristics of the Eurocity are the two cities, two countries, a border, nine hot springs and a river (Tâmega) that crosses the Eurocity as a union axis between the two sides of the border. From where a water of unparalleled quality hot springs. The most prominent hydromineral hot springs are those in Table 2, according to their geographical location. Table 2. Hydromineral hot springs Galiza (Verín) North Portugal (Chaves, Vidago) ▪ Cabreiroá ▪ Campilho ▪ Sousas ▪ Vidago ▪ Fontenova ▪ Caldas de Chaves ▪ Fonte do Sapo ▪ Vilarelho da Raia ▪ Caldeliñas Source: Chaves Verín Tourism Master Plan, Adapted.

In the territorial area of ECV there is one of the largest concentrations of hot springs in Europe, endogenous resources that constitute a source of opportunities to achieve the classification of Thermal Destination and thus develop an area of tourism excellence focused on health and well-being. 2.5

Border Tourism

The border is a line of separation and contact between two or more states, where there is a discontinuity between the spaces of each country, not only due to territoriality, but also due to cultural, religious or other references; borders were conceived as institutions that serve to mark the functioning of barriers between states, to impose control over the flow of population, to regulate border trade or to indicate the platform and facilitate contact and exchange [16]. From a theoretical point of view, the definition of border is no longer considered in terms of administrative lines and macro-political institutional practices, but also considering the social, political and cultural processes of border reconstruction and the different views concerning local, regional, national, state and international scenarios [17]. One of the characteristics of the borders is its ambiguity of the shared space, which creates hybrid identities caused by intercultural sharing and which are intended to present itself as a unique tourist product in the border regions, where the culture and identity of both sides are interacted in an authentic way over time, as is the case of the

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Smuggling Route, a tourist offer of the region, which geographically, involves both sides of the border and involves local inhabitants, where the border is becoming a tourist-cultural product [18], characterized by mobility and the experience of crossing borders, and where it becomes an attraction and create unique advantages on opposite sides that make borders an important destination [19], with natural and historicalcultural resources being the basis of tourist activity, viewing the viability of sustainable tourism [19]. There is a positive influence of the tourists’ attitudes on the perceived value in the border destination, as well as their positive satisfaction evaluation [16]. However, to promote border tourism, there must be a process of integration between territories, with tourism appearing as a significant component of this integration. Generating positive results for both regions: employment opportunities, improving the local economy, increasing the standard of living of the local population, and generating new market opportunities [19, 20]. It is necessary to add and involve stakeholders and the local population in order to define strategies for the development of border and cross-border tourism, oriented towards the Euro-regional, Iberian, European and global markets [18]. 2.6

Health and Wellness Tourism

Wellness tourism is a niche market in global expansion, offers specific business opportunities through products that promote or maintain health [21], can be promoted as a healthy way of life and bring positive benefits to tourists and residents [22]. While medical tourism assumes a condition of having or not having a disease, wellness tourism aims to care for healthy people with a proactive interest in maintaining or improving their health by offering treatments in spas or therapy establishments [23]. Historically, the demand for mass spas, such as treatment of a disease or tourism, has decreased in the post-war period [24]. And, if ‘medical tourism’ refers to the journey to a destination in search of medical intervention to cure a disease [25], ‘wellness tourism’ refers to obtaining health and well-being through a holistic approach (body and mind) without medical intervention during the holidays [26]. It integrates the need for physical health, beauty, longevity, awareness, spiritual sensitivity and connections with the community, the environment or religion [27]. Well-being tourists are determined to play an active role in their own health [28]. They are generally attracted by good natural, cultural environments, traditional communities or alternative welfare services and activities [29]. Therefore, rural areas, forests, mountains, resorts of hot springs, places that offer wellness alternatives, for example, yoga, meditation, and spiritual retreats, are the main destinations of wellness tourism [30]. 2.7

Case Study

ECV is a border destination, holds a great therapeutic value with its mineral medicine waters, rich in several tourism products, will be the best strategy for a Health and Wellbeing destination. Recognized the contribution that tourism has to the local development of territories and after identified its territorial resources, this research intends to analyse: What positive/negative impacts the development of tourism can bring to the ECV, measure the water potential as a tourism product in the destination,

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and, to determine the relevance of Bio-healthy plans as a differentiating element of tourist destination.

3 Methodology The aim of this article is to analyse the market positioning of the Health and Wellbeing tourism product in the ECV, and whether the promotion of the destination is in accordance with the chosen model. To fulfil the objectives of this research, was adopted the qualitative methodology, and the semi-structured interview was used as a data collection instrument. The interview is an advantageous data collection technique due to its efficiency, promoting the collection of diversified data [32]. Semi-structured interviews are characterized by the existence of a previously prepared script, but still offering the interviewer, the freedom to include during the interview, several aspects considered as convenient. The methodology based on the model “The 10 As of Successful Destinations” by [32] suggests this model as a useful tool of tourist attributes capable of evaluating the success of tourist destinations. These ten attributes can be a good starting base of work for all destinations that argues that tourism plans should be built by setting the targets for Tourism at destination [32], and can still be used as a tool for Integrating a Tourism Planning, where the author combined the model with the UNWTO recommendation code for tourism master plans to produce a more detailed set of topics recommended for the content of the plan topics of integration areas can be seen in the fourth column of Table 3.

Table 3. Brief explanation of each of the attributes of the 10 A’s and their Integration areas A’s

Attributes

Question

Awareness

Tourists’ level of knowledge

Attractiveness

The number and geographic scope of appeal of the destination’s attractions This attribute is determined by the ease with which bookings and reservations can be made

Is there a high level of awareness of the destination among potential tourists? The destination offer a diversity of attractions that are appealing to tourists? Can bookings and reservations for the destination be made through a variety of distribution channels?

Availability

Plan content topics Marketing and promotion

Product development

Marketing and promotion

(continued)

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Table 3. (continued) A’s

Attributes

Question

Accessibility

The convenience of getting to and from the destination, as well as moving around within the destination

Appearance

This attribute measures the impressions that the destination makes on tourists

Activities

The extent of the array of activities available to tourists within the destination This attribute relates to the safety and security of the destination for tourists

Is there convenient access to and from the destination by all modes of transportation? Is there convenient transportation within the destination? The destination makes a good first impression? Does the destination make a positive and lasting impression? The destination offers a wide range of activities in which tourists want to engage? Is the destination clean, safe, and secure?

Assurance

Appreciation

Action

Accountability

The feeling of the levels of welcome and hospitality contribute to this attribute The availability of a longterm tourism plan and a marketing plan for tourism This attribute is about the evaluation of performance by the DMO

Do tourists feel welcome and receive good service in the destination? Is the tourism development and marketing in the destination well planned? Is the DMO measuring the effectiveness of its performance?

Plan content topics Transportation Infrastructure Tourism zoning

Tourism zoning Product development Product development Programming Quality standards of tourism services. Safety and security. Infrastructure Legislation and regulation Human resources Community attitudes Statistics and research.

Institutional framework Statistics and research

Source: [32], Adapted.

The author added 5 A’s to the initial 10 A’s to define the areas of action concerning tourism planning, according to Table 4.

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D. Liberato et al. Table 4. Additional A’s A’s attributes Accommodation Actors Agenda for sustainability Attainment Allocation Source: [32], Adapted.

Recommended areas for tourism planning Accommodations Stakeholder roles and responsibilities Policies Tourism zoning Timelines/timeframes Budgets

The interviews were conducted individually to three representatives of public agencies that work directly in the tourism sector of the region. Interviews with experts from public bodies or associations, researchers and other tourism experts can also provide very useful information on the local situation, regarding the sector, and the market (demand, competition, and trends) [32]. The interview schedule includes several open questions, and all interviews were audiotaped and transcribed (Table 5). Table 5. Interviews No. interview Interview date E1 18/06/2020 E2 24/06/2020 E3 10/07/2020 Source: Authors

Interview length 31:35 53:29 01:47:02

4 Results After the interviews, the results were analysed, in order to understand if the tourism planning in the destination complies with the norms and the model suggested [32]. The Destination Management is defined by the “Cross-border Tourism Master Plan for the ECV destination that extends to the entire territory of the Municipalities of Verín in Spain, Chaves in Portugal, and Vidago as the third thermal hub” (E2), is headed by eurocity” (E1), “and there is a set of documents” (E3). The attribute awareness of the destination is related to the level of knowledge that tourists have about the destination and the question that arises is whether there is information available among potential tourists, which is positive and in line with the existence of diversity of distribution channels. “We have online and offline distribution channels. In the online distribution channels, the destination offer is available on the website visitchavesverín.com and in the promotion campaigns we develop in both countries and on social networks… stakeholders have their tourist distribution channels in tour operators in both countries. And, when we have operating joint package, we also work with some tour operator to proceed with this distribution in Spain and Portugal” (E2), “Yes, we as Alto Tâmega, have (distribution channels) (E1)”, “we do not have an international distribution chain, but we participate in fairs regularly” (E3).

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Regarding the questions, whether the destination offers a diversity of attractions and whether they have the ability to engage, attract tourists and prolong the stay, the answers are positive “Yes, our tourism products allows a wider stay of visitors. A tourist, when arriving in Chaves or Verín can use a tourism office, where he is informed about the activities he can carry out on both sides of the border” (E2). “Yes, there’s a lot. Chaves has 150,000 stays… this means a set of integrated offers, not only talking about thermal tourism, which is very relevant, of course, perhaps the main product, because there are 11 000 tourists, spa users, in Chaves to do treatments, and part of them have a medium of overnight stays, in the territory, about 12 days” (E1), “from the material to the intangible we have a vast heritage” (E3). The ECV it has several accessibilities “by highway” (E3) “is very well located both in Portugal and Spain that allows you to reach from Porto, Lisbon, Madrid, Santiago de Compostela … quickly and safely. The destination ECV is very close (1h30) to three airports” (E2), “we really liked to have direct planes, however Chaves is at one hour from the international airport of Porto, which is accessible (E1), and there is the possibility of coming by train from Madrid, which from 2021 it will already be possible to do in TGV” (E2). “The railway would be interesting and ecological” (E3), “we do not have” (E1). There are transport (road) that make Chaves-Verín” (E1). As for the Appreciation and Appearance of the destination “the feedback is positive and has been going up a lot, which is good” (E1) “tourists feel safe and feel good” (E3). The quality of accommodation suitable for demand and dominant products stands out: “we have hotel units of all supply quality sectors” (E3) “that fit perfectly into the dominant products that is a more quality tourism, a higher segment” (E1). “Yes, there are units of high-quality accommodation… we have an offer in the destination of very good, excellent accommodation, which fits perfectly in the needs of tourists and products of relax, wine” (E2). Regarding the work of tourist monitoring of the destination there is “in forum discussion” (E3), and “a questionnaire is being applied to tourists, and the responses have been positive” (E2). The impression caused is good, since the best way to evaluate this characteristic is to come back and recommend the destination “and return to their origin and recommend, which is the main one” (E2). The strategic development of tourism and destination marketing that assess action and effectiveness “are well planned, the ECV tourism master plan provides for the promotion of the cross-border destination, and we are developing an online promotion strategy that is cheaper, but we still need investment and positioning, we are working on it, as well as in assessing the effectiveness - the work of tourist monitoring that is taking place” (E2). “We have a strategic plan; we have a registered trademark. Upper Tâmega - water territory and well-being… We’re on the way to having something very well designed. We evaluate the effectiveness in demand performance, so the destination has been increasingly sought and we are happy because we are certainly contributing to this” (E1), “most of our visitors are from Galician, and after the French, last year we had visitors from more than fifty nationalities” (E3). The Assurance of destination, a condition that is even more necessary given the current situation of pandemic caused by the new coronavirus (SARS-COV-2), demands taking new measures “we have been very careful, the number of cases we have had, related to Covid’19 in the territory is very low so far. So, we are very pleased so far. It

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doesn’t depend on a person’s action, but on everyone. The Marketing strategy provides for these measures (E1). Because destination is not a massive, our interviewees consider that this can also be a competitive advantage for it, and adds “we are working together on this, we are promoting the destination as a safe destination, a destination of health, well-being, the operators of the destination in Portugal with the Clean & Safe seal and in Spain with the Seal of Safe Destination. We are working on this and we are working on promoting as a safe destination and in which one can trust” (E2). We could not help but question the direct impact of the pandemic on tourism in the destination, which as is already public knowledge at the global level, was the ‘tourism sector’ that suffered the most, was devastating, not only in this destination, but in all, the hotel units closed, services were suspended, and the fact that the destination had border (E2). However, confidence in the destination begins to appear, and this is already recovering “last week (the hotel) was complete (8 to 14 June) during the week of the holidays. The fact that we are a low-density territory with a very large geographical area … we have a hotel industry of such great quality and quantity and have excellent and unique products… I think we are a target for people who want to seek safe and quiet destinations” (E1). There are also some points to improve in the management of the destination, such as “better promotion, better communication of the destination and having updated the products and tour packages” (E2). “The offer is well designed, well structured, we need to continue to bet a lot on the training of actors, for the segment that we want to achieve, … I would say that also at the level of promotion it is lacking to do much because all the money we have for promotion is little. We need to ensure that we have quality and we need to know how to sell this quality in international markets. Because the average of the overnight stays of an international tourist in Alto Tâmega is more than double in terms of days than the national tourist… it has to continue to have national customers and users but it has to be promote itself on the international segment, especially allowing to feed the low season because internationally, the thermal workers seek the thermal baths in winter. And we in Portugal traditionally look for the spa in summer and autumn” (E1).

