sign in sign up
<<
Home , Alentejo, Alentejo Region

sustainable tourism micro-clusters: the case of protected areas

Regina Salvador José Lúcio Jorge Ferreira

Resumo: Abstract: A A A A A clusters or industrial districts B resortsresorts B como clusters A C BA B  micro- 778 clusters  7 8 : 8 77 7:8 87 8: ; A B 87:8 B ; M  C 7 Keywords ;  ?7 Palavras-chave ; JEL Codes@ ?7 Códigos JEL@

5 estudos regionais | nº 25/26

Introduction B C D O PB D B B A 7 77Q ACBB 1. On Sustainable Tourism – elements A E B 7B ABB “sustainable tourism is a positive approach C7R intended to reduce the tensions and frictions created ABA by the complex interactions among the tourism industry, visitors, the environment and communities B7B which are host to holiday makers” R AGC@. @SSO M C A BBAA BR BA BA 7 7 A AB 2ABBD A D B7 A B AP. AB BEJKKJ decalageR A ; 7 B A :7JKKLMNJKKL A MA A B B RO;A A 7 N JKKJ @K B 7R the promotion of national strategies for sustainable tourism development, including the B decentralization of environmental management to regional and local levels, can be seen as one of the A M main policy areas regarding sustainable tourism”. BRA7 7 sustainability 7 A A B “tourism and @ B A its associated infrastructures that, both now and in B A J the future, operate within natural capacities for the B 7 regeneration of and future productivity of natural resources”@SSJO

@7BATQUVR 2 7CB7 ONN NMN PNJKKJ

6 sustainable tourism micro-clusters: the case of alentejo protected areas

M E 7BM enterprise that achieves an effective balance among 8 the environmental, economic, and socio-cultural B aspects of tourism development in order to guarantee W7M?@ WA DBA B B B AA D DA BD BD ? @SSS B NBD B B Q7 A 2. The Tourism Activity in ;AJKKJ AM@@V? @KV A JKKL 7 A E E JKKQ B QV JKKQ AA C B JK@Q P@V A @SSQ B A W MN B JKKLBJJVW XBJKVB@OV ABA A B @@V B A D AWX X@SSKB A ?@STS 7 D A ABOTV B BABJJV;B@QV 7AOV? BBA MA BE C B BD B B N A M B B BRA7 B D 8 B N 7 M B CD7;G M A7JSSVB C OTUV A N A BA8

QBJKKJ

7 estudos regionais | nº 25/26

?7B 3. Alentejo Parks and Natural Reserves A B M N U GA MNG N D B @PQ C N “national interest areas containing natural and semi- R R A 7 humanized landscapes and consistent examples of OK D the integration of human activities and nature, which 7 PL E shows samples of a natural region”N CB are A BA B “to maintain the natural processes in undisturbed state”. ; A7 BB A BB D A A BB BB8 888 une certaine atmosphere” 8B8BD8 B A 88B8 last but not the least7 B A 7 ?D7 7@@@@Q B

figura 1 7

UBM?OSYJKKT;L

8 sustainable tourism micro-clusters: the case of alentejo protected areas

figura 1.1 NN

Area 23.160 ha

Councils Alcácer do Sal

Grândola

Year of creation 1980

Number of tourist units Alcácer do Sal -14

Grândola –11

Main Interests Botany

Fauna (with ornithological and ictiology)

Source: ICNB, 2009

figura 1.2 N7 N7

Area 5.247 ha

Councils

Santiago do Cacém

Year of creation 2000

Number of tourist units Sines - 10 Santiago do Cacém - 11 Main Interests Wetlands (important for

breeding, wintering and migration of birds) Dunes Sea lane Marine fauna

Source: ICNB, 2009

9 estudos regionais | nº 25/26

figura 1.3 N:N:

Area 69.773 ha

Councils Mértola

Year of creation 1995

Number of tourist units Serpa -14 Mértola – 8

Main Interests Fauna

Flora Geomorphology Landscape History and Culture

Source: ICNB, 2009

figura 1.4 N7:N7:

Area 76.000 ha

Councils Sines

Year of creation 1980

Number of tourist units Sines – 10 Odemira – 26

Main Interests Coastal habitats Flora Endemic fauna (with ichthyofauna and birds) History

Source: ICNB, 2009

10 sustainable tourism micro-clusters: the case of alentejo protected areas

figura 1.5 N;N;

Area 55.524 ha

Councils Marvão Portalegre

Year of creation 1989

Number of tourist units Marvão - 31

Castelo de Vide - 17 Portalegre - 16 Arronches – 0 Main Interests Compatibility between human activities and ecosystems dynamics

Source: ICNB, 2009

4. Theoretical Approach # M to Tourist Clusters BD A 4. 1 Porter “Diamond” Model A D BD A # ? M A A B DABR D ? B  M TKR, ; # M ? ; B RCA C

