Challenges in Saltpans: from individual to collaborative strategies
Helena Albuquerque
University of Aveiro
Helena Albuquerque holds a PhD in Sciences and Environmental Engineering. She is a research member at the Research Unit on Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policies (GOVCOPP) of the University of Aveiro. Currently, she is working as a researcher at the Departments of Economics, Management, Industrial Engineering and Tourism of the University of Aveiro and she is also co-coordinator of the CoastalTourism Research Group, in the same university. She has already published some papers in national and international journals and has participated in national and international conferences. Her main interest areas of research are Sustainable Tourism and Integrated Coastal Zones Management, Geographical Information Systems applied to tourism, Accessible Tourism, Wellness Tourism and Environmental Education. She is Invited Assistant Professor in Higher School of Education of the Polytechnic Institute of Viseu and cooperates with Síntese, consultoria em Planeamento, a consultant company in land-use planning.
Abstract
Coastal wetlands integrate a set of agri-marine traditional activities that contribute to its maintenance. The decline of these activities, namely salt production, in some places developed with ancient techniques, promotes... [ view full abstract ]
Coastal wetlands integrate a set of agri-marine traditional activities that contribute to its maintenance. The decline of these activities, namely salt production, in some places developed with ancient techniques, promotes degradation and loss of these areas. Saltpans are important replacement habitats for different bird species (shelter, feeding and nesting) and play an important role in estuaries maintenance.
In recent years, in Portugal, we assist of an interest grow for traditional saltpans areas, by entrepreneurs. New tourism trends related with territory authenticity are an opportunity for new complementary activities emergence. Although this interest integrated and collaborative sustainable strategies development are still a constraint.
This study explores the role of collaborative strategies in designing integrated innovative and sustainable tourism products related with traditional saltpans, namely an eco-creative experience framework, in the scope of the development of a doctoral thesis. The methodology used was a literature review concerning the concepts: coastal wetlands, ecosystems services, traditional knowledge, experience economy, sustainable tourism, experience tourism and creative tourism, the analysis of Guérande traditional saltpans (Atlantic France coast) best practices, and the empirical validation of the eco-creative experience framework through the application of a survey to Ria de Aveiro saltpans (Center region of Portugal) tourists and qualitative interviews with direct and indirect agents in order to validate the framework design for eco-creative experience in traditional saltpans.
As result the study assesses the existing saltpans tourism activities and new market trends, identifying new collaborative approaches to the integration of the concepts of experience, creativity and sustainability, as a way to promote traditional saltpans revitalization and thus wetlands conservation.
With this study was possible to conclude that the eco-creative experience framework can be implemented in saltpans areas, exploring the multi-resources and multi-functions of this natural and cultural heritage, by a set of public and private stakeholders, supported in a collaborative strategy.
Authors
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Ana Margarida Ferreira de Silva
(University of Aveiro)
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Filomena Martins
(University of Aveiro)
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Helena Albuquerque
(University of Aveiro)
Topic Area
Topics: Symposium
Session
OS-A2 » Tourism in Changing Natural Environments: Policy and Governance (09:00 - Monday, 3rd October, Santa Croce Room, Santa Chiara Complex)
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