5 Conclusions Not forgetting that this research focus is a border destination, the truth is that we are facing a destination of health and well-being, because the Dominant Products identified in this study are essentially “those that are connected to water, ECV is a thermal destination and therefore, within our strategic tourism plan, tourism linked to the spa and well-being is clearly the main product” (E1), with water being the differentiating tourist product of the region, thus verifying its potential in the destination as an aggregator of other tourist products as verified in the literature review. The positive or negative impacts that the development of tourism can bring to The ECV, at this time are only visioned the positive “we have the right characteristics to be an alternative destination to mass tourism, we have a lot of adventure sport in the region, … the presence of people in the territory, has much positive aspects for the territory in several

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dimensions, because we are a territory with few people … I do not see negative aspects, I see many positive aspects in the sense of boosting the economic activities of the territory, and this is very relevant at all levels” (E1). “The impacts are economic development, represents more tourists, who extend the stay, (…) profile of different tourists, the thermal tourist spends more money, the nature tourist spends less. What we want is to have an offer for residents and tourists, and we want tourists to stay longer, spend more and better” (E2). As a differentiating element of the destination arise the Bio-healthy plans that are characterized by being a newly developed product and “there is a perspective at the level of the whole region of designing products very associated with the well-being of a quality perspective and more comprehensive than what would be just wellbeing and treatment” (E1). And especially what we are offering to those who visit us is the possibility of offering sports and having a healthy diet, know the waters and properties of the mineral waters of the destination to implement these plans. Bio-healthy plans can be followed at destination and at home with our waters and our gastronomic resources” (E2). Innovation and the creation of new products are recognized in an attempt to encompass all products in one, and the Bio-healthy Plans are well the example of this, combining the thermal waters, the nature product, health and well-being and the local gastronomy. When it comes to health and wellness tourism, it refers to thermalism, however it has also become linked to the preventive issue and relax, associated with a healthy lifestyle. It is thus considered that thermalism, nowadays is related to an improvement in the quality of life. Thermalism is thus part of a very comprehensive concept - well-being tourism, the latter being added to health tourism [34]. The effects of wellness tourism on destinations can be different and should be better understood [35], as they can make a big difference in the success of a destination. The [32] Model assesses the effectiveness of the plans outlined, covering several lines of action, namely marketing strategy, development of tourism products, distribution channels, infrastructure, hospitality, security, attractiveness, appearance, action and performance. There are answers and concrete actions for all of them, including the involvement of all stakeholders,” we have several meetings in Eurocity (E1), “in our tourism project… we involve all stakeholders, (…)” (E2). The management of the destination is on track to achieve success, requires more investment in the communication of the destination and definition of strategies that help combat the seasonality rate, because the central element is defined as being: Nature Tourism, Health and Wellbeing [36–39].

References 1. Liberato, D., Alén, E., Liberato, P., Domínguez, T.: Governance and cooperation in Euroregions: border tourism between Spain and Portugal. Eur. Plan. Stud. 26(7), 1347–1365 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2018.1464129 2. Timothy, D., Saarinen, J., Viken, A.: Editorial: tourism issues and international borders in the Nordic Region. Scand. J. Hosp. Tour. 16(sup1), 1–13 (2016)

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24. Page, S.J., Hartwell, H., Johns, N., Fyall, A., Ladkin, A., Hemingway, A.: Case study: wellness, tourism and small business development in a UK coastal resort: public engagement in practice. Tour. Manag. 60, 466–477 (2017) 25. Yu, J., Ko, T.: A cross-cultural study of perceptions of medical tourism among Chinese, Japanese and Korean tourists in Korea. Tour. Manag. 33(1), 80–88 (2012) 26. Jolliffe, L., Cave, J.: Health and wellness tourism. In: Robinson, P. (ed.) Tourism: The Key Concepts, pp. 93–95. Routledge, London (2012) 27. Bushell, R., Sheldon, P.: Wellness and Tourism: Mind, Body, Spirit, Place. Cognizant Communication, New York (2009) 28. Smith, M., Kelly, C.: Wellness tourism. Tour. Recreat. Res. 31(1), 1–4 (2006) 29. Smith, B.: Body, mind and spirit? Towards an analysis of the practice of yoga. Body Soc. 13 (2), 25–46 (2007) 30. Wang, K., Xu, H., Huang, L.: Wellness tourism and spatial stigma: a case study of Bama, China. Tour. Manag. 78 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2019.104039 31. Gil, A.: Dados e técnicas de pesquisa social, 6th edn. Atlas, São Paulo (2008) 32. Morrison, A.M.: Marketing and Managing Tourism Destinations. Routledge, Milton Park (2013) 33. Zimmer, P., Grassmann, S.: Avaliar o potencial turístico de um território. Leader European Observatory (1996) 34. Lopes, M.C., Alén, E., Liberato, D., Liberato, P.: A relação entre o termalismo e a qualidade de vida. In: XX Congreso AECIT (2018). https://recipp.ipp.pt/handle/10400.22/12875 35. Suess, C., Baloglu, S., Busser, J.: Perceived impacts of medical tourism development on community wellbeing. Tour. Manag. 69, 232–245 (2018) 36. Plano estratégico de turismo do Alto Tâmega - Realidades atuais do Alto Tâmega ao nível do turismo. PR-04160, May 2019 37. Sousa, B., Rocha, A.T.: The role of attachment in public management and place marketing contexts: a case study applied to Vila de Montalegre (Portugal). Int. J. Public Sect. Perform. Manag. 5(2), 189–205 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1504/IJPSPM.2019.099094 38. Sousa, B., Alves, G.: The role of relationship marketing in behavioural intentions of medical tourism services and guest experiences. J. Hosp. Tour. Insights 2(3), 224–240 (2019). https:// doi.org/10.1108/JHTI-05-2018-0032 39. Sousa, B., Silva, M.: Creative tourism and destination marketing as a safeguard of the cultural heritage of regions: the case of Sabugueiro Village. Revista Brasileira de Gestão e Desenvolvimento Regional 15(5), 78–92 (2019). https://www.rbgdr.net/revista/index.php/ rbgdr/issue/view/63. ISSN 1809-239X

A Content Analysis of Social Media in Tourism During the Covid-19 Pandemic Ana Paula Camarinha(&), António José Abreu, Maria José Angélico, Amélia Ferreira da Silva, and Sandrina Teixeira CEOS.PP, IPolytechnic of Porto, Rua Jaime Lopes Amorim, s/n, 4465-004 S. Mamede de Infesta, Portugal {apteixeira,aabreu,mjose,acfs,sandrina}@iscap.ipp.pt

Abstract. The tourism sector is one of the most important drivers of the Portuguese economy. Indeed, any impacts on tourism organizations’ performance have a huge influence on the economic, social and cultural dynamic of the Portuguese society. As such, considering the challenges and pressure that the recent pandemic of COVID-19 has put on tourism organizations, much attention has been devoted to the problem. This paper focuses on web communication strategy followed by key organization in the tourism sector during COVID-19. It is an exploratory study based on a multiple case-study approach that combines different methodologies and techniques. The cases under study were selected through an analytic tool SimilarWeb - and the preliminary findings, obtained through content analysis of websites and social media profiles of the organizations, indicate that Portuguese tourism organizations have entered in a new age of communication with their clients, characterized by more flexible, complex, and unbureaucratic communication strategies. Keywords: Business
Tourism
Social media
Pandemic, content analysis Multiple case studies




1 Introduction Since the revolution on April 25, 1974, Portuguese tourism has seen a huge expansion. The openness of Portuguese society created new opportunities for the Portuguese economy and tourism became one of the fastest growing economic sectors. According to Costa, Nunes e Castro [1], there were several factors that contributed to the exponential growth of this sector, namely an increase in income and wealth, advances in public transportation, changes in consumers’ lifestyles and values, an increase in leisure time activities, international openness and globalization, immigration, special events, education, information and communication technologies, marketing and promotion of destinations and improvement in general conditions of tourism infrastructure, among others. For the last two decades, Portugal has been developing a strategy that established status quo of a “Sun and Sea” tourism. The cultural heritage, creative tourism, sports,

© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 532–546, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_49

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business, academic, and so on, created new markets, products and seasonality in tourist activity. This strategy has shown great results. Indeed, the National Institute of Statistics [2] indicated 24.6 million of non-resident tourists arriving in Portugal in 2019, corresponding to a growth of 7.9% compared to the previous year, higher than the one registered in 2018 (+7.5%). Moreover, in accordance with Banco de Portugal [2], the tourism sector is the largest export economic activity in the country, having been, in 2019, responsible for 52.3% of services exports and 19.7% of total exports and tourist revenues, registered an 8.7% contribution to the national GDP. Nevertheless, the outbreak of COVID-19 has caught all of us by surprise and its economic impact became highly unpredictable. So far, the short term damages have surpassed the most pessimistic predictions. According to UNWTO [3], the nearuniversal introduction of travel restrictions, due to COVID-19, led to a fall of 97% in international tourist arrivals, after a 55% decline in March. In a matter of weeks, COVID-19 destroyed any economic or business plans. As Baum and Hai [4] point out, “the hospitality and tourism operations of many countries have been virtually shut down and international travel (and, in some countries, domestic travel as well) has all but ceased”. The effects of the coronavirus outbreak were felt mainly in March, with a 50% drop in the number of tourists, and during May 2020, Portuguese tourist activity almost stopped [5]. In such a context, this paper focuses on web communication strategy followed by key organization of tourism sector during COVID-19. It is an exploratory study based on a multiple case-study approach that combines different methodologies and techniques. The cases under study were selected through an analytic tool - SimilarWeb and the preliminary findings which were obtained through content analysis of websites and social media sites of the organizations. The present paper is structured in four sections. After the introduction, a brief description of the theoretical background was described, followed by Sect. 3 with the research methodology used. In section four the results are presented and discussed. Finally, we end the paper with conclusions and future perspectives in Sect. 5.

2 Theoretical Background One of the defining features of globalization is the personal mobility. During the late twentieth century and early twenty-first century, international traveling registered the highest rate ever. Tourism activities are deeply tangled into the globalization process. Indeed, tourism is at the forefront of globalization and represents one of the main pillars in the world economy. However, differently from some other global activities, tourism involves physical movement of persons. By the beginning of 2020, the unprecedented outbreak of novel coronavirus pneumonia, termed COVID-19, has disrupted the world´ s social and economic puzzles, and tourism has been dramatically affected. Under such circumstances, the balance between macroeconomic and health care aspects of the coronavirus pandemic became hard to achieve [6]. Acknowledging the relevance of the tourism cluster in the global economy, and the fact that tourism drives many other activities with which it relates, recent literature in

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the field of tourism and hospitality management tries to shed some light on finding better ways to deal with such challenge and “to offer strategies that the tourism industry can adopt to adjust to the new ‘normal’ following this pandemic” [7, p. 731]. In accordance with Brouder et al. [8, p. 1], the emergence of topic “reflect the need that so many people have to express themselves as a way of releasing the anxieties and integrating the hopes that the COVID-19 pandemic has engendered in individuals and groups around the world”. In order to demonstrate the diversity of the literature on the topic, the authors summarize the reflections and discussions of almost thirty researchers about the new normal of tourism in post COVID-19 era. Following an economic perspective, Tsionas [9] analyses the cost structure of hotel industry and discusses three different scenarios for the reopening of hotel industry, concluding that “i) reopening gradually requiring only nonnegative profits is quite feasible but (ii) reopening requiring the same level of profit as in the pre-COVID-19 period is considerably more difficult, and seems feasible by reopening at capacity near 33%” [9, p. 1). The level of 33% is the break-even point below which government subsidies would be necessary. However, the truth is that companies are taking tentative steps towards re-opening their facilities in an absolute sight navigation approach, with or without government subsidies. Iaquinto [10] looks at this crisis from tourists’ mobility point of view and its impact on the transmission and the spread of COVID-19. The author emphasizes that the categorization of people mobility as touristic, social, professional or business might influence the way “how the spread of the virus is understood by policy-makers, governments, and medical researchers” [10, p. 176]. In that sense, “mobilities theory highlights how tourism is entwined with the political ramifications of COVID-19 and offers some considerations for those seeking to use the pandemic as an opportunity to enable low carbon forms of tourism” [10, p. 177]. Gretzel et al. (2020) underlines the role that information technology has been playing in tourism sector, namely as facilitator and disruptor for the sector. In that sense, the authors challenge e-Tourism researchers to a more profound reflection on the critical questions, and respective answers, regarding the role of IT in creating a better future for tourism. Hence, this crisis can be seen as an opportunity “to rethink the ontology and epistemology of e-Tourism research” (Gretzel et al. 2020:190), specifically regarding the following points [11, p. 198–199]: – – – –

mindful of the past and the value of continuity (historicity); aware of the factors that influence knowledge creation (reflexivity); explicit about its values (transparency); sensitive to differential opportunities to participate in research and varying impacts of its findings (equity); open to diversity in topics and approaches (plurality); – and willing to break boundaries and be prescriptive (creativity).

Following a completely different approach, Mao et al. [12] draws our attention to the impact of COVID’19 on the employee psychological capital (self-efficacy, hope, resilience and optimism) in tourism from the point of view of corporate social responsibility (CSR). The authors collected data through a questionnaire survey among employees from different kinds of tourism companies and concluded that:

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– Tourism CSR is beneficial to employee self-efficacy. The more CSR the tourism companies initiated, the higher was employees’ satisfaction with corporate COVID19 responses. – Tourism CSR promotes employee hope through employees’ perceived satisfaction with corporate COVID-19 responses. Tourism CSR is positively related to employees’ perceived satisfaction with corporate COVID-19 responses – Tourism CSR helps employees maintain resilience through satisfaction with corporate COVID-19 responses. This means that CSR helped employees persevere, seek quick growth and achieve success when in adversity. – Tourism CSR helps employees remain optimistic through perceived satisfaction with corporate COVID-19 responses. – Loss orientation strengthens the correlation between employees’ satisfaction with COVID-19 responses and self-efficacy. – Loss orientation strengthens the relationship between employees’ satisfaction with corporate COVID-19 responses and hope. – Loss orientation strengthens the relationship between employees’ satisfaction with corporate COVID-19 responses and resilience – Loss orientation strengthens the relationship between employees’ satisfaction with corporate COVID-19 responses and optimism. Fennell [13] anticipates a new age for travel and tourism because new technologies will intensify touristic experiences from home. The author puts information technology at the centre of a disruptive answer to this economic, health and environmental chaos faced by tourism and travel sector. Thus, Fennell [13, p. 2] argue that “personalised, interactive, real-time tours, or PIRTs (5 G streaming in real-time using 360-degree view cameras, webcams, drones, and with appropriate hardware, software and infrastructure) will change how we consume touristic experiences”. Another branch of literature argues that the impact of travel and tourism on environmental sustainability regains public eye attention and literature refers to an increase of global consciousness regarding sustainability issues of travel and tourism. According to this perspective, the pandemic is “a result of planetary time-space compression and is forcing an expansion in human consciousness that will make humankind better able to address global problems” Galvani, Lew, and Perez, [14, p. 1]. Thus, this crisis will drive new “ways of thinking, behaving and operating that are more closely aligned with the goals of sustainable development” [14, p. 1] and it can be understood as “a wake-up call and an opportunity for the tourism industry to embrace the mindfulness movement, trusting in its capacity to reflect on the current problems and to pave a new way forward towards more compassionate and meaningful tourism for both hosts and guests [15]. Looking for an understanding of how this watershed moment has been covered by the Chinese media, Chen, Huang and Li [16] applied an automated content analysis of 499 newspaper articles. The author identified nine major subjects, namely “COVID19’s impact on tourism, people’s sentiment, control of tourism activities and cultural venues, the role of the hospitality industry, national command and local response, tourism disputes and solutions, corporate self-improvement strategies, government assistance, and post-crisis tourism product” and identified the “topics such as people’s sentiment changes during the outbreak of COVID-19, the effectiveness of crisis

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response strategies, and the marketing of post-crisis tourism product” [16, p. 4] as the research opportunities. As we can conclude from the above, scientific literature about COVID-19 is exploratory, diverse and it is still in its early beginning. As Hall et al. [17, p. 1] points out, although travel and tourism were confronted with a significant list of pandemics and global diseases in the past “there is a surprisingly limited literature on the interrelationships between pandemics and tourism, and its long-term implications”. So, despite the bleak future facing hospitality businesses, government, companies, workers, agencies, and other actors tangled in the sector are thinking about the best way to deal with such uncertain times. By trying to contribute to the research agenda, this paper intents to identify web communication strategies drawn by the hospitality industry during the emergence and evolution of COVID-19, i.e., in times of celestial navigation.

