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Tourism marketing is still a theme which faces difficulties to stablish solid theoretical basis, given the complexity of the tourism amalgam. The touristic attractions and infrastructure-related elements of a tourist location are mentioned in the literature as important for attracting visitors. However, the elements perceived by actors of a touristic destination remain unknown. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to identify the main elements of attractiveness perceived by stakeholders of an historical destination. Through a qualitative approach the research is based on in-depth interviews with local stakeholders from Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The study showed that the perception of attractiveness of local actors covers the historical and cultural distinct attractions and problems such as lack of service innovation and professionalism. It also points solutions such as the exploitation of potential attractions and product differentiation towards competitors.

This paper proposes a plot subject concept that considers the complexity of contemporary subjectivity and its implications for tourism. It addresses the machinic subjectivation gear in the processes of tourism deterritorializations in times of internationalization, globalization, and giving new meanings to the relationships with tourist and life production destinations. It is a transdisciplinary approach involving the fields of tourism; subjectivity, especially schizoanalysis in this case; and the epistemology of science, according to authors that discuss the contemporary systemic complexity. It is the product of research on subjectivity, communications, and touriso at São Paulo University, University of Caxias do Sul, and University of Amazonas. The text also brings indicators about research methodology practices involving the plot subjects of tourism consistent with science’s changing scene. The makeup of the chaosmotic subjective field is also presented as a result of media‑socioeconomic‑political and cultural intermediations.

In this paper domestic tourism in Uruguay is analyzed by introducing an Origin-Destination matrix approach, and an attraction coefficient is calculated. We show that Montevideo is an attractive destination to every department except itself (even if it emits more trips than it receives), and the Southeast region is the main destination. Another important outcome is the importance of intra-regional patterns, associated to trips to bordering departments. Findings provide destination managers with practical knowledge, useful for reducing seasonality and attracting more domestic tourists throughout the year, as well as to deliver a better service offer, that attracts both usual visitors and new ones from competitive destinations.

This paper analyzes the importance of the image of tourist destination at the beach of Barra Grande, located in Cajueiro da Praia/PI-Brazil. According to what was analyzed through the perception of tourists, it was possible to observe how this image formed by tourists is understood, along with the results and the corresponding factors that contributed to this image formation. This theme, which serves as a tool for differentiating and promoting tourism, in addition to intervene in the selection process, is essential to the instigation of the consumer to visit the destination. Thus, as the tourist product is intangible, it is proved through descriptions and pictures how important the imaginary image creation is, and what to do through the use of marketing strategies to reach a target audience. In such a way, the results were significant, which gave importance and value to the image of the destination studied.

El turismo cultural se ha convertido en una de las modalidades de mayor crecimiento, suponiendo una oportunidad de desarrollo para muchos espacios fuera de los tradicionales destinos de “sol y playa”. Sin embargo, aún es escaso el número de trabajos sobre las tipologías y valoraciones de los turistas que visitan destinos culturales. Desde esta perspectiva, este artículo propone un acercamiento a las diferentes valoraciones que distintos grupos de turistas, identificados por su motivación, realizaron sobre la ciudad de Cuenca, en Ecuador. A partir del análisis e interpretación de los resultados de una encuesta a los turistas que visitan esta ciudad, este trabajo indaga sobre estas cuestiones. The cultural tourist: typologies and analysis of the valuations of the destination from the case study of Cuenca-Ecuador Abstract: Cultural tourism has become one of the fastest growing modalities, assuming a development opportunity for many spaces outside of traditional “sun and beach” destinations. However, there is a limited the number of works about the typologies and valuations of these cultural tourists. In this sense, this article proposes an approach to the types and different ratings that different groups of tourists made on the city of Cuenca, in Ecuador. Based on the analysis and interpretation of the results of a survey of tourists visiting this city, this paper explores these issues. Keywords: Cultural tourism, typology of tourists, destination rating, Cuenca, Ecuador.

