Browsing by Author "Silva, Goretti"
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- Circular economy in the restaurant sector: do practices go hand in hand?Publication . Melo, António; Azevedo, Daniel; Silva, Susana; Silva, Goretti; Figueiredo, Ana; Barreto Salgueiro de Melo, Carla IsabelThe growing importance of sustainability has led the restaurant sector to explore circular economy practices to reduce waste and improve resource efficiency. This ongoing study examines the correlation between the adoption of one circular economy practice and the implementation of another within the restaurant sector. The study aims to identify specific practices that are related and assess the extent of these associations. A quantitative methodology was used with a survey that evaluated the adoption of 22 circular economy practices. Data collection was conducted between June and September 2023, resulting in 304 responses. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 28.0 with factor analysis employed to identify patterns of practice adoption. The results reveal that while some practices are indeed implemented together, such as energy-efficient equipment being strongly associated with monitoring energy consumption, many other practices did not exhibit significant correlations. For instance, waste reduction initiatives and water-saving measures often appeared isolated, without a consistent implementation linked to other practices. This suggests that restaurants may focus on aspects of circularity while neglecting others, indicating a fragmented rather than integrated approach. The findings point to key areas, such as waste management and energy efficiency, where more strategic interventions could encourage a holistic adoption of circular economy principles. These patterns underscore the need for further investigation into barriers that prevent cohesive practice implementation and opportunities for aligning efforts across multiple sustainability dimensions.
- Cooking up a sustainable future: insights of circular economy in the restaurantsPublication . Maia, Beatriz; Silva, Susana; Melo, António; Silva, Goretti; Azevedo, Daniel; Camões, Henrique; Melo, CarlaRestaurants increasingly prioritize promoting sustainability within their kitchen’s operations, focusing their offers on valuing raw materials as a central point of gastronomy, thus highlighting the importance of local, responsible consumption and respect for nature and the environment. The Circular Economy (CE) emerges as a new sustainability paradigm, uncovering valuable opportunities for organizations and customers, in harmony with the environment. This study aims to characterize good sustainable and circular practices in the restaurant sector, understanding how endogenous products can enhance food waste reduction. Through a qualitative methodology, nine semi-structured exploratory interviews were carried out with restaurant experts, to gain in-depth knowledge into sustainable and CE practices used in restaurants. By conducting a thematic analysis, three main themes emerged 'Positioning and Branding,' 'Circular Economy,' and 'Product and Food Waste'. 'Positioning and Branding' covers the evolution of an eco-conscious mindset in organizations, from the inception of sustainable thinking to the imperative for change. It emerges from the categories: ´Organization, actions, and partnerships’, ‘Challenges and success factors’, and ‘Awareness’. The theme 'Circular Economy,' presents circular practices within daily restaurant operations, their understanding of circular concepts, and the progress made in adopting these behaviors. It arises from three categories: ‘Circularity’, ‘Resource Management’ and ‘Transition’. The 'Product and Food Waste' theme addresses concerns related to product and food waste, including supplier selection, innovative gastronomic offerings, and food waste minimization strategies. It is based on the categories: ‘Suppliers and Raw Materials’, ‘Food Waste Minimization”, and ‘Gastronomic Offer’. The findings reveal a growing awareness of the need for sustainability and circular practices in the restaurant sector. Organizations are actively seeking ways to reduce food waste, optimize sourcing, best operating procedures and offer more sustainable menus representing significant progress toward a more sustainable future in the restaurant business.
- A methodology for the identification and assessment of the conditions for the practice of outdoor and sport tourism related activities: the case of Northern PortugalPublication . Silva, Goretti; Correia, Alexandra; Rachão, Susana; Nunes, Alcina; Vieira, Elvira; Santos, Sónia; Soares, Luís; Fonseca, Manuel; Ferreira, Fernanda A.; Veloso, Cláudia Miranda; Carrança, Paulo; Fernandes, Paula OdeteTourists’ demand for outdoor sport-related activities has been growing in the last decade, leading to the recognition of the outdoor tourism potential of the development of rural and urban areas where the activities could take place. While the literature has recognized this potential, its features and the existing conditions for its practice are often not fully comprehended, mainly due to the lack of measurement systems and performance indicators. This study addresses this gap by proposing a wide-ranging assessment matrix of nine outdoor-related activities, employing northern Portugal as a study area. Based on an exploratory qualitative analysis employing semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders (public, private and third sector), the main contribution of this study lies in the development of the outdoor tourism assessment matrix (OTAM) to collect data. The OTAM matrix aims to identify and assess the conditions, namely the infrastructure and resources, for the practice of outdoor and sport tourism-related activities within the sustainable development pillars. The nine matrices comprising the OTAM allow the identification of the places where the outdoor activities can be practiced, and the conditions under which they can contribute to the definition of the development strategies of outdoor tourism.