3 Methodology The methodologic options are one of the most relevant decisions since they outline the expected results and restrict their clarity and accuracy. Given our research questions, which are necessarily generic and comprehensive – (i) How the pandemic caused by covid-19 was treated by tourism e/m-commerce companies (ii) What kind of information is available on social media about COVID-19 – we understood the multiple case studies as the strongest approach. We carried out a qualitative analysis of the main communication channels, namely websites and social networks with text content. Our focus was on web communication strategy followed by key organization of tourism sector during COVID-19, however, other data sources were consulted. For data collection and the analyses of the content we carefully followed all the procedures recommended for exploratory qualitative research, especially those indicated for multiple case-study research [18]. To enhance the validity and reliability of the case study [19], we used different data sources, namely portable document format (PDF) documents and Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML), disclosure in the website and available on social media channels. We also complemented this information with external documents such as laws and statements elaborated by the Portuguese government and the European Union that had impacts on tourism organizations during COVID-19 state of calamity and emergency period – March to July, in particular with the following: – Guide of Recommendations by Theme and Sector of Activity, General Directorate of Health, 9 June 2020 [20]; – Guideline No. 14/2020, General Directorate of Health [21]; – Clean and Safe” Stamp [22]; This research was an opportunity to experience qualitative research as a learning process, where the researcher is “continually and consciously making decisions that affect the questions pursued and the direction of the study” [24, p. 3]. To increase data consistency, before proceeding with content analyses, a pilot test was carried out to understand the potential bias due to different interpretations of individual researchers involved in the content analyses. There is no assessment test to qualify a researcher for

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qualitative investigation. However, if the researcher is aware of the difficulties and demands that this type of research involves, he/she can develop his/her abilities and prevent any errors in procedures and mental attitudes that may make the research unfeasible. According to Yin [18, p. 127],” key to understanding the needed training is to understand that every case study researcher must be able to operate as a “senior” researcher. Once you have started collecting data, you should think of yourself as an independent researcher who cannot rely on a rigid formula to guide your inquiry. You must be able to make intelligent decisions throughout the data collection process”. Indeed, to conduct a quality case study, a well-trained and experienced researcher is necessary because this type of research requires a continuous interaction between the theoretical approach being followed and the data that are being used. Thus, the pilot test was done by three researchers who simultaneously analyse 10% of the data. This test did not reveal any important differences between individual research interpretations, and so, the subsequent content analyses continued with the three researchers working autonomously, in spite of following the same techniques. All the details about the data collection procedures will be given in the next section. The selected study cases consisted of the e/m-commerce companies with the most access in Portugal. These companies were selected using WebSimilar automated tool. SimilarWeb is a tool which provides web analytics services for businesses such as measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of web data [25]. With SimilarWeb tool, the most visited companies in the field of tourism, in e/m-commerce mode, were identified in Portugal. The answer was based on data available until 3 of July 2019. The following table shows, by category, the companies, the URL of the website’s home page and the links to the companies’ social networks, if they are accessed through existing links on the website. Table 1. Websites analyzed Similar web category Accommodations and Hotels

Company

Booking AirBnb Car Rentals Rentalcars CP Europcar Air travel FlyTap Ryanair Travel and tourism CP Viagens Sapo Travel and Tourism > Tourism Viator Attractions Zoomarine Travel and Tourism > Transportation Megabus and Excursions Sleeping in Airports

Web address https://www.booking.com http://airbnb.pt https://www.rentalcars.com/ https://www.europcar.pt/ https://www.flytap.com/en-pt/ https://www.ryanair.com/ie/en/ https://www.cp.pt https://viagens.sapo.pt/ https://www.viator.com/ https://www.zoomarine.pt/pt/ https://www.megabus.com/ https://www.sleepinginairports.net/

After that, we looked into each company’s social media. As already stated, the qualitative methodology was used, which can be generically defined as a method of social research that uses analysis of qualitative data. The technique used was content

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analyses of social media, websites and social networks. In order to guide the three researchers during data collection and data analyses of each case, there were five welldefined guiding questions: (1) Regarding the reservations made before the knowledge of the pandemic, what are the procedures carried out with regard to the possibility of: rescheduling; cancellation; and refund (Yes/No)? (2) As for the services provided, what type of information is available? (3) What kind of information is provided by companies on the website about healthcare within the scope of the Covid-19? (4) In terms of social responsibility, what were the measures implemented by the companies? (5) With regard to insurance, what are the risks covered by the companies? To select the pages to be analysed, all those belonging to the same domain and where the URL site contained the word COVID were searched. For this, the following Google command was used: allinurl: covid site:https://[domínio do site] To define the search criteria, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) strategies were taken into account, organic search was used and the keyword “Covid” would have to be part of the URL of the page [URL Structure [2020 SEO Best Practices]. (n.d.). Moz. Retrieved August 3, 2020, from https://moz.com/learn/seo/url]. The search carried out resulted in 63 html pages and one pdf file. After analysing the websites, the respective social networks of text content were analysed, namely Facebook and Twitter, accessed through the company’s institutional website (see Table 2). Table 2. Social network contents – posts/likes Company Booking Europcar CP Zoomarine AirBnb FlyTap Viagens Sapo Megabus Rentalcars Ryanair Viator

Social network No links available for social network Facebook Twitter Facebook Facebook Twitter (only to online survey forms) Facebook Twitter. Facebook Twitter Facebook Twitter

– Facebook Facebook Twitter The Guide to Sleeping in Airports Facebook Twitter

Posts Likes – – 7 1.892 K 6 –

839 –

6

9.6 k

76

106.4 K

_

_

12 – 7 7

370 – 18.4 K 121

–

–

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By looking at the previous table, we realise that most companies do not have direct access to social networks and, those which have direct social network access also have little expressiveness, both in terms of the number of publications and the number of likes. After these previous appreciation of social network channels, the content analysis of the selected documents was carried out. According to Krippendorff [26], content analysis is a research technique used to make valid and replicable inferences of data, within their contexts. The analysed data can be viewed based on different perspectives. Berelson [27] views content analysis as “a research technique for the objective, systematic and quantitative description of the manifest content of communication”. The organization of content analysis starts from three chronological segments: i. Pre-analysis - It is the organization of work itself. After the problem and the research questions are defined, it is necessary to proceed with the constitution of the documentary corpus. The Corpus is a set of material that will be submitted to analysis [28]. In our case, it comprises the social media of the most used ecommerce companies in Portugal (see Table 2). ii. Exploration of the material or coding – It consists of the process by which the raw data are systematically transformed and aggregated into units, which allows for an accurate description of the characteristics relevant to the content expressed in the text [28]. We then executed two fundamental actions suggested by the author, namely: - The choice of registration units of analysis (UR); - The choice of categories (classification and aggregation) iii. Treatment of results, inference and interpretation. In the study, the type of adopted UR was thematic or semantic (rule of clipping of meaning and not form, represented by sentences, paragraphs, abstract, etc.). Bardin (2007) states that the choice of categories is an “operation of classification of constituent elements of a set, by differentiation and then by regrouping according to gender (analogy), with the criteria previously defined”. Categories are rubrics or classes that bring together a group of elements (registration units) that have common characteristics [28]. Homogeneity (uniformity), completeness (exhaust the entire text), exclusivity (the same element cannot be classified into two different categories), objectivity (different coders should arrive at equal results) and adequacy or pertinence (adapted to the content and objective of the study) are some of the characteristics that can help in the construction of empirical categories in content analysis. The categories in the textual analysis can be produced by different methodologies, in this case the inductive method was used. This method implies constructing the categories based on the information contained in the corpus. Through a process of constant comparison and contrast between the units of analysis, the researcher organizes sets of similar elements, usually based on tacit knowledge, as described by Lincoln and Guba [29]. Following this approach, we constructed the codification tree shown in Fig. 1.

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Fig. 1. Tree codes

As already mentioned, the material was then explored by code. Afterward, the results, inference and interpretation were treated, as described in the following section. This codification was a very important advance in our study because it allowed us to go forward with the interpretation of the communication strategies followed by the companies under study [30]. Indeed, as Ryan and Bernard [31, p. 81] claim, “theme identification is one of the most fundamental tasks in qualitative research. It also is one of the most mysterious.”

4 Analysis and Discussion of Results The free use of the SimilarWeb tool gives us an orderly list of the two most used websites by the Portuguese, grouped by categories (we selected the subcategories: Accommodation and hotels; Air travel; Car rentals; Ground transportation; Tourism attractions; Transportation and excursions from the travel and tourism category). We tested the 12 most used tourism websites in Portugal, according to the SimilarWeb tool (see Table 1). As mentioned before, the data were collected in 2020, from March to July. The results obtained are exposed in the next points. 4.1

Analysis of the Documentary Corpus

The identification of the most relevant key-words is determined by the number of times one word is present in a given database. A summary or a list of keywords is important because it helps to map the dominant thematic [32]. By analysing the most relevant words, it is possible to map search themes in the area. In Fig. 2 we can see the most relevant keywords used, in a form of word clouds.

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Fig. 2. English websites keywords versus Portuguese websites keywords

In both cases, it was found that there is a great emphasis on the terms Covid-19, country under analysis and category of companies studied. Then, there is policy, cancellation, restrictions and customers (guests/passengers). Finally, the month in which the period of confinement in Portugal began. The Fig. 3 shows a pie chart that represents the UR percentage by category.

Fig. 3. UR percentage by category

In the previous image, it can be seen that most of the occurrences were distributed by reservations (32.8%), which comprises the subcategories refunds (12.4%), rescheduling (7.0%) and cancellations (13.4%), services offered (31.3%) and health (18.4%). Of the categories identified, the one with the least impact is insurance (2%). Regarding social networks, it was found that most websites (75%) have a direct link to the companies’ social networks. However, matters related to COVID are much more present on websites than on social networks, 89% and 11%, respectively. 4.2

Answers to Guiding Questions

As mentioned before, the researchers followed five guiding question to tailor the information:

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1) Regarding the reservations made before the knowledge of the pandemic, what are the procedures carried out with regard to the possibility of: rescheduling; cancellation; and refund (Yes/No)? From the analysis of the information contained on the websites analysed, the policies will depend a lot on the type of category. Thus, in Accommodations and Hotels companies, cancellations are carried out in an usual way, in one of the companies if the cancellation is due to illness, there are no associated costs. As for rescheduling - are always dependent on the booking conditions. The refunds depend on the type of reservation, but for reservations from March 14th only in case of illness. If the reason is Covid-19 it can be refunded in full. In the Car Rentals category, cancellations are always possible, but it may be possible to do so only up to 48 h before. In the Air Travel category, there was a suspension of flights, so rescheduling is always possible and sometimes with the offer of additional discounts on new bookings. Refunds are full and may still be in excess. It may happen that the issue of travel vouchers with reimbursement is only possible from one year after their issue. In the Travel and Tourism category, attention is drawn to the fact that cheaper airlines have not given rise to refunds. Activities linked to animation announce the resumption of activity only after the month of September. In the Tourism Attractions category, companies report 100% refunds until June 30 and cancellations are made in accordance with national policies for covid-19. As for rescheduling, the validity of the tickets purchased is extended. In the category Transportation and Excursions, there is no information related to this theme. Regarding social networks, information is scarce. Some inform that there is a return policy and others on procedures to be used to use the services they provide. 2) As for the services provided, what type of information is available? The kind of information about alternative services depends on the category of the website and the activity of the company. Some companies gave information about the new on-line services provided, some distinguished the services that became on-line from those that remain personal contact services, others just limit to give information about the services that were suspended or restricted access, for example, closing of several physical stations, indicating only the only physical station available, restrictions on the transport of materials, conditions about cleaning services, and so on. It seems clear that there is a shift from personal interactions to technologies in order to limit contact. 3) What kind of information is provided by companies on the website about healthcare within the scope of the Covid-19? Regarding this issue, all websites, with no exception, provide specific information about the careful procedures clients should follow to preserve health, highlighting the etiquette and safety standards that customers should apply to preserve health. As for social networks, companies in the Air Travel category explain the need to wear a mask when traveling and the air transport of products needed for health care.

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In general, the rules mentioned were in accordance with those described in Clean & Safe. Portugal Establishment Complying with health measures, published by Turismo de Portugal [32], i.e., it lags behind the legal recommendations. Anyway, it seems clear that new health safety norms forced companies to rethink their premises in term of cleaning and sanitizing protocols and air handling, for example. 4) In terms of social responsibility, what were the measures implemented by the companies? From the analysis of information on the websites observed in the scope of social responsibility, it appears that the policies used differ greatly from the type of category. Thus, in the Accommodations and Hotels category, the information available on the different sites, in case of covid19, highlights safe facilities, cleaning and disinfection checklist, information about cleaning professionals, social distance practices, line accommodations ahead you have to wait 72 h between reservations for cleaning and sanitizing, lastly the information on interruption of face-to-face experiences from March 18 until at least June 28, 2020. In the Air Travel category, some companies highlight the existence of re-patrolling flights, even to countries where it would not be possible to fly, due to air space restrictions. Some airlines have remodelled their planes to allow more space, ensuring greater humanitarian cargo. In the Travel and Tourism category, some companies emphasize the payment of medical expenses of any visitor who is infected with the covid19 during their stay. In the Tourism Attractions Category, the information available on the websites during the visit highlights the use of face masks, hand sanitizer, disinfection between the use of transport vehicles and regular hygiene, increased cleaning regimen and constant changes of filters air conditioning units. With regard to social networks, the actions that the companies have carried out, namely the provision of free vehicles for health professionals, the distribution of protective equipment by volunteers, and the provision of accommodation for health professionals, are publicized. 5) With regard to insurance, what are the risks covered by the companies? From the analysis of the information on the websites observed in the scope of insurance, it appears that the policies used differ greatly from the type of category. Thus, in the Car Rentals category, the information made available on some websites is aimed at providing full protection insurance to its customers. In the Travel and Tourism Category there are companies whose insurance does not protect, unless reservations have been made before the notice of country constraints or restrictions. With regard to social networks, nothing to highlight. Responses from companies regarding Covid-19 vary according to the type of business and range from inhibiting activity (flights) to postponing dates to be scheduled (shows and cultural activities), including the possibility of rescheduling with or without reimbursement of amounts already paid for stays. There is a concern with the hygiene of spaces and procedures and recommendations to prevent the spread of the disease. Companies have taken hygiene measures, especially in Accommodations and Hotels.