The primary objective of this paper was to assess the impacts of Braga (Portugal) being 2012’s European Youth Capital (EYC 2012), as perceived by the residents of the hosting city of Braga, the EYC 2012 event participants, and the EYC 2012 program organizers. To achieve these goals, two surveys were conducted: an on-going directive interview (2012 – 110 respondents) and an ex-post directive interview (2013 - 73 respondents). The comparative analysis enabled us to draw the following primary conclusions: i) the bulk of the respondents had a positive perception of EYC 2012; females and individuals with up to 9 years of schooling valued it the most; ii) the internet and friends/relatives were the main means used to access the EYC 2012 program; iii) the most popular EYC 2012 events were the musicals and the White Night.

Community-based tourism (CBT) has been promulgated as a “new” form of tourism that is defined as the opposite to mass tourism. It is also considered as an initiative that has a potential for social transformation and sustainable local development. CBT initiatives are characterized by the pursuit of quality of life for the actors involved, the search for social and/or environmental gains at the local level, and the development of initiatives that favor the collective. In this perspective, CBT seems to be aligned with the postulates of Social Innovation (SI). However, in academic circles, the understanding of CBT as a mechanism of social transformation and as a form of social innovation is difficult to comprehend due to an absence of a theoretical framework. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to analyze the congruence between the concepts of CBT and IS based on the analysis of the model of social innovation proposed by Tardif and Harrison (2005). The findings confirm that the communitybased tourism can be considered a social innovation since it contemplates the various categories of social innovation as stated by network of congruences of the constructs of the concepts deduced from the analysis.

This paper deals with the representations of Pataxó Indians of the village of Coroa Vermelha, municipality of Santa Cruz Cabrália, in the state of Bahia / Brazil about work and their economic activities. Presents reflections on the native understandings of these activities and concluding to refer to the understanding built by indians about the work and its relation with the tradition. The article is the result of doctoral research, with fieldwork conducted between 2008 and 2011, which expounded upon appropriation by the Indians of tourism as main economic activity and the changes made in the form of practicing tourism, wich in the process I describe as indianization of tourism. The ethnography aims to investigate the settings of the relationship between economics and tradition contextualized by an inner vision, that is, described in the terms presented by the indians, of the category tradition.

By examining tourism among the Pataxó of the Coroa Vermelha Indian Land, in the state of Bahia (Brazil), this article highlights two modalities of tourism observed at that place: one in which prevails an imperialist approach and other in which postcolonial discourse is more easily negotiated between Indians and the visitors. Based on ethnographic data collected in a varied manner over the last nineteen years, this paper focuses the discourses and performances present at that location in order to reflect on the agency that constitute meanings about those traditions and local heritage, and that highlights a memory on the Discovery of Brazil.

This article discusses the similarities, differences and synergies between anthropology and tourism in Portuguese space. The aim is to analyze the touristification of anthropology in Portugal (the methodological and epistemological to the object of study by the discipline adaptations), and a certain anthropologization of tourism. Framed in the history of Portuguese anthropology, the paper starts with the analysis of the work of anthropologists who built a certain genealogy of anthropology of tourism in Portugal: birth, development, present and current directions pointing to a future with more attention to tourism. The findings point to a normalization of the anthropology of tourism in Portuguese academic context and also to greater anthropologization of the field of tourism studies in the levels of teaching and research.

This paper seeks to assess the extent to which the motivations of visitors to the shrine city of Fatima and the reception conditions that the city offers correspond to their expectations and are at the level of other three European Marian shrine cities (Lourdes, Loreto and Banneux). The comparison is based on a survey conducted in the four shrine cities to a total of 310 people. The overwhelming majority of respondents are Catholic, have high academic qualifications, are from many countries around the world and visit the shrine cities primarily for religious motives. Fatima is a reference on issues such as religious services, quality of information, transport and access, traffic and parking, cleaning and organization of space, but has some weaknesses at other levels. The larger shrine cities are regarded as the most unique and irreplaceable. The overwhelming majority of visitors intend to return and / or recommend a visit.

