Loading...
11 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 10 of 11
- Satisfaction and loyalty evaluation towards health and wellness destinationPublication . Liberato, Dália; Brandão, Filipa; Teixeira, Ana Sofia; Liberato, PedroNowadays, successful tourism destinations must offer diversity and new tourism products, addressing special interest niches, where it is possible to frame health and wellness tourism, with special emphasis on thermal tourism. It has been observed some changes regarding the customer characteristics, treatments, products, and services made available, as a strategy to overcome imbalances in physical and psychological well-being, diagnosed in the consumer. It is in the spas, with body and mind recovery treatments offer, complementary to the classic treatments, that individuals recover their well-being and, consequently, improve their quality of life. The quantitative research was based on a sample of 201 participants in the North and Centre of Portugal, in a pandemic context(COVID'19). The results confirmed that the socio-demographic profile of the participants influences the choice of the available services; the most valued aspects in the selection of the thermal establishment influence the degree of satisfaction regarding the trip and the thermal experience, and the intention to recommend and revisit the destination; and, Finally, overall satisfaction with the thermal destination significantly influences the loyalty to the health and wellness destination. Main contributions were identified, concerning the quality and variety of treatments, infrastructure, price, location, access and service, and the need for product design and proposals directed at identified target markets.
- Porto as an LGBT+ friendly destinationPublication . Liberato, Pedro; Liberato, Dália; Moreira, Jéssica; Costa, Carlos; Brandão, FilipaTourism has a special value for LGBT+ people. It is an opportunity to alleviate the stress caused by discrimination and sexual prejudice in the regions from which they come. LGBT+ tourists consider several aspects when choosing a holiday destination. The LGBT+ segment is a fast-growing segment with high spending power, loyalty, and potential. Portugal has one of the most progressive laws in the world when it comes to homosexuality. However, there is still a large gap between legislation and LGBT+ tourists' perceptions of the LGBT+ friendliness of destinations. According to Jordan (2018), even in more socially liberal countries, LGBT+ people may not identify as such for fear of discrimination and may be unwilling to participate in interviews or surveys. This significantly affects the number and, more importantly, the quality of research. It is very difficult to obtain significant samples from the entire LGBT+ community. In this regard, Jordan (2018) adds that there is a lack of platforms that allow researchers to easily reach LGBT+ people, which makes it difficult for researchers to develop specific relevant studies. Most research on LGBT+ communities emerged in the 1990s and early 2000s, mainly discussing their economic power, but also sexuality, destination choice, and LGBT+ leisure space configuration (Monaco, 2022). Early research on gay consumers suggested that a gay travel market did not exist or was not viable. It concluded that sexual orientation should not constitute a market segment (Vorobjovas-Pinta & Hardy, 2016). Other studies have focused on the relationship between homosexuality, consumption, and hospitality (Avena & Rossetti, 2006), gay men's holiday travel consumption (Clift & Forrest, 1999; Hughes, 2002; Hughes & Deutsch, 2010; Pritchard et al., 2000), understanding destination choice behavior (Hoffmann et al., 2018; Neves & Brambatti, 2019) and the benefits of LGBT-inclusive destinations (Ram et al., 2019; Hahn et al., 2021). The overall objective of this study is to understand how LGBT+ visitors perceive Porto as a LGBT+ friendly destination. The study also aims to determine whether gender identity and sexual orientation influence the motivation of LGBT tourists to travel to Porto, whether LGBT tourists are valued by the destination and DMOs, and whether the perceived safety of LGBT tourists influences their intention to recommend and return to the destination.
- Portuguese nautical tourism sustainability practicesPublication . Liberato, Dália; Liberato, Pedro; Sousa, Gisela; Brandão, FilipaThe general objective of the research is to evaluate the importance of nautical tourism in sustainable practices. The Portuguese network of nautical stations will be used as a case study. Specific objective 1: Analysis of the relationship between the location of the marine resort and the dimensions of sustainability. Hypotheses: H1: There is a relationship between the geographical location of the Nautical Station and the social sustainability indicators; H2: The location of the Nautical Station influences the degree of compliance with the environmental sustainability indicators. Specific objective 2: Assess the relationship between social and environmental sustainability: H3: There is a relationship between environmental and social sustainability indicators. Each of these objectives and the corresponding hypotheses will be statistically analyzed based on the literature review.
