IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/vrs/ejothr/v10y2020i2p154-164n5.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Hikes and Levadas in Madeira: Characterizing Visitors and their experience

Author

Listed:
  • Prudente João

    (Universidade da Madeira, Campus Universitário da Penteada, 9020-105Funchal)

  • Lopes Helder
  • Rodrigues Ana
  • Alves Ricardo
  • Fernando Catarina

    (Universidade da Madeira, Campus Universitário da Penteada, 9020-105Funchal)

  • Noite João
  • Vieira Sara

    (CITUR, Polo Madeira, Colegio dos Jesuítas, Rua dos Ferreiros, 9000-082, Funchal)

Abstract

Recent research indicates that more and more often tourists use the Madeira Natural Park (MNP) area to develop their physical activity, through mountain hiking and Levada walks. This study aims at identifying tourists’ characteristics and to understand how visitors live their experience. A survey was carried out at the end of two different activities and the sample was divided into two groups (G1: Levada Walks in the Laurissilva; G2: Walks outside the Laurissilva). The data was collected immediately after the activity ended (total: 293; male: 124; female: 169) and people were asked about: 1. Information available at the start of the activity; 2. Interaction and attention demand; 3. Natural area visited. The data indicates that the Madeira tourists have higher education, many are students and teachers, the majority being European. Our tourists are well informed about the natural environment and more than 90% agreed that it was ideal for aesthetic enjoyment and inspiring exploration. Our findings can help the tourist agents to improve their products, encourage the agencies to attract new markets outside Europe and can work as a basis for providing more guidance in the MNP, promoting a higher ‘flow experience’.

