From the evaluation of tourism regional distribution in Portugal to the implications on its development process (381)

Theme Track: Rural and Peripheral Areas - Tourism

Authors:
Eusébio, Celeste ; Malta, Paula

Southern Europe has become the playground of Europe. It best epitomizes, in fact, the concept of a continental playground (L. Hudman, 1994) and Portugal emerges as one of the best performing tourism destination. Tourism is seen as a sector being able to make a significant contribution to the strengthening of the Portuguese economic basis, the enhancement of the competitive position of its productive activities and the decrease of regional disparities. Moreover, it is acknowledge that tourism can contribute to a more efficient use of natural resources and to increase the effectiveness of regional differentiated characteristics.

In spite of tourism importance in the Portuguese economy, the sector is faced with intrinsic structural problems, in particular, those related with the strong international competition, unequal geographical distribution of tourist activities, strong dependence on a single product and few markets and seazonal concentration. In addition decreases in the average stay and expenditure pointed to the possible quality deficiencies on the supply side, especially human resources. This paper attempts to make an evaluation of the geographic distribution of the tourism activity in Portugal. In order to measure regional implications of tourism dynamics, it was decided to use location measures that cross statistical data on supply and demand side indicators. The results confirm the existence of regional tourism imbalances in Portugal - a strong polarisation by a restricted group of regions (Algarve, Madeira, Lisbon), while in the remaining territory a small-scale tourism prevails. Contrasts between regions with high accomodation capacity and those where that capacity is almost null become pronounced when we go from the coastal area to the Portuguese 'hinterland'. In terms of tourism demand, a similar pattern can be drawn.

However, some differences can be noticed between the domestic and the foreign markets: empirical evidence reveals a stronger polarisation of foreign tourists by the most developed and international well-known tourism regions. The consistence of these 'maps' reinforces the thesis that tourism in Portugal shows a high degree of spatial inequality and is geographically highly concentrated. As has been noted elsewhere (Williams & Shaw,1988: 263) the "very nature of tourism - with its heavy spatial and seasonal polarization - usually requires some form of interventionism". In this context, it seems that the increase of competitiveness of tourism in Portugal should be enhanced by a more balanced spatial spread of the activity.

Keywords: Tourism, regional inequalities, tourism offer, tourism demand, location measures, Portugal

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