A systemic stakeholder perspective on cultural heritage in the Schist Villages Network, Portugal

Abstract

In a context of global changes in societies, the cultural elements of a tourist destination can determine the sustainability of the territories. Nowadays, the discussion about the preservation and management of cultural heritage as differentiating features of territories as tourist destinations is an emerging topic in international debates. The development of cultural tourism has attracted the interest of researchers, materialised in the publication of numerous works that analyse the increasing centrality of cultural tourism and the growing concerns with the impacts of tourism activities in the environment, local communities and possible distortion of the essence of cultural roots. The results of our research show the existence of significant differences in the perceptions of the various stakeholders regarding motivations, adjustment to the impacts of the tourist activities, and satisfaction with the different characterising elements of the Schist Villages destination, in Portugal, especially regarding cultural items.