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- Destination image: perspectives of tourists vs. residentsPublication . Agapito, Dora; Mendes, Júlio; Pinto, PatríciaThis study aims to measure the image of Lagos in the Algarve region, the most important Portuguese destination, using a cognitive, affective and behavioral approach. Given the lack of studies which compare the perspectives of tourists and residents, the empirical investigation includes a mixed methodology enabling a holistic approach followed by a quantitative methodology with the use of questionnaires for both tourists and residents. The attributes that are more consensually associated with Lagos are the good weather and good beaches, although these variables do not have significant discriminatory power for "recommendation of the destination to friends and family" as the dependent variable.
- Understanding tourist recommendation through destination image: A CHAID analysisPublication . Agapito, Dora; Pinto, Patrícia; Mendes, JúlioIn spite of the efforts of marketers and managers to boost a favourable destination image, with a focus on encouraging tourists‟ revisit, other factors contribute to tourists‟ decision-making processes with regard to revisiting destinations. Moreover, recommendation from family and friends are considered to be the most credible source of information in the process of choosing a holiday destination, becoming relevant that studies on destination loyalty focus on this variable. Therefore, this research aims to identify the attributes which contribute to tourists‟ willingness to recommend a destination. The first stage of this study involved identifying the attributes to measure the image of Lagos in the Algarve region, an important Portuguese destination, through open-ended questions. In the second phase, the application of the Chi-Square Automatic Interaction Detector (CHAID) to survey responses from a sample of 379 tourists allowed to identify the features that explain the intention to recommend the destination. The results show that culture is the attribute with the strongest power to explain recommendation, highlighting the need for sun and sand tourism destinations to diversify their offer. Of the seven terminal nodes produced by CHAID, two segments with opposite trends were found, for which profiles were drawn.
- The tourist experience: Exploring the relationship between tourist satisfaction and destination loyaltyPublication . Mendes, Júlio; Pinto, Patrícia; Manuela Guerreiro, Maria; Silva, João AlbinoPrevious studies show that the quality of the tourist experience is aff ected by a large set of factors, many of which not directly related to the acquisition of specifi c products or services. Research also shows that tourist satisfaction is a determinant of destination loyalty. Th is study explores this topic by empirically analysing how the relationship between the satisfaction with the tourist experience and destination loyalty is aff ected by personal factors, such as socio-demographic characteristics and travelling motivations. Th is study is based on a small region representing an important destination in Algarve, Portugal, and uses data from a survey conducted on tourists of diff erent nationalities during peak season. We identify the reasons leading to dissatisfaction with the tourism experience and, based on structural equation modelling, ascertain the relationship between satisfaction levels with the tourism experience and tourist destination loyalty. Th en, a multiple group analysis provides a detailed overview of this relationship by establishing in which groups of tourists the relatedness between satisfaction and destination loyalty is stronger or weaker. In this sense, this study provides an important backdrop for destination managers looking to off er more eff ective and targeted marketing strategies.
- The rural village as an open door to nature-based tourism in Portugal: The Aldeia da Pedralva casePublication . Agapitoa, Dora; Mendes, Júlio; Pinto, PatríciaThis case study describes a good practice in the rural tourism fi eld. At the end of 2005, a young entrepreneur found a deserted village in the South of Portugal, where only seven locals were left from the initial dwellers. He and his colleagues decided to buy and rebuild the houses, a pile of ruins, and develop a rural tourism village project. Th e village’s integration in the Natura 2000 network and its close proximity to the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park allows multi-sensory experiences based on nature-based activities. Although oriented towards tourism, the project has benefi ted the local community. It includes the organisation of local events, partnerships with local enterprises and the support of the local council. Recently, the project aims to gather local enterprises into a single structure of public access, with a view to create conditions for higher quality nature-based experiences and job opportunities for locals. Furthermore, tourism in rural areas is also seen as a complement to the seasonal ‘sun and sand tourism’ in Algarve. Th is paper aims to discuss the economical, social, cultural and environmental implications of the project, presenting a contextualization regarding the recent developments of rural tourism in Portugal.