- Monitoring of outdoor tourism demand. North of PortugalPublication . Martins, Oliva M. D.; Nunes, Alcina; Ferreira, Fernanda A.; Veloso, Cláudia M.; Santos, Sónia; Correia, Alexandra I.; Fonseca, Manuel José; Silva, Goretti; Rachão, Susana; Vieira, Elvira Pacheco; Carrança, Paulo; Fernandes, Paula OdeteThe Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) was used in order to understand the tourism competitiveness of the different sub-regions that make up the North Region of Portugal. This index is a measure which helps to analyse market concentration and at the same time determines the competitiveness of the market.
- Moving toward sustainability and circular economy in the restaurant industryPublication . Melo, António; Azevedo, Daniel; Silva, Susana; Silva, Goretti; Maia, Beatriz; Camões, Henrique; Barreto Salgueiro de Melo, Carla IsabelThe United Nations 2030 Agenda emphasizes reducing food waste through responsible consumption and production. The concept and principles of Circular Economy (CE) propose rethinking the entire food chain to minimize environmental impact. This chapter aims to characterize the adoption and implementation level of CE dimensions by restaurants in specified regions of Portugal. An exploratory quantitative study was performed through an online survey, with responses from 304 restaurants. Descriptive data analysis was performed with IBM SPSS 28.0. Key findings include significant food and beverage management practices, such as root-to-stem utilization and effective portion control. However, less emphasis is placed on practices like donating surplus food and promoting vegetarian options. Waste management practices, particularly waste separation, are widely adopted; however, energy and water-saving measures are lagging. The main conclusions highlight the need for increasing awareness, supportive governance, and investment in infrastructures to enhance CE adoption by restaurants and the food service industry. The results also advocate for collaborative efforts among stakeholders to overcome barriers and promote sustainable practices in the restaurant sector.
- Outdoor tourism demand segmentation: a case study from North of PortugalPublication . Scalabrini, Elaine; Correia, Alexandra Lopes; Nunes, Alcina; Miranda, Cláudia; Vieira, Elvira; Ferreira, Fernanda A.; Silva, Goretti; Fonseca, Manuel; Carrança, Paulo; Santos, Sónia; Fernandes, Paula OdeteOutdoor tourism has been practised substantially in the last few years, particularly in the pandemic period when outdoor activities increased considerably (Silva et al., 2021). Outdoor tourism can be understood as the practise of outdoor activities (Ferreira et al., 2021) classified as hard or soft (Tsaur et al., 2020; UNWTO, 2014). These activities often take place in nature, protected areas, urban parks, and rural areas (Derek et al., 2019). Furthermore, outdoor tourism is considered one of the fastest-growing subcomponents of tourism and a trend in line with the principles of sustainability and environmental awareness (Valizadeh & Khoorani, 2020). Demand for outdoor activities encourages innovation, especially during uncertainty. Indeed, practitioners of outdoor activities seek health and have shown a growing interest in different activities and have adopted new behaviours, creating an opportunity for organisations to innovate (Hansen et al., 2019).
- Outdoor tourism demand segmentation: a case study from North of PortugalPublication . Scalabrini, Elaine; Correia, Alexandra; Nunes, Alcina; Veloso, Cláudia; Vieira, Elvira; Ferreira, Fernanda A.; Silva, Goretti; Fonseca, Manuel; Carrança, Paulo; Santos, Sónia; Fernandes, Paula OdeteThis research aimed to segment the market of visitors who practise outdoor activities in the North region of Portugal based on their motivations. An online survey was conducted between June to September of 2021, with a sample of 200 tourists who realised the region's outdoor activities during this period. The data collected allowed determining factor analysis and the clusters. Two factors: services/hospitality and nature experiences, and three clusters: soft practitioners, radicals, and enthusiasts were delimited. The results show that these groups differ in motivations and practised activities. Segmentation of outdoor tourism demand in North of Portugal should set out marketing and promotion strategies in different destinations, attracting demand from outside the region, and according to their preferences.