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Hygiene measures such as wearing a mask, disinfectants and social distance are also frequently recommended. Facilities and vehicles were also made available free of charge to some health professionals.

5 Conclusions and Future Work The clusters of tourism have a truly strategic prominence in national and regional economy. The huge position of tourism in Portuguese economy rely heavily on its indirect impact in other sectors. Indeed, any impacts on tourism organizations performance have an enormous influence on economic, social and cultural dynamic of Portuguese society. As such, considering the challenges and the pressure that recent coronavirus pandemic has put on tourism organizations, much attention has been devoted to the problem. This paper focuses on web communication strategy followed by key organization of tourism sector during the pandemic. The purpose of this article is to identify what kind of information about COVID is made available in the social media of tourism companies and/m-commerce with more access in Portugal in times of pandemic. It is an exploratory study based on a multiple case-study approach that combines different methodologies and techniques. We had the opportunity to experience how qualitative research is “recursive, iterative, messy, tedious, challenging, full of ambiguity, and exciting” [24, p. 3]. The cases under study were selected through an analytic tool - SimilarWeb - and the preliminary findings obtained through content analysis of websites and social media sites of the organizations indicate that Portuguese tourism organizations have entered in a new age of communication with their clients. This new era is characterized by a more flexible, complex and unbureaucratic communication: (i) flexibility is mainly expressed in the way companies managed reservations: refunds; rescheduling; and cancellations. (ii) complexity is mainly expressed in the diversity of the thematic covered: help centers; social responsibility; insurance information; health care rules; complementary services (iii) unbureaucracy is mainly expressed through the capacity of dealing with particular situations, demonstrating a narrative oriented more oriented to the “end” than to the “mean”. Finally, in line with Assaf and Scuderi [7], we can anticipate that, “in the long term, automation technologies, robots and artificial intelligence may help facilities to decrease their fixed costs, improve liquidity and resilience and help to maintain social distance”. Our data was collected at the individual and micro level, however, it is now widely accepted that economic and financial consequences of COVID-19 are as much worrisome as health consequence. Thus, future strategies are expected to be highly politically oriented. In spite of the novelty and the contribution of the paper for the ability of tourism organizations to rethink their communication strategy regarding Pandemic issues, we should recognize the limitations of the study, specifically those concerning the

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narrowness of the data sources and, of course, the subjective experiences that researchers bring to qualitative research. Undeniably, the core idea that tourism sector has entered an age of structural uncertainty can only be understood within a comprehensive framework, integrating the macro, micro and individual levels, as well as the abstract ideologies that support the actions and interactions of the main actors at each level. Therefore, future attempts to develop this research topic should be grounded on political orientations, as well as on other documents, such as annual financial statements of the cases under study. These data will provide deeper knowledge about how companies have adapted in terms of business models and how organizations are influenced by cultural dimensions in communicating their social responsibility efforts [30]. Acknowledgements. This work is financed by portuguese national funds through FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, under the project UIDB/05422/2020

References 1. Costa, V., Nunes, P., Castro, C.: O impacto do Turismo no crescimento regional português. População e Sociedade. Porto 26, 1–10 (2016) 2. Instituto Nacional de Estatística - “Atividade turística com expressão praticamente nula Abril de 2020”. 17Ativ_Turistica_abril2020.pdf. em 25 junho 2020 3. UNWTO. Covid-19: Putting people first. In https://www.unwto.org/tourism-covid-19. accessed 13 July 13, 2020 4. Baum, T., Hai, N.T.T.: Hospitality, tourism, human rights and the impact of COVID-19. Int. J. Contemp. Hosp. Manag. (2020) 5. Instituto Nacional de Estatística – 11.º Reporte seminal.16 Síntese Covid-19_n11-jun2020. pdf. em 20 junho 2020 6. Welfens, P.J.: Macroeconomic and health care aspects of the coronavirus epidemic: EU, US and global perspectives. Int. Econ. Econ. Policy 1, (2020) 7. Assaf, A., Scuderi, R.: COVID-19 and the recovery of the tourism industry. Edit. Tour. Econ. 26(5), 731–733 (2020) 8. Brouder, P., Teoh, S., Salazar, N.B., Mostafanezhad, M., Pung, J.M., Lapointe, D., Clausen, H.B.: Reflections and discussions: tourism matters in the new normal post COVID-19. Tour. Geogr., 1–12 (2020) 9. Tsionas, M.G.: COVID-19 and gradual adjustment in the tourism, hospitality, and related industries. Tour. Econ., 1354816620933039 (2020) 10. Iaquinto, B.L.: Tourist as vector: Viral mobilities of COVID-19. Dial. Human Geogr., 2043820620934250 (2020) 11. Gretzel, U., Fuchs, M., Baggio, R., Hoepken, W., Law, R., Neidhardt, J., Pesonen, J., Zanker, M., Xiang, Z.: e-Tourism beyond COVID-19: a call for transformative research. Inf. Technol. Tour. 22(2), 187–203 (2020) 12. Mao, Y., He, J., Morrison, A.M., Andres Coca-Stefaniak, J.: Effects of tourism CSR on employee psychological capital in the COVID-19 crisis: from the perspective of conservation of resources theory. Curr. Issues Tour., 1–19 (2020) 13. Fennell, D.A.: Technology and the sustainable tourist in the new age of disruption. J. Sustain. Tour., 1–7 (2020)

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14. Galvani, A., Lew, A.A., Perez, M.S.: COVID-19 is expanding global consciousness and the sustainability of travel and tourism. Tour. Geogr., 1–10 (2020) 15. Stankov, U., Filimonau, V., Vujičić, M.D.: A mindful shift: an opportunity for mindfulnessdriven tourism in a post-pandemic world. Tour. Geogr., 1–10 (2020) 16. Chen, H., Huang, X., Li, Z.: A content analysis of Chinese news coverage on COVID-19 and tourism. Curr. Issues Tour., 1–8 (2020) 17. Hall, C.M., Scott, D., Gössling, S.: Pandemics, transformations and tourism: be careful what you wish for. Tour. Geogr., 1–22 (2020) 18. Yin, R.K.: Case study research and applications: Design and methods, 6th edn. Sage publications, Thousand Oaks (2018) 19. Yin, R.: Case Study Research: Design and Methods, 4th edn. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks (2009) 20. Guia de Recomendações por Tema e Setor de Atividade, Direção Geral da Saúde (2020). 9 Junho 2020 21. Orientação n 14/2020, DGS – Direção Geral de Saúde 22. https://www.visitportugal.com/en/content/clean-and-safe. Accessed 3 July 23. Rossman, G., Rallis, S.: Learning in the Field: An Introduction to Qualitative Research. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks (2012) 24. SimilarWeb website, Market Intelligence Solutions, https://www.similarweb.com/. Accessed 11 June 2011 25. Krippendorf, K.: Content Analysis. An Introduction to its Methodology. Sage, Londres (1980) 26. Ryan, G., e Bernard, R.R.: Techniques to Identify Themes in Qualitative Data. Field Methods. 15, 85–109 (2003) 27. Berelson, B.: Content Analysis in Communication Research. The Free Press, Glencoe (1952) 28. Bardin, L.: Análise de conteúdo. Edições 70, Lisboa (2007) 29. Lincoln, Y.S., Guba, E.G.: Naturalistic Inquiry. Sage, Londres (1985) 30. Vollero, A., Siano, A., Palazzo, M., Amabile, S.: Hoftsede’s cultural dimensions and corporate social responsibility in online communication: Are they independent constructs? Corp. Soc. Responsib. Environ. Manag. 27(1), 53–64 (2020) 31. Van Eck, N.J., Waltman, L.: Visualizing bibliometric networks. In: Measuring Scholarly Impact, pp. 285–320. Springer, Cham (2014) 32. Silva, A., Mendes, J., Santos, M., Dinis, M., D’Além, M.: Clean & Safe. Portugal Establishment Complying with health measures. Turismo de Portugal (2020)

A Longitudinal Study About Mobile Applications in the Tourism Sector Sandrina Teixeira, Maria José Angélico(&), António José Abreu, and Ana Paula Camarinha CEOS.PP, IPolytechnic of Porto, Rua Jaime Lopes Amorim, s/n, S. Mamede de Infesta, 4465-004 Porto, Portugal {sandrina,mjose,aabreu,apteixeira}@iscap.ipp.pt

Abstract. Over the last years, the results of international tourism industry have exceeded expectations and the number of tourists has increased continuously. Taking into account that about 95% of tourists use digital tools when searching for the best experience before, during and after travelling, and that the average customer accesses a combination of 19 sites and apps during his trip, we quickly realize that this is a golden opportunity for tourism-based companies. This paper aims to present a longitudinal study of touristic applications’ evaluation. One methodology was applied to evaluate the mobile application. As a result, it was found that all applications were updated, their size increased and the number of installations also increased and, in general, the ranking of the applications was maintained. Keywords: Business Accessible tourism


Tourism
Mobile applications
Content analysis


1 Introduction Nowadays, the widespread use of mobile devices has changed the way users and businesses interact. The growth of mobile applications in the service sectors and in particular in the tourism sector is notorious. When you plan a trip, it is seen as a process that starts in the preparation of the trip, the trip and the post-trip [1] and there are mobile applications that support tourists throughout the process. The proliferation of mobile smartphones, which allow the installation of applications, also called apps, makes them play an important role in Tourism [2]. Mobile tourism is, thus, a new trend in tourism [3]. When using a touristic application, users expect the information to be personalized to each one of them, taking into account their preferences and current location [2], and those now called mobile tourists have the possibility of getting to know the places as virtual tourists, where the travel experience is the responsibility of the new guide, which in this case is the mobile device [4]. According to provisional data on the tourism balance of European Union countries, provided by the National Institute of Statistics (INE) [5], Portugal continues to occupy the 5th position among the countries with the largest balance (13.1 billion euros) in the tourism balance of the European Union, approaching France (13.6 billion euros), which fell to 4th position. Access to the Internet in mobility (outside home and workplace and © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 547–556, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_50

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in portable equipment), which has been on similar levels with the European average for Portugal since 2016, maintains a strong growth trend in 2019. The number of applications downloaded in 2019 reached a record 204 billion applications in 2019 [6]. These conditions, which are quite favorable to the proliferation and success of mobile applications in the tourism sector, have awakened the need to study mobile applications in the tourism sector. The study is longitudinal and descriptive, in two instances: 2017 and 2020. The sample of the study consists of 13 Apps in the tourism sector. The analyzed dimensions are: Compatibility, Ease of use, Relative advantage, Usability, Functionality, Portability, Utilitarianism, Hedonism and Social. Through this study, we realized that applications need to be improved to better help travelers. Since most of the available applications are developed to be used by citizens, there is a great need to devise methods for the development of this type of Apps, and better exploit the resources offered by mobile devices.

2 Theoretical Background Mobile Technology Development Nowadays, people communicate, shop, organize, play, work, among other possibilities, using mainly mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets [7]. Applications, or also known as apps, are softwares designed for mobile devices that consist of the delivery of mobile services [8]. The way travel is designed has changed, both for tourists and businesses. The preparation of a trip can be done anywhere in the world, consumers began to collect information from sources other than those normally used until then [9] something that was previously not possible. Google presented a report of a study conducted in 2014 in order to understand the importance of the Internet in travellers’ decision making. Regarding the search itself, the Internet is the most used medium for travel planning, both for pure leisure and business travel. Search engines are also an essential source in travel search and planning. One of the other results was that tourists use electronic devices other than computers, namely tablets and smartphones throughout the process. In addition to this research, tourists already use these mobile devices to make reservations, too. [10]. This should be largely due to the fact that the technology is in a high state of development and the great importance which Information and Communication Technologies currently have in the tourism industry. With the advance in mobile technology, the appearance of wearables and the Internet of Things means that there is a growth in mobile tourism, also known as m-tourism [11]. Mobile tourism is characterized by the use of mobile applications aimed at tourists based on the delivery of services and guided tours through multimedia contents like images and videos on devices such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), palmtops, I-Pods, por consoles, among others [12]. Tourists need to be always informed about the existing services, attractions, routes to be taken, tourist guides and the news [13] and for this reason, it is important that the applications related to this industry are always updated relatively to the places to be

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visited, and through real-time communications, the device used by the person acts as if it were in charge during the visit, indicating the possible directions. Attributes for the Use of Mobile Applications The attributes related to mobile application performance and design affect the use of mobile applications and are important stimuli for a psychological involvement between the consumer and mobile applications. Thus, in the evaluation of existing benefits, the following dimensions should be considered: Utility, Hedonic and Social [14]. Performance attributes refer to the functional quality of the software application itself, while attributes related to the design of the mobile application refer to the structural quality of the software. From the point of view of application design, Fang, Zhao, Wen and Wang [14] only considered the categories that are the most accessible to measure, Usability, Functionality and Portability. Regarding usability, the authors highlight the Interface that is considered an essential topic for the usability of a software [15] and consider the aesthetic aspects of the application itself, the colors, the layout construction, among others. Security and privacy issues (Functionality) should be considered by organizations and users [16]. If mobile applications in the tourism sector have mechanisms to understand that they are safe applications, namely regarding the user’s own location, the user will tend to use them more often [14]. Taking the Android operating system as an example, when users want to download an application, in some cases, a request for permission arises in order to prevent possible security risks [16]. The Android company, when users install the mobile application, presents them with a list of permissions to be read and accepted by them [17]. Thus, the responsibility passes to the user who, depending on the presentation of this permission list, decides whether or not to install the application on his mobile phone [17]. These permissions pertain to access to information about the user’s location via GPS, collecting the user’s contact information, among others [16]. In relation to the Portability category, this category refers to the possibility that an application can be used on different existing operating systems such as Android, IOS and Windows. The fact that a mobile application is “portable” may lead it to reaching a larger number of people compared to applications that only work on a single operating system [14]. Regarding the application performance, the associated attributes are Compatibility, Ease of Use and Relative Advantages. Compatibility refers to the user’s perception that the mobile application can satisfy his needs and wishes [14]. Compatibility is the consistency between innovation and the user’s own behaviour patterns, also taking into account their lifestyle, values, past experiences and needs [18, 19]. Perceived compatibility is the perception that consumers have that a mobile application, with geolocation, will be ideal to satisfy their needs and preferences [20]. The attribute Ease of Use, as opposed to Complexity, is increasingly important nowadays, referring to the user’s understanding that the application is easy to use and that it is not necessary to expend much effort to understand how it works [14]. Thus, the adoption of it will be done more quickly [18, 20]. Finally, the attribute Relative Advantage refers to the perception by the users that a specific mobile application is the most indicated in comparison with others, in a given category [14, 19].