The construction of a model of sustainable tourism development able to generate economic and social benefits at the same time minimize the environmental impacts, requires attention to issues related to participatory management. In this context, community -based tourism is presented as a tourism development practice that is able to point out paths to sustainability, provided that it is rooted in the participation and social leadership of local populations. This paper proposes a theoretical discussion about the dilemmas and perspectives of participatory management in the context of sustainable tourism through the proposed of community -based tourism. As a synthesis, it´s evidenced the premise of importance of social participation in the current systemic configuration of tourism in which the activity is overcoming the merely economic image to get new dimensions, transversalities and interdependencies.

Tomando-se como referência o estudo de Sola (1996), que aponta três fases na trajetória das Políticas Públicas de Turismo (PPT) mundiais, este paper se propõe a analisar o perfil das PPT de Brasil e da Espanha. Apresentamos os resultados de um estudo fundamentado na lógica de sistema aberto, amparado em uma verificação centrada em estabelecer “estilos de gestão em PPT” como sistema. Consideramos como inputs informações sobre a demanda atual e prognósticos de tendências do turismo. Para outputs consideraram-se: 1) oferta de produtos; 2) impactos ambientais 3) impactos socioculturais. Para a análise comparativa entre Brasil e Espanha utilizaramse como categorias analíticas: 1) formas de ação, 2) quantidade/qualidade, 3) estratégia e 4) impactos. Os resultados evidenciam que, no Brasil permanecem traços da primeira e segunda fases (Sola, 1996), juntamente com iniciativas pontuais características da terceira fase (devido aos investimentos recentes em turismo), marcada pela busca de sustentabilidade e competitividade, já mais adiantados na Espanha.

This paper aims to discuss the importance that the intentional use of stereotyped representations, concerning places and their inhabitants, have in the text of the folders. From this perspective, a systematic survey of those representations has been made in a sample of the folders and brochures edited in three northern coastal Portuguese towns: Vila do Conde, Póvoa de Varzim and Esposende. The conclusion was drawn that what underlies the construction of this type of documents is the behaviourist principle according to which a neutral stimulus, when associated with a pleasant, positive stimulus, immediately becomes an also positive stimulus. This means that the choice of the tourist destination may be mainly caused by the image built by those small printed objects, once the tourist appropriation of the topological and anthropological stereotypes favours the creation of a narrative and argumentative frame which is thoroughly understandable for the approach by the promotional agents to the potential consumers of their products.

The changes in the mode of production in the twentieth century led man to change their way of life. Thus, the capital found another form of economic exploitation, tourism. This paper analyzes the tourism relating to the social capital, based on Putnam (2000) and parallel literature searches of authors who analyze the issue. Such an object of research is in its begin, shows wide field of research, valuing the social capital as a strategic for the social development. We analyzed communities of Ceará, mainly the Prainha do Canto Verde Beberibe ‑ CE. It is possible to envisage the possibility of an alternative tourism, which opposes the predatory exploitation commonly practiced in many tourist destinations, particularly in the Brazil Northeast.

This paper aims to present some results of scientific research, whose main objective consisted in analyzing the activities of pedagogical rural tourism as educational practice to be developed in addition to schooling, based on two empirical experiences developed in southern Brazil: the Tourism Route “Caminhos Rurais” of Porto Alegre (RS) and the Tourism Project “Viva Ciranda” in Joinville (SC). Methodologically, we used a literature review, the observation of the proposed activities and semi‑structured interviews conducted with 11 farmers, owners of farm properties and 22 teachers who visited these properties. We conclude that pedagogical rural tourism plays an important socio‑educational function, as contributing to children’s learning and setting into value of the farmers knowledge and practices.

The study aims to determine how the knowledge obtained from the study of prehistoric heritage found during the construction of the Alqueva dam and irrigation system (Portugal) can enhance the current tourist experience of the destination. A new approach is necessary given the inaccessibility of the archeological remains, thus creative tourims and experience economy frame the theoretical basis of this paper. Semi-directed interviews were carried out to 35 tourism stakeholders in order to assess their view of the regional tourism experience, their interest in ex-situ and virtual products based on the archeological knowledge and how these may add to the Alqueva destination. Findings show that stakeholders are still firmly attached to the conventional approach to archaeology but that, even though unaware of the archaeological findings, they believe that they could benefit form the introduction of creative products as a way of complementing the current offer.