11 estudos regionais | nº 25/26

#AAMC A A B BA GMB R M C M A B A A D EAO MA BC A J B

figura 2 Porter “Diamond” Model

History Strategy, Structure and Rivalry

Related Public Policies Industries

Source:;@SSK

figura 3 The Porter “Diamond” Model applied to Tourism in Protected Areas

History - Business Strategies - Dynamics and sense of risk

- Search demanding - Natural Environment - Dynamic - Lodgement enterprises - Respect for the environment

- Transport - Parks Public Policies - Heritage

Source:7

12 sustainable tourism micro-clusters: the case of alentejo protected areas

B A ; JKKL BDA A B A B B locality 7 A A convene niche markets, taking into account that the problems and issues in this sector do not concern large- scale regions but rather smaller localities and their B communities” ;JKKLJ A MY ABDA C DB AD7B B A A B micro-cluster MRA CBA 7 , the term “micro- BA7 cluster” refers to the geographic concentration B AA environment, where the complementary interaction B of local specialization”;JKKLJOM 4. 2 BlocalityB DBD C ;JKKLO BARD;AJKKU 7 R are “geographic concentrations of interconnected A CA companies, specialized suppliers, service providers, B (universities, standards agencies, and trade Y cooperate”@SSKLT B E B DB A the ABD place;D;7@SSS B B Porter model. A RCA BDD A MD destination, with its conglomeration of competing and R networking collaborating businesses, generally working together ADADA in associations and through partnership marketing to Mlocality and placeAA put their location on the map. Porter, in fact, has used a tourism-related cluster as one of many examples BACA of clustering in practice, citing the “California per se cluster”RD;AJKKUU

13 estudos regionais | nº 25/26

BD A ABAM A B ABD A AA A BD B 7?C 7M8 N@SS@A G8 MA8 D ?M8 7;JKKT MA8 B M;D8 BY8A M AA8D R 7 B D A MC BA B A B M @QJ A7 B B BN;PT8 N7:OP8N:OL8NS8N7JK CA 7;B MB A A8 BBAN B7 : N B A D M A B A B B AB 5. 2 Factor Conditions A

5. 2.1 5. Inquiries results analysis B D P 5. 1 Introduction BS@VUU 7 R QOLV 7A C?7 B AJV RB G E E C 7 @KP AUUBA B

7 GA@PTB

14 sustainable tourism micro-clusters: the case of alentejo protected areas

5. 2. 2 Employment 7APUV A M A A D M MR A BD DAR D NA ASKV A DA CA + BD TJV A Q A ABUKV T \ A B AG PKV AB AB

figura 4 Number of inquiries conducted per Protected Areas

RNES, 6

PNSSM, 13

RNLSAS, 13

PNSACV, 20

PNVG, 14

Source:7R

figura 5 Workers Distribution by Training Categories (%)

16

9 46 Managers Highly skilled technicians 4 Office clerks Specialized personnel Non specialized workers

25

Source:7R

15 estudos regionais | nº 25/26

5. 3 Demand Conditions PUA M LOV QV PKACN:B JJV QJACA AN BA N;N7:B MB BDBB AMU@PV U JLLV MBQSV A@KTVA P@V B N QUV A N7 N; B N7 A OKV RAA B L

figura 6 Inquiries Origin by natural area

40

35

30

25

20

15

10 Portugal 5 Regional

0 Foreign PNSSM PNSACV PNVG RNES RNLSAS

Source:7R

figura 7 Customers level of education by natural area

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20 Elementary

10 Medium Superior 0 PNSSM PNSACV PNVG RNES RNLSAS Natural Areas (total) Source:7R

16 sustainable tourism micro-clusters: the case of alentejo protected areas

7 ABAM B OU BD 7 M7 D B M N: A N; BD CA A A AN;BO A BD A 7B ABB BBBD BC7 BA NBB A GRA AU CBDA T AB B7:N B DN7: A AA A A

figura 8 Reasons for choosing Alentejo and a particular natural area

25

20

15

10

PNSSM

PNSACV 5 PNVG

RNES

0 RNLSAS Landscape Events Business Peaceful environment Others

Source:–

17 estudos regionais | nº 25/26

A A A A D A YBC CA BBAA RAB B 7:NDN7: 7 @K 7ABB B BABR B AA 7RB ADA A A B S A B DB BAA BDDA B B A MAM :A N D N: ;A A A A 7 7A AA ;—MAA A ;;ND AM Y 5. 4 Related and Supporting Industries D C 7TQV A

figura 9 Nature Tourism Habit

30

25

20

15

10

5

0 Yes No PNSSM PNSACV PNVG RNES RNLSAS

Source:7R

18 sustainable tourism micro-clusters: the case of alentejo protected areas

G TJV BA A7S@V @TV DB B A A Y B BA @@ A

figura 10 Recognized factors of success by units

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0 Beaches Wild life Historic Footpaths Natural Restaurants Others observation heritage heritage

Source:7R

figura 11 Suppliers of tourism animation according to different geographical ambit (%)