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3 Methodology In any research, the research strategy is a relevant decision since it communicates the expected results of a study and how the results should be evaluated. This longitudinal study aims to analyze mobile applications using a methodology proposed by Fang, Zhao Wen, Wang (2017) during two periods of time. The first evaluation was carried out in September 2017 and the second was in June 2020. The results of the first study were published in Teixeira, S. and Monteiro [21]. This analysis was performed by an expert in Digital Marketing in both periods of time. The selection of mobile applications, which are intended to be tourist guides in Portugal, took place in 2017. Thirteen tourist mobile applications were selected to be evaluated according to the dimensions proposed by Fang, Zhao Wen, Wang (2017), namely Ease of Use, Relative Advantage, Usability, Functionality, Portability, Utilities, Hedonism and Social. The analysis dimensions are shown in the following Table 1. Table 1. Construct Items Constructs Items Compatibility C1 - This mobile application is compatible with my travel preferences C2 - This mobile application fits in my travel needs C3 - This mobile application fits in my travel needs Ease of Use F1 - In general, this mobile application is easy to use F2 - Learning how this application works is easy for me F3 - I think that most people would learn to use this application quickly Relative RA1 - This mobile application improves Advantage my travel experience RA2 - This mobile application makes me save time RA3 - This mobile application makes the trip more effective RA4 - This mobile application facilitates the lack of targets Usability US1 - The design of the user interface of this mobile application seems clear US2 - The design of the user interface of this mobile application is sophisticated US3 - The design of the user interface of this mobile application is fascinating US4 - The design of the user interface of this mobile application is aesthetically pleasing

Authors Adapted from Huang e Hsieh (2012) e Jung, Chan-Olmsted, Park e Kim (2012) e Lu, Mao, Huang e Hu (2015) Adapted from Huang e Hsieh (2012) e Jung, Chan-Olmsted, Park e Kim (2012)

Adapted from Huang e Hsieh (2012) e Jung, Chan-Olmsted, Park e Kim (2012)

Coursaris and van Osch (2016); Cyr, Head and Ivanov (2006)

(continued)

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Table 1. (continued) Constructs Items Functionality F1 - I feel safe when I install and use this touristic mobile application F2 - I feel that my personal data are well protected in this application F3 - This application is a secure means for sending important information F4 - I feel secure when sending important information confidential by this mobile application F5 -This mobile application has adequate security features Portability P1 - This mobile application works well in different operating systems P2 - This mobile application has good compatibility with operating systems P3 - This application has a good mobile application with multiple operating systems Utilities U1 - This mobile application can enhance my trip plan U2 - This mobile application makes the Organization of excursions is more efficient U3 - This mobile application facilitates the Organization of trips Hedonism H1 - When using this application, the feeling is liking H2 - When using this application, the feeling is pleasure H3 - When using this application, the feeling is of interest Social S1 - This application facilitated me in building friendships with other travellers around the world S2 - This application allowed familiarization with other travelers who have the same thoughts as me S3 - This application helped me perform social activities

Authors Adapted from Nepomuceno, Laroche, Richard (2014)

Fang, Zhao, Wen, Wang (2017)

Adapted from Hsieh, Rai and Kiel (2008) and Wang, Yeh e Liao (2013)

Adapted from Hsieh, Rai and Kiel (2008)

Adapted from Zhou, Jin, Fang (2014)

Of the 13 selected, it was intended to identify the one that offers the best performance, according to the authors mentioned. For this study, a scale ranging from one to seven was adopted a Likert Scale (not very relevant to very relevant; I totally disagree with the scale totally in agreement; to a little bit satisfied very satisfied). On this scale,

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the evaluator selects a number indicating the degree of agreement with the statement (Dawes 2008). Touristic mobile apps have been chosen in both the Google Play Platform and the App Store, i.e. Android and IOS operating systems. For that, the expression “Tourism in Portugal” was introduced on both platforms and data were collected in the Google Play and App Store. For this research, a Samsung smartphone was used to search for applications on the Google Play platform and iPhone SE to search in the App Store. Teixeira, S. and N. Monteiro presented the strategy followed for application selection [21]. The applications which were available in 2017 and 2020 and which have been reassessed are described in the Table 2 below. Table 2. Applications analyzed on the platforms App name

Best Portugal Selects Portugal** Gêres Holidays Lisboa Guia de Metro e Mapa Interativo Fátima City Tour Leiria Appy Tourist** Guía de Lisboa Civitatis OleirosXplore Coimbra Eborae Guide Tour* Mapas e Navegação Ooffline Lisbon Travel Guide - City Map, Top Highlights Countries Been * Only available in Apple Store ** Not available

Data analysis: 2017 App size Number of facilities 7 MB 5000+ 14 MB 10+ 18 MB 5000+ 10,51 MB 10 000+

Data analysis: 2020 App size Number of facilities 12 MB 5000+ – – 70 MB 5000+ 20 MB 10 000+

11 MB 104 MB 2 MB 9 MB 28 MB 135 MB 68 MB 34 MB 18 MB

100+ 500+ 100+ 5000+ 100+ 1000+ 500+ 10 000 000+ 10 000+

151 MB 112 MB – 81,38 MB 120 MB 146 MB 67,68 MB 87,33 MB 105 MB

100+ 1000+ – 10 000+ 5000+ 5000+ – 10 000 000+ 50 000+

12 MB

100 000+

22,78 MB

500 000+

With the existing applications still in 2020, an analysis was done as to which mobile application best fitted the intended objective from the user’s perspective, using the Fang, Zhao Wen, Wang (2017) methodology. 11 applications were analysed.

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The Table 3 below show the results in descending order of score obtained in 2020.

Table 3. Evaluation of Applications

The next section will present the analysis and discussion of the results.

4 Analysis and Discussion of Results The analysis of the table showed that all applications were updated, their size increased and the number of installations also increased. A large number of installations were found in the applications OleirosXplore, Coimbra, Lisbon Travel Guide - City Map, Top Highlights and Countries Been. As in 2007, the Gêres Holidays application was the one that obtained a better classification, being recommended for the sector and for those who want to know the region, namely the Gerês region. The area of Gerês was the most recommended from the user’s point of view, making a total of 205 points, or 94% of the evaluation. This application was well rated with maximum points in almost all items, due to its design, travel preferences, ease of use, compatibility with different operating systems. It is important to note that of all the applications analyzed, this is the richest in content explained to the user. As for the other applications, Best Portugal scored 192 points (corresponding to 88%), Lisbon Civitatis Guide and Lisbon Travel Guide also scored 186 points (equivalent to 86%). These are the applications with good design, which presents good

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content for what is necessary, however, compared to the Gerês Holidays mobile application it does not fully satisfy users susceptible to travelling in Portugal. The mobile applications Leiria, Fátima City and Coimbra totaled 173 points (equivalent to 80%). From the user’s point of view, these applications do not present a beautiful design and are not very informative. However, for group trips, excursions and certain tourist points, they are considered interesting applications. As in the first evaluation, the applications “Maps and Offline Navigation” and “Lisbon Metro Guide and Interactive Map” did not have any classification in the variable under study, Portability. In the first case, for Maps and Offline Navigation there is no application in the Apple Store, and in the case of Lisbon Metro Guide and Interactive Map application, it is mandatory to pay to be able to use them in the Apple Store. They’re the last on the list. In general, the classification of applications is maintained. However, Leiria, Fátima City Tour and Coimbra Apps decreased in the ranking since their design is not very appealing and they are not very informative.

5 Conclusions and Future Work Technology applied to tourism is rapidly evolving and designers, together with users, are realising new opportunities to mediate travel experiences. On the other hand, research on the role and impact of mobile media on the tourism travel domain, and more widely the transport domain, is real. Leading visitor attractions and destinations are increasingly adopting mobile app technology. A review of apps demonstrates a range of functionalities is being employed from basic systems delivering information via web sites to more sophisticated contextawareness tools. Apps have emerged with functions tailored to different elements of the travel experience providing a collection of apps suited to tourism travel. This document aims to present a longitudinal study on the evaluation of tourism applications for mobile devices, in two periods of time. In the 1st period, a strategy for selection of applications for android and IOS devices was implemented. Once the applications were selected, they were evaluated using the methodology proposed by Zhao Wen, Wang (2017). After three years the same study was performed. As a conclusion, it was found that all applications were updated, their size increased and the number of installations also increased. A large number of installations were found in the applications OleirosXplore, Coimbra, Lisbon Travel Guide - City Map, Top Highlights and Countries Been. As in 2007, the Gêres Holidays application was the one that obtained a better score. The applications “Maps and Offline Navigation” and “Lisbon Metro Guide and Interactive Map” did not have any classification in the variable under study, Portability. In the first case, for Maps and Offline Navigation there is no application in the Apple Store and in the case of Lisbon Metro Guide and Interactive Map application it is mandatory to pay to be able to use them in the Apple Store. The applications Leiria, Fátima City Tour and Coimbra decreased in the ranking since their design is not very appealing and they are not very informative.

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Through this study, we realized that applications need to be improved to better help travellers, since most of the available applications are developed to be used by citizens. There is a great need to devise methods for the development of this type of Apps, and better exploit the resources offered by mobile devices. Acknowledgements. This work is financed by portuguese national funds through FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, under the project UIDB/05422/2020.

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Smuggling Tourism in the North of Portugal and Galicia Pedro Liberato1 , Mariana Ferreira Torres2, and Dália Liberato1(&) 1 CiTUR Researcher (Centre for Tourism Research, Development, and Innovation), School of Hospitality and Tourism of Polytechnic Institute of Porto (ESHT), Rua D. Sancho I, 981, 4480-876 Vila do Conde, Portugal {pedrolib,dalialib}@esht.ipp.pt 2 School of Hospitality and Tourism of Polytechnic Institute of Porto (ESHT), Rua D. Sancho I, 981, 4480-876 Vila do Conde, Portugal [email protected]

Abstract. This research, which presents a qualitative methodology, has as main objective, to understand how smuggling is being remembered and portrayed today, and which strategies can be proposed by entities, to promote smuggling as one of the main tourism resources in the North of Portugal. The main findings focus on the need for the organizations to invest in this new tourism product, as well as denoting the existing constraints, concluding about the success factors for this new tourism product in the border region. To promote it, and visioning its success, the interviewees suggest the development of diversified routes along the border, because this product differentiates himself from others for it genuineness, influence the population of the border to participate more actively in the routes, to share their memories, and build new authentic experiences not previously known by tourists. Keywords: Smuggling Portugal
Galicia


Smuggling tourism
Border region
North of

1 Introduction The border regions earned exchange value, “in a mechanism when they served only to survive”. Smuggling became a cultural heritage when it acquired emblematic characteristics, also becoming the target of interpretation and musealization of the desired memory. Local agents present the past as a valid heritage that allows continuity “even in a situation where the present is emptied, and the continuators have departed” [1]. Nowadays, tourists are looking for to feel what the smugglers felt. They choose to participate in smuggling routes, often guided by smugglers, to hear their stories. The transformation of smuggling and the border into cultural heritage has helped to make the activation of the heritage somewhat global, obeying a logic through which elements related to smuggling and the border earn recognition as tourism resources [2]. These routes are what allow the transformation of the border and smuggling into a

© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 557–568, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_51

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tourism product, allowing one to know the “rurality of the past”, where several smugglers dress strictly to represent their own history [3]. Smuggling is defined as an illegal activity that does not fulfill tax duties and aims to reinforce, as has already been said, family income [4] and, it is also something that allowed the survival of families and prevented their devaluation in a local rank and that constituted a socially “tolerated way of ascending social mobility”. This served for many people to escape the misery that was felt in social groups with less access to property [1]. Regarding practical knowledge, it was “transmitted from generation to generation or conquered by experience”, and concerned the orientation of their daily decisions and actions, with regard to “products, the river, meteorology, trails, animals and people” [30]. This qualitative research aims to understand the point of view of the interviewees from the main entities in North of Portugal, about smuggling tourism, and both, the main problems and strategies to improve it in the border region of Galicia and North of Portugal. This article is divided in three parts. The first one is the literature review regarding smuggling and its history, the explanation of the smuggling tourism and the main routes existing. The methodology outlines the objectives of this research. The discussion presents the point of view of the interviewees regarding the diagnosis and main strategies to improve smuggling tourism by itself, and in a complementary strategy with other tourism resources in the region. In the conclusion section, this article presents several proposals to improve smuggling tourism in a regional perspective.

2 Literature Review 2.1

Smuggling

Smuggling is defined as an illegal activity that does not fulfill tax duties and aims to reinforce, as already said, family income [4] and, it is also something that allowed the survival of families and prevented their devaluation in a local rank and that constituted a socially “tolerated way of ascending social mobility”. The main reason that leads to their practice is the family income. Many residents did so to increase the incomes of the family, as well as to improve their standard of living and their families, also [4]. Smuggling became one of the pillars of the Portuguese economy from an early age, being structured throughout the Portuguese-Spanish streak and also being quite profitable [5], and also an activity of resistance of individuals who act continuously, consistently, but disorganized [4]. This was an activity practiced in restricted places, such as routes, having its characteristics, such as trust, in which smugglers maintained very close relationships, such as familiarity or friendship, which contributed to the success in the activity, and also being a family heritage [6]. It became a successful business because it was banned [7], and one of the most important economic resources in the streak, boosting contacts between populations both economically and culturally [8].

