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Hiking tourism and rural development: The case of the Mondego Walkways, Portugal

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This article examines hiking tourism’s contribution to rural development, as perceived by both visitors and local stakeholders / residents, with reference to the Mondego Walkways in central Portugal. The study is based on data collected through quantitative and qualitative methods, namely a survey carried out in situwith walkways’ visitors (n = 299) and a set of 16 semi‐structured interviews conducted with local stakeholders / residents in 2023. First, the results show that most of our interlocutors believed that the Mondego Walkways are already having a positive impact on local development through increased tourism and related economic activities. Second, they considered that the increase in the flow of visitors is also causing some adverse impacts. Third, visitors stated that the walkways may counteract rural depopulation, whereas local stakeholders / residents expressed a contrary opinion.

Source: PASOS Revista de Turismo y Patrimonio Cultural

DOI: 10.25145/j.pasos.2025.23.052

Authors: Luís Miguel Sousa Silva, Francisco Freire, António Azevedo, Rute Matos

Institutions: Centre for Research in Anthropology, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, University of Minho, University of Évora

Language: English

Topic: Urbanism, Landscape, and Tourism Studies

Subfield: Cultural Studies

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Sustainable cities and communities, Decent work and economic growth

Open Access status: diamond

OpenAlex ID: W4412640948

FWCI:

Cites: 23

Cited by:

Related to: 10