- Demand trends on European thermalismPublication . Quintela, Joana Alegria; Liberato, Dália; Neto, Paulo; Liberato, Pedro; Brandão, FilipaThermalism is a popular form of therapy that involves the use of the healing properties of mineral waters for health and wellness purposes. In Europe, thermalism has a long history and is widely practised in many countries across the continent (Rawlinson & Heap, 2017). In recent decades, health and wellness have become important motives for consumption, attracting the interest of researchers from different disciplines. However, one of the current challenges in academic research and the wellness tourism industry is the conceptual development related to the key term wellness. In recent years, classical thermalism, focused essentially on the 'cure' dimension, has been replaced by modern thermalism, which is particularly based on the 'wellness' dimension, and the offer is more focused on preventive therapeutic motivations, combined with recreational and tourism aspects. Following this trend, spas are starting to regain some dynamism in betting on a diversified offer, which not only considers therapeutic assumptions but also a holistic perspective, which simultaneously includes the assumptions of health and wellness. This research aims to analyze the main European thermal destinations to trace the demand profile.
- Strategic approach to thermal tourism during and after Covid-19Publication . Liberato, Dália; Quintela, Joana A.; Neto, Paulo; Liberato, Pedro; Brandão, Filipa; Costa, ElgaHealth and wellness have become important motives for consumption, attracting the researchers’ interest. One of the current challenges in academic research and in the wellness tourism industry is the conceptual development related to the key term wellness. In recent years in Europe, classical thermalism, focused essentially on the “cure” dimension, has been replaced by modern thermalism, which is particularly based on the “wellness” dimension, and the offer is more focused on preventive therapeutic motivations, combined with recreational and tourism aspects. Although the pandemic period led to the stagnation of tourism businesses, health tourism capitalized on the opportunity and developed successfully from the impact of the pandemic. The main objective of this work is to understand the challenges and strategies of the sector during and after Covid-19, namely whether the impact of the pandemic confirmed the need to reassess products and services, with complementary and composite offers that combine nature, sports, and nutrition, among others. A qualitative methodology approach was used to answer this objective, drawing on semi-structured interviews. The results report the challenges that Covid-19 represented to the sector, regarding the expenses increasing with disease prevention and equipment maintenance, the lack of investment, and the decrease in wellness products consumption.
- Motives for thermal tourism: an application to North and Central PortugalPublication . Brandão, Filipa; Liberato, Dália; Teixeira, Ana Sofia; Liberato, PedroHealth and wellness tourism should be particularly valued in the post-pandemic phase. It has the potential to be a strategic product that enhances the population’s well-being and quality of life, on social, physical, and environmental levels. Different proposals for specialized experiences that complement what the destination offers allow to position regions as health and wellness destinations. Thermal tourism should thus be encouraged as a specific product designed on the innovation and diversification observed in the related services and the benefits recognized for all ages. Considering the relevance of thermal springs and thermal tourists for the image, positioning, and development of touristic destinations, this research aims to identify the specific motivations of tourists that attract them to the practice of thermal tourism, to understand how the benefits for which thermal tourists search and their sociodemographic profile influence the motivations of tourists, and how those motivations determine the characteristics of travel. This research was developed on the North and Centre of Portugal for their relevance in the context of thermal springs and related touristic activities. To achieve the research objectives, a questionnaire survey was conducted among thermal tourists, through a non-probability by convenience sampling, using bivariate tests, such as Pearson’s chi-squared test, one-way ANOVA, and t-Student test. The results highlight that most respondents practiced thermal tourism due to leisure and relaxation benefits, such as the escape from daily stress, spend time with family, and being “pampered”; relaxation is the most valued motivation, followed by the search for psychological and physical well-being. The research found relations between the benefits expected by thermal tourists and their travel characteristics, such as the composition of the group, the general travel motivation, the chosen thermal destination, and the number of nights spent at the location. In thermal tourism, new challenges emerge, demanding the development of strategies, products, and services that respond to the needs of specific market sections.