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History of Smuggling

Throughout history, smuggling and trade at the border have been considered the main professional activities in the streak. The poor network of existing roads, the interventionist nature of the authorities of both countries, who asked smugglers to move people and goods, and self-supply, were some of the reasons for the slowdown in land trade in Portugal and Spain [9]. For centuries smuggling has been considered one of the main and most important resources in the economy of the villages of the border, being linked to the process of the Modern State construction [10]. The three villages that included the Couto Misto were Santiago, Meaus and Rubiás, an area that was declared as “couto de homiziados” in the Middle Ages [31]. Between 1915 and 1922, during World War I, the subsistence crisis had two roles: that of impoverishment, because the most deprived population was increasingly poor; and, on the other hand, it enriched the wealthiest classes when they resorted to illegal trade to survive the crisis of war. At this time, smuggling begins to play a more active role in all regions of the country, with special intensity in border areas, where the most smuggled product was the wolfram, as the German population was looking for it, thus making it more profitable [11]. The Spanish Civil War was one of the main drivers of traditional smuggling from the 1940s to the mid-1970s, when relations between Portugal and Spain were freed, and the end of Salazar’s dictatorship in 1974 and Franco’s dictatorship in 1975 [10]. One of the main products passed through the border to Spain was the wolfram and individuals trying to cross through, to France or Germany. During the Spanish War the main products smuggled was coffee and tobacco that were bought by Portuguese smugglers, but beyond this there was also meat, beans and eggs that were produced by the smuggler himself, that is, the profit went entirely to him. These products were passed through the border under the work clothes and from the Spanish smugglers were purchased products such as silk or perfumes [6]. During the post-war period, “great smuggling”, more precisely the illegal passage of cereals, meat and olive oil, and access to public office, were the main sources of commitment to social legitimacy on the part of Franco’s dictatorship [5]. 1985 was the year when Portugal and Spain entered the European Economic Community. The Schengen Treaty [12] meant that there was a free movement of people, goods and capital between the two countries, and smuggling from there was less practiced, becoming only a memory of the people [4] and border regions as Galicia and the North of Portugal. We can say that Portugal, before being member of the European Union, went through very costly periods: absence of modern agricultural policy, increases in the country’s demographics, heavy industry was constantly growing, and rural areas increasingly poor [12]. 2.3

Smuggling Tourism

Smuggling is considered, after its disappearance, intangible cultural heritage, in which, the stories that people tell and the reality they went through, even after “extinct”, is a source of union of people who live in the Portuguese-Spanish border, and that makes it in the memory of the entire population [8]. But it is also described as something that,

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after extinction, remains in the traditions of a region, through its memories and the routes that were part of the smugglers’ crossings [13]. Being able to distinguish smuggling is a very complicated task, once this is considered an intangible cultural heritage and it is necessary to understand the emotions and memories that remain so alive in the memory of those who were part of smuggling activity, because the important aspects are: people, their stories and traditions [14]. The strategy of creating museums dedicated to the recreation of smuggling, distinguishes and ensures the preservation of its history [15], through objects that symbolize it and using a group of people, using smugglers or their children, to tell their story and their memories [3]. Smuggling is considered, after its disappearance, intangible cultural heritage where the stories that people tell and the reality they went through, even after “extinct”, is a source of union for the residents in the PortugueseSpanish border and that makes it in the memory of the entire population [8]. There are countless Portuguese authors who talk about smuggling in their books, a timeless theme that is still very present in our lives today, despite having been greatly altered from the type of smuggling that was practiced in the past. As a way to honor smuggling, the border population erected a statue in his honor and also created a “smuggling route”, which caused the process of smuggling and smugglers to be booked at the end of this era [32]. Tax offices have also become an important type of intangible asset [33]. The museum of Memories and Border aims to distinguish and musealize all the memories of the inhabitants of Melgaço and not only those on the Spanish side as well, recreating the stories known through documents, objects and documentaries, where the actors are the population itself [14]. 2.4

Smuggling Routes

We define as routes, an attraction that aims to recreate the territory, but that has nothing to do with the historical reality and culture of the destination itself, recreated with the purpose of tourists to experience past moments or play figures who participated in these same itineraries. Sometimes the routes are based on myths or legends, leading the tourist to travel through peculiar places [16]. [38] state that these routes relate to Smuggling, trade at the margins of the law, which was supposed to be a survival option. It runs through some of the border settlements whose residents tell stories about night exits, through the hills, to bring coffee, grain, and other goods. Also crossed this border with the complicity of the residents, political refugees, and immigrants. This route leads tourists/visitors through villages that keep in memory episodes difficult to find in the books because basically it was better to keep them in secret [38]. Smuggling routes aim to take participants on a journey through traditional smuggling, using the means of transport that smugglers used and going through the experiences they lived [17]. These routes are carried out with the objective of showing the values that smuggling brought from the symbolic point of view, such as the courage and determination of the smugglers of the time, and also political [18]. It is through these routes, which in the past were used by real smugglers, that it is possible to show the value, both patrimonial and tourist, related to the border. Transformed, now, in cultural routes, formerly were economic routes, these routes are passed down from

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generation to generation, resulting in a huge work of local actors, in order to show tourists what was happening at that time [3]. Sometimes, the ex-smugglers themselves and even the tax guards, on foot, using donkey, on horseback or by bicycle, conduct the visits. These visits, also promote and disseminate the historical and cultural added value of the regions, lasting 2 or 3 days, on purpose. The purpose of the musealization of smuggling, is part of the commodification and objectification of the smuggling memory [17]. 2.5

Border

We understand by border a geographical and territorial boundary between localities, a gap between society over the years where we can observe a large cultural set of the population. In the case of the Portuguese-Spanish border, this is marked by a majority elderly population, with poor accessibility and, where in the 14th and 15th centuries, the political regimes of both countries made cross-border relations difficult. Thus, when these dictatorial political regimes came to an end, with the entry of Portugal and Spain into the European Economic Community, there was a change in the way people saw the border, with the free movement of goods, people and services [19]. Thus, the population also considered the border as a place of social, economic, and cultural exchanges [12]. The border can be also defined as something that delimits a country in a political, legal, or geopolitical way, also dividing cultural boundaries [20]. The PortugueseSpanish border was the scene of numerous trade exchanges that were prevented by the border itself, but also by smuggling. Smuggling, both pedestrian and maritime, and trade were two of the main activities that constituted the most important sources of the economy at the border. It is not possible to separate smuggling from border trade since both favors each other, and because there are no surveillance posts and customs controls along the border [21]. Borders are usually made up of a small number of people, and it is a political and economic barrier where sometimes the inhabitants are forced to cut any kind of relationship with the inhabitants on the other side of the border. This is not the case when borders are “open” and the populations on both sides have family and economic and cultural relations [22]. Cross-border tourism covers a larger space than the border itself, not only a place of passage for tourists, but including both sides of the border. The cross-border space is promoted by the tourist sector for its rural and pre-modern image, attracting a significant demand. In addition, the characteristics existing in the cross-border region help us to understand the cultural links developed over the years between communities [2]. Cross-border networks have suffered a decline due to emigration in Portugal and Spain, thus losing their importance and density in the lane [23]. Border Tourism focuses mainly on the visit of the neighboring population, with a view to finding other cultures and customs in the cities of the border [24]. When we talk about border tourism, we talk about tourism that is practiced on the border line between two countries and where tourists focus on visiting people on one side and the other of the border. In this case, the tourist offers focuses on the history of the populations and the cultural aspects that define the inhabitants, where we can see emphasized, both the historical and cultural differences that were felt in villages [2].

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This turns out to be a tourist attraction that is also able to create an itinerary for those who visit it [24], and serves to limit the territory and control the movement and communication process between the two communities of the border [34]. Over the years, border areas have become a tourist point of interest, attracting people for its numerous tourism resources, such as castles, museums, and walls, which can be visited [35]. Being both countries, members of the European Union, the border no longer suffers from the economic and social impacts, creating infrastructure and equipment’s that helped in the socio-cultural development of the border [36]. 2.6

Emigration

Since the middle of the 20th century, emigration has been one of the most important phenomena that we could observe in Portugal. This is based on economic and political factors, where the first major mass emigration occurred when the Jewish community was expelled from Portugal and when thousands of young people requested exile after the Colonial War, where many of the crossings were made on foot [12], and the main reason for doing so was based on the fact that they did not want to participate in the Salazar regime [25]. In addition, throughout Portuguese history, there were several moments for a more significant emigration episodes, but we can highlight four very impactful milestones, from 1950 on, the end of World War II, the Colonial War, Portugal’s accession to the EEC and the “rebuilding of the global labor market with the creation of global trade agreements” [26]. Brazil was the preferred destination for emigrants in the 20th century. Thus, at the end of the 1920’s, the country was forced to make major changes in emigration, namely: the prohibition of emigration to America; in the 1930’s, the Portuguese government implemented strict measures with regard to emigration; and, due to World War II, the migration systems used, changed [PortugalAmerica], and the migration system is beginning to extend to Africa [26]. Emigration began to be more noticeable in the history of Portugal since 1930 and 1940 due to the Great Depression and World War II [27]. From an early age, emigration has been a problem in the eyes of the state Portuguese and with emigration also came the tension between people and countries [origin and arrival] and negotiations between them [28]. Still, in Portugal, emigration was something that forced the country to modernize its productive system, thus increasing its productivity and quality, operating “as a Darwian force”. Emigration had its positive side: it increased workers’ wages in Portugal and reduced the surplus of labor, increased working conditions due to the fact that workers threatened their employers to emigrate if they did not increase wages and reduce working time, because outside, particularly in France, it was very easy to find a job [29].

3 Methodology The objectives of this research are to understand if smuggling tourism is a factor in the development of the northern border destinations [Portugal/Galicia]; to know the real potential of smuggling tourism; to understand whether smuggling tourism is or could be one of the main tourism resources in Portugal; to identify which routes have been

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developed to promote smuggling tourism; to understand the constrains of this typology of tourism; to understand the role of the population in its development. In order to complete the defined objectives, the methodology used was qualitative, and the instrument used was the semi-structured interview, where a previously script was elaborated so that the interviewee was free to include any aspect the considered relevant. The interviews were conducted with three representatives of three entities, located in the North of Portugal, which created the most well-know and prestigious events, routes, recreations of smuggling or tourist products linked to smuggling (Table 1). Table 1. Interviews Number interviews 1 2 3 Source: Authors

Interview date 06/03/2020 13/05/2020 08/06/2020

Length interview 14:02 54:08 26:09

All interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. The interview schedule included several closed questions: – What is smuggling and smuggling tourism to you? – Do you think smuggling, routes and smuggling tourism are important factors concerning the development of the northern border destinations [Portugal and Galicia]? – What are the real tourist potentials of Smuggling? – Today, can it be said that smuggling is one of the main tourism resources? Or, could it be? – What has been developed at the level of the routes to make this type of tourism successful? – What constraints may be related to Smuggling Tourism development? – Which projects can be developed to promote smuggling tourism? – What is the role of border population in the development of smuggling tourism? – Do you think the border community has a fundamental and active role in promoting this type of tourism? Why? – (…)

4 Results To understand if smuggling is being remembered and portrayed today, as well as what entities can do, to make smuggling, one of the main tourism resources in Portugal, and which projects that can be designed to promote smuggling tourism, semi-structured interviews were conducted. The analysis of the interviews revealed the two following categories, presented in Table 2: Contextualization of Smuggling Tourism; and

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Smuggling Tourism Assessment. Following Table 2, we can observe some of the most important points that the interviewees pointed out, so that it is easier to understand their point of view regarding several aspects approached. Table 2. Core categories and subcategories Core categories Contextualization of Smuggling Tourism

Smuggling Tourism Assessment

Subcategories Smuggling Smuggling tourism Tourist potential of smuggling Real potential of smuggling Understand if smuggling can be one of the main tourism resources Development of smuggling routes Constraints of this typology of tourism Future projects Role of the population Understand if the population has an active role Tourist balance of smuggling

Source: Authors

About smuggling, it is defined as a genuine and unique experience of the border, and it was something clandestine that people did for survival. Smuggling is also referred to as a way of subsistence among the border population (known as “raia” in Portuguese), as “it served for many people to escape the misery that was felt in social groups with less access to property” [1]. Thus, smuggling tourism turns out to be a tourism experience that needs to be converted into a tourism product, transformed into a tourist package, later. Respondents conclude that smuggling tourism has enormous potential but should be exploited and valued more than it is. In addition, in some parts of Portugal, this type of tourism is already used to boost an revitalize land routes and also the villages of the border between Portugal and Spain. Smuggling is now represented through objects that symbolize it and using a set of people, using smugglers or their children, to tell their story and their memories [3]. The real potential of smuggling tourism is well based these days, because the tourist seeks a different experience, to escape what they normally feel and the important thing is to increase, both the sensations that the tourist feels and their reactions, which is possible with smuggling tourism. What differentiates smuggling tourism from other types of tourism, is that this is a single trail and a single Iberian path. everything else we can find in both countries, but smuggling exists only in the border region. It is “transmitted from generation to generation or conquered by experience” [30]. Making smuggling tourism one of Portugal’s main sources of tourism, is a very difficult task that requires a strategic work, including promotion and dissemination. It is essentially, necessary to produce new concepts in the area, in order to create a set of stories, attracting more tourists. The most important thing, for smuggling tourism, is to be exploited quickly, while memories are still alive in people, and while people are still

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alive to tell them. “During these stagings that tourists are surprised and marvel at the stories that local actors have to share” [3]. Over the years, smuggling routes have been well developed. Although some respondents said there is still necessary to add products to the tourist package where smuggling tourism is inserted. Documentaries that aim to tell the almost forgotten stories, horseback riding or even mountain safaris or jeep tours, are some of the activities already associated with smuggling routes in the North of Portugal. And “the purpose of smuggling routes is to show those who participate, a recreation of what was smuggling and the past marked by poverty and lack of freedom” [2]. Briefly, the routes of smuggling have to be well designed and well planned. Despite all the advantages that have been presented, there are still many constrains to face. What was most pointed was the lack of packages that include smuggling tourism and the fact that it’s complicated to transpose smuggling from old to the present day. In addition, the fact that the most beautiful and enthusiastic route is done during the night is also pointed out as a great embarrassment. And “among these representations, we can see values such as the courage, sacrifice and punishments of smugglers, represented by the authors or even by themselves [18]. Make smuggling sustainable, appeal to the awareness of the population and tourists. These are the first things to be done. The most important aspect that has been pointed out, is to apply for smuggling, to humanity’s intangible heritage, in order to make smuggling something unique and even more special than it already is. Yet, “there are several patrimonialization initiatives that exist today, among which we highlight the creation of museums and interpretation centers of the border and the smuggling” [2]. Who talks about smuggling, automatically thinks of the people of the border. Recreate the smuggling routes without them would not be possible because they are the ones who keep the most important memories. The population of the border is proud to tell what they have lived, and they are the ones who know the ways like no one else. Former smugglers retain the most important role in smuggling tourism, because it is from them than “we know their memories and the routes that were part of the smugglers’ crossings” [13]. There is no doubt about the active role played by the border population in smuggling tourism. The problem is that this must be well planned and developed because they are still ashamed to share it. Another problem is that former smugglers are no longer many, they must pass their stories to their children and family, to preserve this heritage. Despite the above points, the border population has a fundamental role in this type of tourism. They are the ones who lived the routes and the stories that are being transmitted, and without them none of this would make sense, “they recreate their own legends, and sometimes myths” [8]. Regarding to the tourism demand, we do not have many data. Respondents point out that smuggling tourism, needs to go further. This type of tourism is not a mass tourism, nor will it ever be but, most importantly, it’s done to pass the message out of the identity of the border population. In short, smuggling tourism has enormous potential.