2 12

Local

Regional

National

86

Source:7R

19 estudos regionais | nº 25/26

5. 5 Firm Strategy, Structure and Rivalry 5. 6 Public Policies A 7A A D UKV N B A PKV MBC A B D ABABY BA M OUV AR A EA 7 GD D BD C :N7 A A O@ UUDA @O 7 OOV B A BD A A A D ? 77 E 77M7 O@VB 7 7 A B B @YO 7R B 7 A B @YOB C B 7CAJJVA 7C D@J 7

figura 12 Cooperation with travel agencies at different geographic scales (%)

15 22

Regional Agencies

National Agencies

36 Foreigner Agencies

27 Don't collaborate

Source:7R

20 sustainable tourism micro-clusters: the case of alentejo protected areas

ABB D7BB A D B B BD B B D GEM“The natural B A park does not give us the support that they should.”; C B M “In ;  the last two years I have been trying to cooperate B with the park but without results. I think mainly due M to political questions”; :DM B “I do not recognize advantages of belonging @BA to a natural park… I will tell you why… I asked for the DA ICNB’sšAAD› # support in order to promote bird watching activities D among my clients and I did not get any answer. Besides A8 that, we had around 10.000 trees to give to ICNB to # plant wherever they wanted to in Portugal and they AB8 didn’t want them”; ;M #DA “We have a good relationship with the N B park’s management but we would think there would !" 2. BBB managing system to the parks. The booking of B guided visits to the parks is quite limited and heavily dependent on the presence and availability of human O resources”.

Others, 25 Tourism Sector Particularities, 29

Environmental Quality, 3

Public Policies, 4 Enterprises, 7 Connected Sectors, 4 Natural Areas Management, 7

Source:7R

21 estudos regionais | nº 25/26

BD A D B E N D B 7R@ 7A 6. Final Conclusions B7 @MC A G D A A “it is A more advantageous for a protected area, have a visit 8 from a person seven days of that seven people in one JMBAR day” NA ECB7R B G A A D ABBB N R A 7 BB7 table1 SWOT Matrix – Alentejo Protected Areas

Strengths Weaknesses

Existence of five natural areas with great potential for global population; Lack of cooperation among firms, tour operators and natural parks;

Existence of a large number of tourism units in natural areas; Existence of low supply of nature oriented activities; Dependence from the national market (without much of a motivation for Natural and cultural landscape, wealthy cuisine; travel); Largely seasonal tourism (not always the height of summer is the richest Attractive beaches and coastal areas; and most suitable for visiting the parks / nature reserves); Lack of specialized staff ;

Fauna, flora and attractive habits; Weak accessibilities;

Reduced number of beds for tourist purposes;

Environmental sensitivity;

Ability to adventure sports. Little awareness of the existence of natural areas;

Low environmental awareness; The proportion of registered foreign guests is high, showing some power of attraction over the high consumption market of nature and sustainable Low entrepreneurship and disclosure of protected areas; tourism; Low use of local potential.

Suppliers are in most cases regional.

Opportunities Threats

Increased national (European and world) awareness to the importance Competing national and (Spain) destinations, with better of preserving the environment, induces the extension of the market marketing; segment of tourism travel and the nature of touring and cultural landscape; International crisis, which retracts the potential for travel to the markets of Nature tourism as a different product; fitness "nature"; National and international destinations with certain similarities and better Increasing activities related to nature sports; marketing strategies; Over-marketing can generate mass tourism;

Risk of environmental degradation.

Source:7

22 sustainable tourism micro-clusters: the case of alentejo protected areas

O7 N @SSQ 7 M 7 B 7 GB C RDR;AJKKU BDA 77 7WA AD X @SSK ;D Environment, Tourism AB and Development: An Agenda for Action? A Workshop to consider Strategies for Sustainable Development P@K ; : P 7 A ; ; 7 R @SSO : @ AA N@ BAD ;D ; 7 @SSS NJKKL G B QWR 7 European Urban and Regional StudiesU@SJQ BAB ;BJKKL;NBD B7 N ;BJKKL;; B JKKL; NBD B 8B 7 B 7 A ; B JKKT X T. JKKT D A Q A WXB ; M?:OSYJKKT A 7 L;?@9 NN:PT M N JKKJ BD N ; WN N N JKKUJK@Q JKKL; M References ;@SSK7N :7JKKLBBB NB£D ? @SSS ; @SSK B ? 7 7A Harvard Business Review:LUNULLSK GD¢ONB£D B E 7 JKKJ M ?C7XNGR@SS@DA CGDB AANB£D B JKKJ JKKJ G M N M ? M ; @STS ;D W7M?MFrom the American PeopleYYBBB AYProceedings of the Environment Institute of YYB¨ Australia Second National Conference ; EEJKKQ M7@SUJSU MR—G ; A KLYKOYJKKQ JKKJ 7 ; @SSJ GA Principles for sustainable tourism, E Statistical data: MNJKKLJKKU MN JKKL JKKQ

T7NBM DNJKKL

23