Suggested Citation

  • Prudente João & Lopes Helder & Rodrigues Ana & Alves Ricardo & Fernando Catarina & Noite João & Vieira Sara, 2020. "Hikes and Levadas in Madeira: Characterizing Visitors and their experience," European Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Recreation, Sciendo, vol. 10(2), pages 154-164, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:vrs:ejothr:v:10:y:2020:i:2:p:154-164:n:5
    DOI: 10.2478/ejthr-2020-0013
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.2478/ejthr-2020-0013
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.2478/ejthr-2020-0013?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Božo Mihailović & Ilija Moric, 2012. "The role of marketing philosophy in rural tourism development," Tourism and Hospitality Management, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management, vol. 18(2), pages 267-279, December.
    2. Paulo Oliveira & Pedro Telhado Pereira, 2008. "Who Values What in a Tourism Destination? The Case of Madeira Island," Tourism Economics, , vol. 14(1), pages 155-168, March.
    3. Noémi Marujo, 2013. "O Desenvolvimento Do Turismo Na Ilha Da Madeira," Turismo y Desarrollo Local, Servicios Académicos Intercontinentales SL, issue 15, December.
    4. Josep-Francesc Valls & Luís Mota & Sara Cristina Freitas Vieira & Rossana Santos, 2019. "Opportunities for Slow Tourism in Madeira," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-23, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Torres-Sovero, Claudia & González, José A. & Martín-López, Berta & Kirkby, Christopher A., 2012. "Social–ecological factors influencing tourist satisfaction in three ecotourism lodges in the southeastern Peruvian Amazon," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 545-552.
    2. Salvatore Ammirato & Alberto Michele Felicetti & Cinzia Raso & Bruno Antonio Pansera & Antonio Violi, 2020. "Agritourism and Sustainability: What We Can Learn from a Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-18, November.
    3. Yusuf DÜNDAR & Cemal Ersin SİLİK & Ertuğrul DÜZGÜN, 2023. "Marketing Philosophies in Hospitality Businesses: The Case of Bolu," Bingol University Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Bingol University, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, vol. 7(1), pages 207-221, June.
    4. Ivo Grgić & Lari Hadelan & Stjepan Krznar & Magdalena Zrakić, 2017. "Could rural tourism revitalize rural areas in Croatia?," Agroeconomia Croatica, Croatian Society of Agricultural Economists, vol. 7(1), December.
    5. Rocío González-Sánchez & Sara Alonso-Muñoz & María-Sonia Medina-Salgado & María Torrejón-Ramos, 2023. "Driving circular tourism pathways in the post-pandemic period: a research roadmap," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 17(3), pages 633-668, September.
    6. Chaang-Iuan Ho & Tzong-Shyuan Chen & Chin-Pei Li, 2023. "Airbnb’s Negative Externalities from the Consumer’s Perspective: How the Effects Influence the Booking Intention of Potential Guests," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-28, May.
    7. Marques da Silva António José, 2021. "In Quest of a New AR Technology Application to Enhance the Sustainability of Cultural Tourism: The Olive Heritage in Madeira Through the Looking Glass of a ‘Sandbox’ Approach," European Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Recreation, Sciendo, vol. 11(1), pages 66-76, December.
    8. Maria Elena Menconi & Rosaria Abbate & Giulia Ceccarelli & Anna Grassi & David Grohmann, 2023. "Rural Slow Routes as Connectors of Local Communities for the Promotion of Place Identity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-19, February.
    9. Sieds, 2012. "Complete Volume LXVI nn.3-4 2012," RIEDS - Rivista Italiana di Economia, Demografia e Statistica - The Italian Journal of Economic, Demographic and Statistical Studies, SIEDS Societa' Italiana di Economia Demografia e Statistica, vol. 66(3-4), pages 1-166.
    10. Agnieszka POCZTA-WAJDA & Joanna POCZTA, 2016. "The role of natural conditions in qualified agritourism - case of Poland," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 62(4), pages 167-180.
    11. Romana Gargano, Giuseppe Avena, Maurizio Mondello, 2012. "Cruise Tourism In Messina: A Study On The Perception Of Services," RIEDS - Rivista Italiana di Economia, Demografia e Statistica - The Italian Journal of Economic, Demographic and Statistical Studies, SIEDS Societa' Italiana di Economia Demografia e Statistica, vol. 66(3-4), pages 119-125.
    12. Merima Cinjarevic & Almir Peštek & Sanja Tufo, 2019. "The Distinctiveness of Rural Tourism Marketing Practices: The Case Study of Bosnia and Herzegovina," Academica Turistica - Tourism and Innovation Journal, University of Primorska Press, vol. 12(2), pages 173-184.
    13. Karina A. Rus & Ștefan Dezsi & Ovidiu R. Ciascai, 2023. "Transformative Experiences in Cycling Tourism: A Conceptual Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-22, October.
    14. Luca Adami & Marco Schiavon, 2021. "From Circular Economy to Circular Ecology: A Review on the Solution of Environmental Problems through Circular Waste Management Approaches," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-20, January.
    15. Fidel Martínez-Roget & José Alberto Moutela & Xosé A. Rodríguez, 2020. "Length of Stay and Sustainability: Evidence from the Schist Villages Network (SVN) in Portugal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-19, May.
    16. Hasegawa, Hikaru, 2010. "Analyzing tourists' satisfaction: A multivariate ordered probit approach," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 86-97.
    17. Ying Zhang & Jiehang Song & Angelo Sciacca & Jin Chan & Xiaoguang Qi, 2022. "Novel Sentiment Lexica Derived from User Generating Content by Chinese Tourists in Pacific Islands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-23, November.
    18. Gössling, Stefan & Peeters, Paul & Hall, C. Michael & Ceron, Jean-Paul & Dubois, Ghislain & Lehmann, La Vergne & Scott, Daniel, 2012. "Tourism and water use: Supply, demand, and security. An international review," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 1-15.
    19. Mota Luís & Franco Mara & Santos Rossana, 2021. "Social Carrying Capacity in Island Destinations: Interpreting Visitors’ Opinions in Madeira Island," European Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Recreation, Sciendo, vol. 11(2), pages 253-266, December.
    20. Carlos Rodríguez & Carmen Florido & Marta Jacob, 2020. "Circular Economy Contributions to the Tourism Sector: A Critical Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-27, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:vrs:ejothr:v:10:y:2020:i:2:p:154-164:n:5. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Peter Golla (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.sciendo.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.