- Rural regeneration through creative tourism: local discourses on cultural heritagePublication . Rodrigues, Cristina; Mendes, Teresa; Liberato, Dália; Brandão, Filipa; Esteves, Elsa; Liberato, PedroAlternative forms of tourism are gradually emerging, as tourism transforms itself and adopts new forms of consumption and development. It is therefore necessary to understand the new approaches to tourism sustainability in order to achieve more transformative results for destinations and their local communities. This research aims to identify creative tourism as the most equitable approach to achieving the sustainability and the regeneration of rural territories. Thus, the general objective is to understand how Cultural Heritage, as a tourist resource, can be used to promote regenerative impacts in a rural region of Portugal, particularly in Trás-os-Montes. As part of a qualitative methodology, the focus group interview technique was applied to three of the destination's stakeholders: Municipalities; Tourism agents; and Residents, to discuss the tourism promotion of a very particular heritage and its implications. The main results identify the greatest consensus among the participants, essentially regarding the suitability of creative tourism for the Cultural Heritage under study, from different perspectives. As well as five potential regenerative benefits for the destination: (i) Local Sourcing Practices, (ii) Social and Cultural Involvement, (iii) Sustainable Economic Performance, (iv) Inclusiveness Management, and (v) Education and Capacity Building, associated with nine United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Specificities of thermalism in health tourism: the mediating role of the territoryPublication . Brandão, Filipa; Liberato, Dália; Duarte, João; Liberato, Pedro; Quintela, Joana A.Wellness is recognized in several research studies as a common term regarding health, quality of life and satisfaction, in association with or replacing wellness. Also, the concept of quality of life is important to complement health tourism. Quality of life is useful in conceptualizing well-being by establishing links between objective and subjective features of this concept. In the search for a better quality of life, individuals look for ways to improve their well-being. In this sense and in the framework of this work, thermalism as a health activity arises as one of the most natural ways to improve well-being. Thermalism is defined as the use of natural mineral water and other complementary methods for prevention, therapy, rehabilitation or wellness. This research proposes a development strategy for thermal springs in the North of Portugal through the identification of the currently existing health and wellness, tourism, cultural and heritage attributes in the region. A qualitative methodology is applied, through semi-structured interviews, having as objectives to contextualize thermal tourism in health tourism and to identify the specialized thermal services available in the thermal regions of Northern Portugal. The results show the existing difficulties in the sector, namely the marked seasonality of demand and human resources, the non-diversity of age among thermal users, the lack of innovative equipment, the impact of the pandemic, the restrictions imposed on the thermal operation during the pandemic, the lack of tourist support structures, the scarcity of available and quality accommodation, the missing municipal and/or regional support, which permanently challenge the sector. In what concerns the identification of the specialized thermal services available in the thermal regions of Northern Portugal, it emerges the availability of opening services for the school community, free transportation and reception of local users in a thermal environment, specific thermal circuits; thermal massages, and differentiating treatments by the mineral-medicinal properties of the thermal waters of each geographical location.
- Family-friendly luxury wine tourism: bridging gaps and creating experiencesPublication . Liberato, Dália; Magalhães, Maria João; Monteiro, Bebiana; Brandão, Filipa; Liberato, PedroThe intersection of wine tourism and family tourism represents a burgeoning yet underexplored niche both within the tourism industry, and tourism research. While wine tourism has traditionally been associated with adult-centric experiences (Malerba et al., 2023), the evolving dynamics of family travel (Schänzel et al., 2014) and the increasing demand for luxury experiences (Zainurin et al., 2021) have given rise to a unique segment | family luxury wine tourism. Despite its potential, this area remains significantly under-researched. The importance of investigating family luxury wine tourism lies in its capacity to cater to a diverse demographic, offering enriching experiences that combine the sophistication of wine culture with family-friendly activities (Choo et al., 2017). Despite this, there is still a notable scarcity of studies that approach wine tourism from a family perspective, with families rarely considered as a significant target audience, especially when they include children. This lack of attention to developing specific offers for this segment reveals an important gap, which could be exploited to make wine tourism more inclusive and accessible. This research aims to fill the existing gap by examining the characteristics and motivations of families engaging in luxury wine tourism. Understanding these factors is crucial for developing targeted marketing strategies and enhancing the overall visitor experience, thereby contributing to the sustainable growth of the tourism sector. The study was developed in the Douro wine region. This region in Portugal is an outstanding example of how wine tourism can be an effective tool for regional development. With an impressive diversity of landscapes and a tourist offer adapted to different audiences, and times of the year, the Douro stands out for its ability to attract tourists both for its wine and for its cultural and natural heritage. This destination has combined tradition and innovation, offering an enriching experience to those who visit it (Guimarães, 2009).
- Sustainable practices in nautical tourism. The portuguese network of nautical stationsPublication . Liberato, Dália; Liberato, Pedro; Sousa, Gisela; Brandão, Filipa; Costa, Elga; Mendes, TeresaNautical tourism is a broad concept that includes rivers, lakes, and water where tourists can enjoy activities on a boat. The Nautical Stations of Portugal are a network of organizations that operate together to promote high-quality nautical tourism through the integrated valorization of resources, including accommodation, restaurants, and nautical activities, attracting tourists and other visitors. The general objective of the research is to evaluate the importance of Nautical Tourism in Sustainable Practices, using the Portuguese Nautical Station Network as a case study. The specific objectives are to analyze the relationship between the location of the Nautical Station and the dimensions of sustainability and to evaluate the relationship between social and environmental sustainability. The methods used were an exploratory interview with the Coordinator of the Network of Nautical Stations of Portugal and the application of a questionnaire service addressed to the Coordinating Entities of the Nautical Stations. The analysis of the quantitative data was carried out by establishing the relationship/association between a set of variables, using descriptive statistics. The participation of most of the nautical stations in Portugal reflects their involvement in innovative projects aimed at the sustainable and integrated development of the tourism sector in different territories and the identification of sustainable nautical activities in the Network, providing good practice for other businesses.