This paper tries to elucidate how the Ritz Hotel in Porto Alegre (Brazil) compete successfully with its resources and capabilities within the range of the chosen strategy. The research is qualitative, descriptive with semi‑structured interviews and non‑participant observation. All the employees and the owner were interviewed. Among the main conclusions reached were the importance of human capital and organizational culture as competitive and operational resources. In addition, the network of contacts formed by former residents, the internet as well as government agencies contribute in the renovation of hotel guests.

The objetive of this paper is to discuss how tourism affects local development in the city of corumbá/MS/Brazil. To this end, it was conducted a survey of bibliographic and descriptive exploratory qualitative survey through structured questionnaires mixed to 11 managers from the local tourist trade with a view to identifying relevant variables, subsequently classified according to the methodology of SWOT analysis with notes and weighting. The variables of tourism in municipality identified as most relevant to local development were precariousness of public policy, income concentration, high participation of local labor, social exclusión, low educational level, economic poverty of the local population.

Throughout the twentieth century, culture has come to assume a distinctive role in tourism activities in rural areas in particular. Traditions, customs and local identity are endogenous resources which has integrated the experience of rural, sought by increasingly demanding tourists. This paper will seek to understand the cultural-lived experience in January Cima, a village in the Central Interior of Portugal, through the perceptions of various stakeholders of the destination, and identify portencialiades to develop creative alternatives that can improve the overall rural tourism experience. The results demonstrate that an integrated approach to tourism development is already being implemented, but there is still potential to exploit existing cultural resources to improve the tourist experience in this village, with all groups interviewed attractive to recognize the value resulting from the junction of the traditions co-creation of experiences.

The way people value and understand environment is influenced by their experiences. Thus, this paper aims to analyze the perception of different social groups on the exploitation management of the so -called “natural swimming -pools” or Galés de Maragogi – Alagoas State, Brazil. Methods included the perusal of biographic researches about social representation and environmental perception, and semi -structured interviews with representatives of government, private sector and local people. Despite presenting similar views in most cases, interviewees reported attitudes and opinions divergent on tourism exploitation and practical solutions to the planning problems. It is essential for the tourism activities management a strong linkage between government, private sector and society in order to minimize conflicts and maximize the benefits of the tourism sector.

Indigenous tourism is a growing segment worldwide. This paper presents a bibliometric study that analyzes the scientific literature on the field of study of indigenous tourism in international journals between 1990 and 2013. This study is relevant given the growing trend in tourism deploy to enable economic development in indigenous communities, using their territory, culture and history as potential attractions. While parsing published articles central themes such as ecotourism and sustainable tourism were identified as well as peripheral issues such as governance and public tourism policy. Furthermore, this research shows the centrality of the issue of sustainable development in all analyzed articles. The article outlines a research agenda, with indications of gaps and suggestions to encourage research in this field of study and contribute to the sustainable development of indigenous communities.

The importance of the five human senses - sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch on the positive, unique and memorable visitor experiences marketing has been emphasized in research on tourism. Particularly, multisensory richness and vulnerability of existing local resources in rural areas, with differing features of the urban environment and enhancer activity connected to nature and rural assets, justify marketing suitable for sustainable development of rural tourism experience. Considering the contribution of sensory marketing to design an environment enhancer desirable tourist experiences and for targeting tourists, this paper aims to reflect on the role of the five senses in tourist experiences that enhance the sustainable development of rural marketing destinations.

The paper presents a model of social and environmental planning, designed from the analysis of sustainability indicators in the municipality of Floresta do Xingu (MT). The model, developed by the method of case study aims to contributing to the ecological monitoring of the region. This regional context, located in the basin of the Xingu, is known as arc of deforestation in the Amazon Region. The proposed model provides the basis for a social and environmental zoning plan, allowed the identification of effects of intensity of land use. And, as well as, the influence of the relations established by local communities (indigenous land and settlement projects), loss of habitat, natural condition, the environmental quality of the vegetation and water resources of the region. The implications arising from the implementation can help governments and public managers in the formulation of possible spatial arrangements for the region and to identify priority areas for biodiversity conservation.