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5 Conclusions Over the years, the smuggling practice has fallen sharply due to the opening of the borders. In fact, it no longer makes sense to smuggle products, since one can easily acquire them from one side and the other of the border. The interviews show us that smuggling tourism is a recent typology, considered strategically, in order to improve tourists’ feelings about the routes, and its experience, represented by local actors, namely those who were formerly smugglers and their children. Smuggling tourism can become a successful product in the border region. The will of the participants, the realization of the routes, represented by the population and the pride they feel, in sharing with tourists everything they have been experienced. Smuggling, in the eyes of the population of the border was even, and continues to be, a source of pride and happiness for those people, for all that it represents in terms of tradition and cultural heritage, which cannot be disconnected from the history of a large border region. Respondents also conclude that, what is most urgent to do, is to create, strategically, viable tourism products, and continue to support the construction of elements that reflect smuggling and the past heritage connected to it. It is necessary, also, to propose more initiatives, both municipal and regional [37, 38], to be developed in a complementary and integrated strategy, considering also other tourism products in the region, such as wine and gastronomy, nature, birdwatching, wellness, way of St. James, natural protected areas, among others [39]. Acknowledgments. The authors acknowledge the financial support of CiTUR, R&D unit funded by the FCT – Portuguese Foundation for the Development of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education, under the scope of the project UID/BP/04470/2020.

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Resident-Tourist Relationship and Tourismphobia: The Case of Porto Laurentina Vareiro1, Raquel Mendes1(&), and Diogo Cardoso2 1

Applied Management Research Unit (UNIAG), Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave, IPCA Campus, 4750-810 Barcelos, Portugal {lvareiro,rmendes}@ipca.pt 2 Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave, IPCA Campus, 4750-810 Barcelos, Portugal [email protected]

Abstract. Tourism development based on the local community is an important tool for the sustainable management of the destination. Residents are important stakeholders in tourism and influence the destination’s development process. Thus, it is essential to understand their perceptions and attitudes towards the impacts resulting from tourism. On the other hand, the interaction that occurs between residents and visitors also plays a key role in tourism development. The purpose of this study is to explore how local residents perceive the impacts of tourism in the Portuguese city of Porto, as well as to explore the resident-visitor relationship. A questionnaire survey was applied to local residents in 2019, in order to assess the perceived positive and negative impacts induced by the growth of tourism in the city, as well as the interaction that the local community tends to maintain with visitors and how this relationship influences the activity and the value of the tourist experience. The results of this study, as well as the various strategic measures suggested to minimize the negative impacts and maximize the positive impacts of tourism in Porto, are a valuable source of information for tourism planners and managers of tourist destinations. Keywords: Porto
Residents’ perceptions
Tourism impacts
Tourismphobia

1 Introduction Tourism is an economic activity that influences the development of destinations in the various contexts in which it operates: economic, sociocultural and environmental. This sector is an important motor for the development of urban destinations and is mostly associated with the positive impacts of its development. However, the tourism sector may be responsible for negative impacts. Maximizing the positive impacts of tourism and minimizing its negative impacts should be the strategy of any tourism development policy. When residents perceive positive impacts and do not associate negative impacts, or associate them to a lesser extent, they tend to develop greater interaction and a more favourable attitude towards tourism development, thus contributing to a higher level of satisfaction and loyalty of visitors to the destination [4, 36]. Residents are important stakeholders in the tourism activity [3] and influence the process of © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 569–580, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9_52

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destination development [10]. For this reason, it is essential to understand residents’ perceptions and attitudes towards the impacts generated by tourism. The aim of this study is to identify the impacts perceived by the local community in relation to tourism development in the Portuguese city of Porto, and to explore the relationship established between residents and visitors. In order to achieve this objective, a questionnaire survey was applied to local residents between the months of July and September of 2019. This paper is organized as follows. Section two explores the literature on tourism induced impacts perceived by the local community and the resident-visitor relationship. In the third section, the methodology used for empirical purposes is described. The results are summarized and discussed in section four. The main conclusions, limitations and recommendations for future research are presented in the final section.

2 Literature Review 2.1

Tourism Impacts Perceived by the Local Community

The rapid growth of the tourism industry without planning and control can bring about social and cultural disruptions due to economic imbalance and environmental degradation. Associated with the tourism development of destinations, local residents identify favourable and unfavourable impacts at different levels: economic, sociocultural and environmental [3]. From an economic point of view, positive impacts regarding the increase in employment and revenues, the increase in family incomes and the improvement of infrastructure [3, 22, 27, 33] are highlighted. However, negative impacts, such as rampant real estate speculation [13, 20, 24, 32] and price inflation, are also identified. With regard to sociocultural impacts, tourism can contribute to the resurgence of traditions, to the valorisation of cultural heritage, to the conservation of built heritage, and to the creation of cultural events and facilities [3, 33]. However, it can also lead to changes in moral conduct - crime, prostitution and drugs, to the development of acculturation processes - changes in language and clothing styles, to disturbances in religious practices and to increased stress [3, 5, 6, 8, 25, 34], disturbing norms established by the local population that has to accept the effects of overcrowding, change its way of life and live in contact with a different type of population [6]. Sociocultural impacts are caused, essentially, by the contact that is established between residents and visitors. These impacts may be of a smaller or greater scale depending on the type of tourism that is developed in the destinations, the sociocultural characteristics of the tourists, regional development and the residents’ behaviour towards tourists [21]. The environmental impacts include positive elements, such as the conservation of natural heritage, the preservation of species at risk and the preservation of biodiversity [2, 3], and also negative elements, namely pollution and destruction of wildlife [3, 6, 7, 19]. According to Ap's Social Exchange Theory [5], residents’ attitudes towards tourism and their subsequent support for its development are influenced by their perceptions of

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the benefits and costs that result from it. Those who value tourism development and directly benefit from it are also those who perceive benefits for the community and who recognize the positive impacts of tourism. Residents with commercial interests in the tourism sector and who depend on and benefit from this sector express more favourable attitudes towards tourism development [3, 5, 17, 18, 29]. In turn, a study by Vareiro et al. [33] identifies that residents employed in the field of tourism do not exactly have more favourable attitudes towards tourism. Authors such as Keogh [17], Mansfeld [23] and Williams and Lawson [35] argue that residents who have a closer proximity to tourist attractions have a more positive perception of the impacts of this sector. Residents living in the periphery tend to perceive more negative impacts and to have a less favourable attitude towards the development of tourism activity. Andereck et al. [3], Keogh [17] and Tosun [30] conclude that residents who live in areas of higher touristic density tend to be more positive with regard to the tourism industry because they are able to recognize the benefits of this activity for the community. Williams and Lawson [35] also argue that women tend to have more negative attitudes than men towards tourism. In turn, Madrigal [22] and Um and Crompton [31] consider that new residents may have different perceptions of the impacts of tourism compared to older residents. These authors found that native residents were more positive about tourism than newcomers to the community. According to Teye et al. [28], residents with a higher level of education find it easier to identify the positive impacts of tourism and, consequently, tend to have a favourable attitude towards the impacts of tourism. In turn, Andereck et al. [3] and Keogh [17] maintain that an informed community is important for making decisions related to tourism development. Residents that are familiar with the positive and negative aspects of tourism development proposals tend to view tourism more favourably when compared to others less informed. Due to the frequency of interaction between residents and tourists, the communities’ willingness to serve as hosts is fundamental for the success of tourism. For the industry to survive, residents must have a favourable predisposition to receive tourists and be involved in the tourism planning process [8]. Tosun [30] states that residents with high contact with tourists tend to have positive perceptions regarding tourism. Ko and Stewart [19] consider that the contacts that are established between residents and visitors and the residents’ friendliness towards visitors is important for the development of a sustainable tourism sector. 2.2

Interaction Between Residents and Visitors

The interaction that occurs between residents and visitors has a fundamental role in the field of tourism [27]. One of the underlying components of any tourism development strategy is to understand the interaction between residents and visitors and residents’ perceptions of tourism development. Zhang et al. [36] argue that the interaction between residents and visitors can have an important impact on visitor loyalty because it can influence their satisfaction with residents and destinations. For Eusébio and Carneiro [10], when residents perceive the benefits of tourism, they tend to develop favourable attitudes towards tourism, thus contributing to greater interaction with visitors. This interaction can contribute to an increase in residents’ satisfaction, leading to the development of more favourable

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attitudes towards tourism development. Fredline and Faulkner [12] conclude that the greater the relationship between residents and visitors, the greater the adaptability of residents to tourism development. Eusébio and Rodrigues [11], on the other hand, state that the greater the residents’ contact with visitors, the greater the predisposition for residents to develop negative attitudes towards tourist development. When residents perceive beneficial exchange, they tend to have positive attitudes towards tourism development [5]. In turn, when residents consider the exchange to be problematic, they tend to oppose tourism development [4], often leading to tourismphobia. The tourismphobia debate often makes reference to Doxey’s [9] irritability index. When antagonism arises, visitors are viewed as the main cause of all problems and residents begin to express their irritation. This is the phase in which the interaction is most negative, often leading to social tension and xenophobia [9], jeopardizing the survival of the destiny [5]. At this stage, the community begins to act with hostility and has to share and compete with tourists for scarce resources and spaces. Excessive touristic pressures in some European cities have placed tourism on the agenda of social movements. Essentially, the most cited problems are rampant real estate speculation, price inflation and the displacement of residents to the periphery [16, 24, 32]. The progress of gentrification is linked to the role of tourists as consumers, who act as true “gentrifiers” and which is largely due to the rapid expansion of the tourist accommodation sector through online platforms, such as Airbnb [14, 15, 20]. According to Smith and Krannich [26], as the number of visitors increases, residents begin to develop negative and unfavourable attitudes towards tourism development. Social contact between individuals from different cultural backgrounds can result in negative attitudes, perceptions and experiences [30]. The type of contact that is established between residents and visitors also depends on the type of travel. When tourists travel individually, they tend to maintain greater contact with the resident [10]. The greater the benefits of tourism and the lower the perceived costs, the greater the likelihood of interaction between residents and visitors. Great cultural differences between tourists and residents are common [1]. Residents develop negative tourist stereotypes from their direct contact. Sometimes, visitors exhibit behaviour considered offensive by residents, which can generate hostility that is expressed in negative attitudes towards tourists. Eusébio and Carneiro [10] summarize that residents interact with visitors particularly in three contexts: when tourists buy products from residents in commercial establishments, when tourists ask residents for information and when tourists meet residents at monuments, events or in the streets.

3 Methodology The purpose of this study is to understand how the local community perceives the impacts of tourism in the Portuguese city of Porto, as well as to explore the relationship established between residents and visitors. Data for this study were collected using a questionnaire survey applied to local residents between the months of July and

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September of 2019. The questionnaire was produced in digital format (Google Forms) and was applied through social networking. Based on the literature review [10], the questionnaire consists of three main sections. In the first section, information on the sociodemographic characteristics of the residents, such as gender, age, education, marital status, employment sector and residence, is collected. The second section gathers information regarding the interaction between residents and tourists. In this section, residents were asked to indicate their degree of interaction with tourists, based on a five-point Likert scale ranged from 1 = never to 5 = often. Dichotomous questions were also asked regarding the level of tourism development in the city (namely, the perception of tourism planning and carrying capacity). The final section is dedicated to the residents’ perceptions of tourism induced impacts. In this case, a set of statements on tourism impacts was presented and residents were asked to indicate to what extent they agree/disagree with the statements using a five-point Likert scale ranged from 1 = not at all positive to 5 = extremely positive. Univariate and bivariate statistical analysis methods were used through frequency tables, average calculations, Chi-square tests and t tests. Data processing was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).

4 Results 4.1

Sample Profile

Table 1 summarizes the sociodemographic profile of the survey sample comprised of 105 respondents. With regard to gender, 52.4% of the responses belong to male respondents and the remaining 47.6% are female. The largest age cohort of respondents is the cohort aged between 25–44 yr old (61%), followed by the 45–64 yr old (21%), 18–24 yr old (17%) and 65+ years old (1%) cohorts, respectively. A total of 44.8% of respondents have bachelor’s degrees, 28.6% master’s or doctorate degrees and 26.7% are endowed with basic/secondary education. The majority of the respondents are single (61%), 34.2% are married or have a registered partnership and 4.8% are divorced or widowed. In relation to employment sector, 42.9% of the respondents work in the sectors of Tourism, Commerce and Services, and 57.1% work in Other Sectors. Regarding residence time, 60% of respondents answered that they have lived in the city for less than 15 yr and 40% for more than 15 yr. In turn, 41.9% of respondents reside less than 3 km from the city’s historic centre, while 58.1% reside more than 3 km from the centre. 4.2

Resident-Visitor Relationship

Contact Frequency. The interaction that occurs between residents and visitors has a fundamental role in the field of tourism. One of the fundamental components of any tourism development strategy is to better understand the interaction between residents and visitors.

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L. Vareiro et al. Table 1. Sample profile. N % (105) Gender Male 55 Female 50 Age 18–24 18 25–44 44 45–64 22 65 and more 1 Education Basic/Secondary 28 University 47 Masters/PhD 30 Marital status Single 64 Married/Partnership 36 Divorced/Widowed 5 Employment sector Tourism, Commerce and Services 45 Other Sectors 60 Residence 3km 61

52.4 47.6 17.0 61.0 21.0 1.0 26.7 44.8 28.6 61.0 34.2 4.8 42.9 57.1 41.9 58.1

As shown in Table 2, the average classification regarding the frequency of contact between residents and visitors predominates in leisure situations (4.22) and in monuments or day-to-day situations (4.20). On a smaller scale is the frequency of contact with visitors at city events or at the workplace (3.92 and 3.07, respectively). Tosun [30] considers that residents with high contact with tourists tend to have positive perceptions regarding tourism. This interaction tends to be higher among respondents linked to the Tourism, Commerce and Services sectors. The results of the t-test allow us to conclude that the higher means of contact by these respondents are statistically significant, with the exception of day-to-day situations. According to Tables 2 and 3, contact between residents and tourists tends to be greater among respondents from the Tourism, Commerce and Services sectors. These residents consider that tourism development is favourable in the various contexts in which it operates. For this analysis, residents who answered positively regarding the study variables were considered. In general terms, this analysis allows us to conclude that the majority of respondents likes to see tourists in the city, to have contact with other cultures and considers that tourism brings dynamism to the city. Only 43.3% of

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Table 2. Frequency of contact between residents and tourists. Other Sectors Total t Sig. Frequency of contact Tourism, (N = 105) with tourists at: Commerce and (n2 = 60) Services (n1 = 45) Contacta Mean Contacta Mean Contacta Mean (%) scoreb (%) scoreb (%) scoreb Events 82.2 4,24 61.7 3,68 70.5 3,92 2.523 0.013 Monuments 93.3 4,64 70.0 3,87 80.0 4,20 3.690 0.000* Other leisure 93.4 4,47 75.0 4,03 82.8 4,22 2.298 0.024** Day-to-day 88.9 4,42 75.0 4,03 81.0 4,20 1.918 0.058 Workplace 57.8 3,67 28.3 2,62 40.9 3,07 3.562 0.001* Notes: a Percentage of respondents that contact are those that answered 4 or 5 on the five-point Likert scale; b the scale ranges from 1 = never to 5 = often; * p < 0.01; ** p < 0.05.

respondents linked to Other Sectors consider that tourism reinforces Porto’s pride, in contrast to the 66.7% of respondents linked to the Tourism, Commerce and Services sectors. Tourism Planning and Carrying Capacity. Controlling indicators, such as the destination’s carrying capacity, is essential to avoid a conflict situation and to maintain a symbiotic relationship, since negative attitudes among residents can hinder the success and sustainability of destinations. In many cases, the excess of mass tourism causes changes in cities, which end up having to adapt to the needs and preferences of tourists. All infrastructures are geared to the tourist, leaving aside the needs and preferences of the local community. In this specific case study, and considering the residents who responded positively to the questions regarding the perception of tourism planning and carrying capacity (Table 4), a large percentage of respondents linked to Other Sectors understand that the presence of tourists affects negatively the presence of residents and that the attractions are aimed exclusively at tourists (73.3% and 63.3%, respectively). More than half of the respondents from the Tourism, Commerce and Services sectors consider that the presence of tourists negatively affects the presence of residents (53.3%). Of the total respondents, 40% indicate that they have had to change their lifestyle due to the presence of tourists in the city. However, only 31.1% of the respondents from the Tourism, Commerce and Services sectors consider that the city has reached the maximum limit of tourists, in contrast to 68.3% from Other Sectors. Most of the respondents linked to the Tourism, Commerce and Services sectors (57.8%) believe that the city is prepared to receive more tourists, against 26.7% of respondents linked to Other Sectors. Only 20% of respondents linked to Other Sectors consider that local government is taking measures to control the massification of tourists and 63.3% understand that the attractions are aimed exclusively at tourists. It is possible to conclude that the residents with activities related to the Tourism, Commerce and Services sectors tend to have greater positive perceptions regarding the

576

L. Vareiro et al. Table 3. Resident-tourist contact. Tourism, Commerce and Services

Other Sectors

Total

n1 (45)

n2 (60)

N (105)

%

%

X2

Sig.

