Tourism sustainability indicators in Portugal

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32358/rpd.2025.v11.728

Keywords:

national strategy, sustainable development, tourism indicators’ system, tourism planning

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to analyze the evolution of ways of measuring tourism sustainability in Portugal.Methodology: The study involved a qualitative methodology of documentary analysis of the main national tourism plans with the aim of identifying the indicators that were considered to measure the dimensions of sustainability.Findings: The analysis allowed to understand that the approach to sustainability has evolved over time and two periods can be highlighted, one before and one after 2017. Until 2017, tourism sustainability was mainly associated with the quantitative growth of the activity. After 2017, the Tourism Strategy 2027 was the first to design indicators to measure the three dimensions of sustainability: economic, environmental, and social.Research Limitation: The study revealed that there is already a varied set of monitoring indicators in use, but it was not possible to carry out an analysis of their evolution that allows understanding the results of the applied strategies.Originality/Value of paper: The need to improve the matrix of sustainable tourism indicators of Turismo de Portugal was identified, especially the sociocultural aspects, with indicators that make it possible to measure these aspects more effectively and to add some indicators for the cultural dimension, because none are found.

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Author Biographies

Sandra Isabel Rodrigues Bailoa, Instituto Politécnico de Beja

Sandra Isabel Rodrigues Bailoa. Completed her academic career mainly at the University of Évora where she completed her PhD in Management on 2014/06/06, her Master's in Economics on 2007/02/14 and her Degree in Business Management on 1996/09/30. Nowadays is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Business Sciences at the Polytechnic Institute of Beja where she began teaching in 1997. Currently teaches curricular units such as Microeconomics, Macroeconomics and Strategic Management, among others. The areas of research interest are: Intellectual Capital Management, Knowledge Management, Strategic Management, Information Systems Management, Economy, Tourism, Sustainability. Sandra Isabel Rodrigues Bailoa. Realizou o percurso académico principalmente na Universidade de Évora onde concluiu o Doutoramento em Gestão em 2014/06/06, o Mestrado em Economia em 2007/02/14 e a Licenciatura em Gestão de Empresas em 1996/09/30. É Professora Adjunta no Departamento de Ciências Empresariais do Instituto Politécnico de Beja onde iniciou a atividade docente em 1997. Leciona atualmente unidades curriculares como Microeconomia, Macroeconomia e Gestão Estratégica, entre outras. As suas áreas de interesse de investigação são: Gestão do Capital Intelectual, Gestão do Conhecimento, Gestão Estratégica, Gestão de Sistemas de Informação, Economia, Turismo, Sustentabilidade.

Pedro Cravo, Instituto Politécnico de Beja

Lecturer of Tourism related subjects, at Technology and Management School of Beja, Portugal, since 1996, my main area of interest is related to the use of technologies in the tourism activities.

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Published

2025-05-09

How to Cite

Bailoa, S. I. R., & Cravo, P. (2025). Tourism sustainability indicators in Portugal. Revista Produção E Desenvolvimento, 11(1), e728. https://doi.org/10.32358/rpd.2025.v11.728