- Outdoor tourism in the North of Portugal from the perspective of Tourist Entertainment Companies (TEC)Publication . Martins, Oliva M. D.; Nunes, Alcina; Vieira, Elvira; Rachão, Susana; Correia, Alexandra; Fonseca, Manuel; Silva, Goretti; Santos, Sónia; Veloso, Cláudia; Ferreira, Fernanda A.; Carrança, Paulo; Fernandes, Paula OdeteBased on the perception of those responsible for Tourist Entertainment Companies (TEC), the objective of the research is to contribute to the characterization of Outdoor Tourism (OT). Exploratory qualitative research was carried out through 38 in-depth individual interviews. The territory geography, the experiences, and the internal market were considered relevant aspects. In addition, seasonality and climate were identified as significant factors in defining the offer, which can favour the preservation of the environment. Moreover, the risk of the activities was considered low. The interviewees suggested integrating everyone involved in a network to explore the region's potential, as well as to support activities and promote the region. The radical experience, adventure, and getting out of the routine were identified as motivations for the search, as well as contact with nature and the landscape. The research is limited to the North Region of Portugal, and it brings together the most different needs, desires, and expectations for tourism demand. Strengthening OT can favour employability and, consequently, economic and social balance while promotion of the activity can be explored through the customers' previous experience. The evaluations, testimonials, and word of mouth (WOM) being added value that can be optimized through social networks and digital marketing.
- Productivity measurement: the case of nature tourism firms in PortugalPublication . Santos, Eleonora; Correia, Alexandra I.; Ferreira, Fernanda A.; Nunes, Alcina Maria; Veloso, Cláudia Miranda; Vieira, Elvira; Silva, Goretti; Fonseca, Manuel; Carrança, Paulo; Fernandes, Paula OdeteProductivity measurement in the tourism sector has been raising increasing interest among researchers and is recognised as an important indicator for understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the sector and for enhancing its spillover effects on the economy. However, studies for Portugal and the particular activities included in the set of nature tourism activities are scarce. To overcome this research gap, this paper calculates the labour productivity and total factor productivity (TFP) measures of nature tourism firms to compare firms’ productivity performance across NUTS II regions in mainland Portugal during 2014–2017. Using data from SABI, Quadros do Pessoal, INE and the National Tourism Registry, the sample consists of 369 firms, representing 55% of firms operating in nature tourism in the mainland. Results show that the levels of TFP, unlike to labour productivity, are uneven over time and space. In 2015, a year of change in the business cycle, all regions experienced a negative increase in TFP except the Metropolitan Region of Lisbon, which seems to indicate that nature tourism in most of the country is less resilient to external economic shocks, performing better in periods of prosperity. Labour productivity growth does not present, in general, consistently positive results.
- Supply-side perspectives on outdoor tourism in the North of PortugalPublication . Martins, Oliva M. D.; Fernandes, Paula Odete; Nunes, Alcina; Rachão, Susana; Correia, Alexandra Isabela; Vieira, Elvira; Fonseca, Manuel José; Silva, Goretti; Santos, S.; Veloso, Cláudia; Ferreira, Fernanda A.; Carrança, PauloNowadays, the tourism sector presents many opportunities and challenges. Outdoor Tourism (OT), due to the unusual situation experienced by the pandemic caused by COVID-19, maybe one of the main opportunities to promote the local development of tourist destinations. Most of the literature developed in this context has focused the demand side. Therefore, the investigation intended to fill this gap, considering the perspective of the supply side, taking into account a vision of sustainable development. To meet this gap, the main objective is to contribute to the characterization of Outdoor Tourism (OT) in the North of Portugal, and understand the potential of OT in the perspective of supply., thirty-eight tourist entertainment companies (TEC) were interviewed to assess supply and perceived customers’ motivations. Of the seven Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistical Purposes (NUTS), the Northern region was considered to be an area with enormous potential for Nature-related tourist). For the supply side, seasonality and climate were identified as important factors supporting environment preservation. Radical experiences, adventure and getting out of the routine were identified as motivating demand factors, as well as the contact with Nature and the landscape. We have also observed that if we consider the stimulation of the local economy by OT, there is still a lot to do. The evidence pointed to some social imbalance, namely related to employability. Employees were hired according to the evolution of demand, which favours unemployment and social instability. Also, the tourists/costumers are the main channels of communication of the activities; the word-of- mouth (WOM) of costumers’ experiences, personally or through online social media, takes on a prominent role. In this sense, tourists’ online reviews, testimonies and word-of-mouth can be optimized through social networks and digital marketing. Finally, to evaluate the region's potential for the OT, the interviewees suggested integrating the players involved with the OT into a single network, supporting the activities and promoting the region.