%

Do tourists bring dynamism to the city?

41

91.1

53

88.3

94

89.5

0.212

0.646

Does tourism reinforce the city’s pride?

30

66.7

26

43.3

56

53.3

5.625

0.018**

Do you like to have contact with tourists?

31

68.9

29

48.3

60

57.1

5.026

0.081

Do you like to see tourists in the city?

35

77.8

42

70.0

77

73.3

1.323

0.516

Do you like to have contact with other cultures?

44

2.500

0.114

97.8

54

90.0

98

93.3

Do you usually inform tourists?

34

75.6

45

75.0

79

75.2

0.004

0.948

Are there places you would rather not find tourists?

15

33.3

29

48.3

44

41.9

2.377

0.123

Are there types of tourists that you particularly dislike?

14

31.1

22

36.7

36

34.3

0.352

0.553

Notes: *p < 0.01; **p < 0.05.

Table 4. Tourism planning and carrying capacity.

Does the presence of tourists negatively affect the presence of residents? Have you ever changed your habits/lifestyle due to the presence of tourists? Have you ever deprived yourself of participation in city activities due to tourists? Have you ever been prevented from accessing places in the city due to tourists? Do you participate in tourism planning actions? Does local government take measures to control mass tourism? Are the city attractions aimed exclusively at tourists? Has the city reached the maximum limit of tourists? Is the city prepared to receive more tourists? Notes: * p < 0.01; ** p < 0.05

X2

Tourism, Commerce and Services

Other Sectors

n1 (45)

%

n2 (60)

%

N (105)

%

24

53.3

44

73.3

68

64.8

4.507

0.034**

18

40.0

24

40.0

42

40.0

0.000

1.000

14

31.1

22

36.7

36

34.3

0.352

0.553

14

31.1

24

40.0

38

36.2

0.880

0.348

6

13.3

4

6.7

10

9.5

1.326

0.249

21

46.7

12

20.0

33

31.4

8.485

0.004*

17

37.8

38

63.3

55

52.4

6.733

0.009*

14

31.1

41

68.3

55

52.4

14.283

0.000*

26

57.8

16

26.7

42

40.0

10.370

0.001*

Total

Sig.

Resident-Tourist Relationship and Tourismphobia

577

presence of tourists in the city than respondents from Other Sectors. Respondents linked to Other Sectors argue that visitors adversely affect the presence of residents (73.3%), that attractions are aimed exclusively at tourists (63.3%) and that the city’s carrying capacity is being exceeded (68.3%). The results of the Chi-square test allow us to conclude that, with regard to issues related to tourism massification and carrying capacity of the destination, there are significant differences between the two groups: respondents linked to the Tourism, Commerce and Services sectors have lower agreement levels compared to respondents from Other Sectors. 4.3

Tourism Impacts on the Local Community

As presented in Table 5, the perceived benefits from tourism are mostly of economic nature (4.05). These figures are higher among respondents linked to the Tourism, Commerce and Services sectors. At the other extreme are the environmental benefits with a total average of 2.10 and a percentage of only 7.7%, perceived by residents who consider the impacts to be positive or extremely positive. Respondents linked to Other Sectors perceive lower positive impacts at this level (1.7% against 15.6% in the Tourism, Commerce and Services sectors). At the sociocultural level, the benefits of tourism are mostly perceived by respondents from the Tourism, Commerce and Services sectors with a percentage of 57.8% compared to respondents from Other Sectors (26.7%). In general, residents with activities related to Tourism, Commerce and Services consider tourism development in the city to be positive in the various contexts in which it operates compared to Other Sectors, the differences being statistically significant. As supported by the literature review used for this article, residents with commercial interests in the field of tourism and who depend on this sector and economically benefit from it express more favourable attitudes towards tourism development. The economic benefits continue to be the most cited when the literature associates the positive impacts of tourism. The results of the t test allow us to conclude that the higher averages by respondents linked to the Tourism, Commerce and Services sectors are statistically significant. Table 5. Tourism impacts: economic, sociocultural and environmental (global assessment). Other Sectors Total T Sig. Tourism, (N = 105) Commerce and (n2 = 60) Services (n1 = 45) Agreea Mean Agreea Mean Agreea Mean b b (%) score (%) score (%) scoreb Economic 86.7 4,40 60.0 3,78 71.4 4,05 3.405 0.001* Sociocultural 57.8 3,69 26.7 3,02 40.0 3,30 3.260 0.002* Environmental 15.6 2,36 1.7 1,92 7.7 2,10 2.295 0.024** a Notes: Percentage of respondents that agree are those that answered 4 or 5 on the five-point Likert scale; bthe scale ranges from 1 = not at all positive to 5 = extremely positive; * p < 0.01; ** p < 0.05. Positive tourism development:

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5 Conclusion Tourism as a global phenomenon is not only linked to economic factors, but also to sociocultural and environmental phenomena, impacting the various destinations where it develops. This means that tourism impacts on tourism destination may influence the residents’ lives and, consequently, the interaction that they establish with the visitors of the destination. With regard to tourism development of destinations, residents identify favourable and unfavourable impacts that tourism may be responsible for [3]. The present study allows us to conclude that respondents linked to the tourism, commerce and services sector tend to perceive the sector’s positive impacts to a greater degree. The associated impacts can be economic, sociocultural and environmental. The perceived benefits are essentially of economic nature and the costs of environmental nature. As supported in the literature, residents linked to the tourism sector and who benefit from it economically, tend to perceive positive impacts and to develop favourable attitudes towards the development of the sector. When tourism benefits outweigh its costs, residents will have a positive and favourable attitude towards tourism development [5]. In turn, when residents perceive negative impacts, or perceive that costs are greater than benefits, they tend to develop negative and unfavourable attitudes. This study concludes that respondents linked to other sectors of activity tend to perceive the negative tourism impacts or associate the benefits to a lesser extent, resulting in unfavourable attitudes that may jeopardize the satisfaction of visitors and consequently destination loyalty. The negative impacts are mostly of environmental and sociocultural nature. Respondents linked to other sectors of activity like to see tourists in the city, however, they consider that their presence negatively affects the presence of residents. They also consider that the attractions are exclusively aimed at visitors, that the city is not prepared to receive more tourists and that the destination’s carrying capacity has been exceeded. Controlling indicators, such as the destination’s carrying capacity, is essential to avoid a conflict situation and to maintain a symbiotic relationship, since negative attitudes among residents can hinder the success and sustainability of destinations. It is essential to involve residents in the formulation of tourism development strategies. For the tourism industry to survive, residents must be favourably predisposed to receive tourists and be involved in the tourism planning process [8]. According to Eusébio and Carneiro [10], maximizing the positive impacts of tourism and minimizing the negative ones involves implementing development strategies that allow tourism to play the role of engine for sustainable development. One of the fundamental components of any tourist development strategy for destinations is the community [3]. Working with people, and not just for people, should be the motto of any tourism development strategy [10]. The main limitations of this investigation are essentially related to the number of questionnaires collected and the low representation of respondents over the age of 65. Future investigations may include the analyses of tourism impacts and the residentvisitor relationship with regard to native respondents or newcomers to the community. The literature review and the data collection allow us to conclude that this may be an interesting study variable for future investigations.

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Acknowledgements. 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 no. UIDB/04752/2020.

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Author Index

A Abrantes, José Luís, 450 Abreu, António, 396, 415, 458 Abreu, António José, 532, 547 Afonso, Ana Paula, 396 Alemán, Erick Guerra, 152 Alén, Elisa, 470 Amaro, Suzanne, 479 Angélico, Maria José, 532, 547 António, Nuno, 299 Antonkiewicz, Jacek, 108 Artieda-Ponce, Mauricio Patricio, 25 Avelar, Melissa, 64 B Borges, Isabel, 415, 458 Brandão, Filipa, 385 Brazão, L., 245 Breda, Zélia, 385 C Caldas, Idalina, 192, 341 Camacho, Pedro, 299 Camarinha, Ana Paula, 532, 547 Campelo, Silvana Pinto, 159 Cantarero Prados, Francisco José, 331 Cardona Taborda, Carlos Hernan, 12 Cardoso, Diogo, 569 Carneiro, Maria João, 120, 509 Carvalho, Ana Branca, 181 Carvalho, João Vidal, 278 Castro, Conceição, 288 Castro, Maria João, 92 Chango-Cañaveral, Patrcia Marisol, 25 Ciarkowska, Krystyna, 108

Coelho, João Pinto, 98 Correia, Alexandra I., 223, 234, 245 Costa, André, 266 Costa, Eusébio, 415, 458 Costa, Rui, 385 Cunha, Conceição, 509 D da Costa Tavares, Maria da Conceição, 49 da Silva, Amélia Ferreira, 532 da Silva, Firmino Oliveira, 255 de Abreu Rocha, Alexandra Maria, 133 de Almeida, Ana, 299 de Almeida, Ricardo Ferreira, 181 de Oliveira, Frederico Ferreira, 133 Dieguez, Teresa, 171 Dios-Murcia, Iria, 81 do Carmo Azevedo, Graça Maria, 49 do Rosário Borges, Maria, 487 E Eusébio, Celeste, 120 F Fernandes, Paula Odete, 223, 266 Ferreira, Fernanda A., 288 Ferreira, Luís Pinto, 171 Figueiredo, Camilla Miranda, 439 Filipe, Carlos, 487 Freitas, João, 396 Furtado, Sheila, 320 G Gambus, Florian, 108 Gaona Garcia, Paulo, 12

© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 J. V. de Carvalho et al. (Eds.): ICOTTS 2020, SIST 208, pp. 581–582, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4256-9

582 Gomes, Ana Sofia, 288 Gomes, Tânia, 479 Gonçalves, Célia Talma, 278 Gonzalez Vazquez, Julian, 12 K Kastenholz, Elisabeth, 120, 509 Koliopoulos, Tilemachos K., 108 Kouloumbis, Panagiotis, 108 L Leirós-de-Velasco, Jaime, 81 Liberato, Dália, 373, 470, 497, 518, 557 Liberato, Pedro, 373, 470, 497, 518, 557 Lisboa, Inês, 1 Llorach, Carlos, 144 Lopes, Diana, 385 Lopes, Diogo, 278 Lopes, Maria Carlos, 470 M Macas-Mogrovejo, Johanna Katherine, 25 Machado, Annaelise Fritz, 133 Machado, Hugo, 192, 341 Malheiro, Alexandra, 373 Marques, Célio Gonçalo, 98 Marques, Juliana, 450 Marujo, Noémi, 487 Mateus, Lígia, 98 Medeiros, Teresa, 309, 320 Melo, C., 245 Mendes, José, 309 Mendes, Raquel, 569 Menezes, António, 64 Mesquita, Anabela, 430 Misat-Gómez, Giovanny, 408 Moniz, Ana Isabel, 309 Montenegro Marin, Carlos Enrique, 12 Moreira, Jacinta, 1, 223 Moreno Portillo, Alejandro Miguel, 331 Moura, Andreia, 120 N Neira-Rodado, Dionisio, 408 Nunes, A., 223 Nunes, Marta, 497 P Palos-Sanchez, Pedro, 35 Pedro, João, 98 Peixoto, Ana João, 363 Peixoto, Anabela, 518 Pena-Boquete, Yolanda, 81 Penna, Karla Nunes, 159, 439

Author Index Pereira, Joel, 234 Peres, Paula, 92 Pestana, Hélder, 98 Picon, Cristian, 152 Pinheiro, Arnaldo Borges, 458 Pinto, Agostinho Sousa, 415, 458 Q Quezada-Sarmiento, Pablo Alejandro, 25 Quintas, Armando, 487 R Ramos, Paulo, 353 Ribeiro, Neuza, 1 S Sá, Jéssica, 171 Sá, José Carlos, 171 Sampaio, H. A., 245 Sampaio, Hugo, 341 Sánchez, Mario Rojas, 35 Santos, Carlos, 320 Santos, Eleonora, 1 Santos, Vasco Ribeiro, 353 Serra, Jaime, 487 Shehada, S., 245 Silva, Carla, 450 Silva, F. J. G., 171 Silva, Fátima Matos, 415 Silva, Goretti, 223, 234 Silva, Manuela, 98 Silva, Osvaldo, 309, 320 Silva, Paulino, 430 Silva, Sónia, 207 Soares, L. A., 223 Sol, Hermínia, 98 Sousa, Áurea, 64 Sousa, Bruno, 192, 341, 373 Sousa, Bruno Barbosa, 133, 353, 363, 479 T Taveira, Filipe F., 234 Teixeira, João Paulo, 266 Teixeira, Leonor, 120 Teixeira, Sandrina, 532, 547 Tomás, Licínio, 309 Torres, Mariana Ferreira, 557 V Vareiro, Laurentina, 192, 207, 341, 569 Vargas-Daza, Karen, 408 Vasconcelos, Sandra, 509 Vásquez, Carmen Luisa, 144, 152 Vieira, Virgílio, 309