Sustainable Tourism Clusters: The case of Alentejo’s Natural Parks

Abstract

The sustainable tourism has been increasingly regarded as a strategic development axis for regions of low density. The preservation of these areas and its enhancement for nature tourism both on the accommodation and on the animation environment, through their balanced development, may lead to greater short-term adherence to this type of tourism and long-term extended capacity to compete internationally in terms of sustainable nature tourism.

Thus, the growing attention given by policy makers to tourism, including the component of sustainable tourism, is clearly demonstrated in the main proposals included in the PENT (National Strategic Plan for Tourism). This policy document contains several different strategies, aimed to promote the development of tourism in the Portuguese territory. However, for the Alentejo, the PENT does not defend the development of natural tourism. We believe that Alentejo’s potentialities for nature tourism were underestimated in the strategic document mentioned above. Subsequently, the communication will focus on the sustainable nature tourism in the Natural Park of “Costa Vicentina” and Southwest of Alentejo. It will analyze the main economic features of this protected area and, more precisely, the conditions of supply and demand for this type of tourism.

Thus, the main goal is to analyze the sustainable tourism cluster, according to Michael Porter's model. This way, we will take into consideration aspects such as public policies and strategies followed in this protected area, cooperation and competition between companies and expectations related with recreation and leisure within the natural park. Finally, we intend to determine the most adequate strategies to facilitate the boosting of local economies (often weakened by the ageing population) and the continued preservation of natural and cultural values, ensuring that they remain differentiated from other areas. This last concern is clearly related with the recent standardization of local tourism and leisure.