In this paper domestic tourism in Uruguay is analyzed by introducing an Origin-Destination matrix approach, and an attraction coefficient is calculated. We show that Montevideo is an attractive destination but to itself (even if it emits more trips than it receives), and the Southeast region is the main destination. Another important outcome is the importance of intra-regional patterns, associated to trips to bordering departments. The findings provide destination managers with practical knowledge useful for reducing seasonality and attracting more domestic tourists throughout the year, as well as to provide more a better service offer, that attracts both usual visitors and new ones from competitive destinations.

Policy makers, practitioners and analysts have focused on the psychology to induce consumers to new products. These new eye-catching packaging products in tourism and hospitality industries and beyond are commercialized to thousands of home thanks to the media. We are living in times, digital times where organic image plays a pivotal role in arousing emotions and experiences, although these experiences were not authentic. Following this discussion, initialized some time ago by D. Maccannell and other sociologists, the present paper explores the philosophical roots of image to expand the current understanding about our ocular-centrism. At time, tourists select a destination, they are moved by “the wish of majority”, but once destination is maturated, its attractiveness declines. What seems to be interesting to discuss here is the connection between perceived safety (risk) and attraction (organic image). Following I. Kant’s contributions, we present a conceptual model to understand how the dilemma of safety leads consumers to visual pollution.

Destination image has been recognised as an influential component of travel decision processes. Although organic sources of information play an important role in shaping destination image, researchers have often ignored the types of sources and the information they deliver. In particular, official websites where government travel advice is given, especially in relation to crime, have been widely excluded from scholarly research. This paper analyses the relationship between crime-related travel advice given by foreign governments and Mexico’s destination image. Qualitative content analysis of official websites from the US, Canada, the UK and Spain reveals that the travel advice given relates largely to the violence and insecurity that Mexico is currently experiencing. “No advisory in effect”, “Exercise caution” and “Defer non-essential travel” are messages commonly found in the governments’ travel advice about Mexico.

One of the most troubling aspects of cultural studies, is the lack of comparative cases to expand the horizons of micro-sociology. Based on this, the present paper explores the effects of gentrification in one neighborhood, Riverwest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA. This essay-review explores the role of arts, not only as creating an image of neighborhoods, but as a mechanism to prevent the commoditization of spaces. Riverwest has never been commoditized as a tourist-product like many other tourist-sites. The concept of patrimony and heritage are placed under the lens of scrutiny in this investigation. To some extent, some cities are produced to be consumed while others do not, is one of the intriguing points this research explores.

There are a number of attributes in the Western world when referring to Brazil that are stereotypes, some have a positive component as “tropical value”, “joy” and “exotic”, and others have a negative component as “insecurity”,” inequality” or “marginalization “. With the upcoming celebration of two sporting massive events such as the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics, Brazil is located between the stereotype and reality. The suitability and readiness of the country to the requirements of these events can be the way to mitigate certain stereotypes and risks, and make progress in the sustainable development of tourism in the long term, integrating also the local community in the government’s security plans. In this paper we review the impact of the image and safety in the travel decision. Previous experience of visiting the destination has the virtue of reducing the negative stereotypes; this makes the image more realistic, complex and differentiated, enhanced by a proper information management.

This paper is part of the General Research Project: “Tourism and development: new scenarios in the comprehensive management of tourist destinations in the southwest of Buenos Aires. Part II”, which takes place in the Department of Geography and Tourism at the Universidad Nacional del Sur (Bahía Blanca, Argentina). The project aims to: inquire about the recreational use of Bahia Blanca’s historic center, as a gathering space of local cultural heritage, while presenting a series of results obtained from field work and implementation of the “outcrop of meanings technique” as a representative tool for the gathering of information on the field.

Considering the nature has changed throughout history. In the late eighteenth century, with Romanticism, comes a new sensitivity to it, resulting in the cultural view of the landscape. This paper aims to demonstrate firstly, as that new understanding of nature was absorbed by industrial societies of the late nineteenth century to escape from his hard historical moment and secondly, the identification of people with certain natural areas has been very to see further consideration Natural Park. We will analyze the case of Red Font Alcoy, which endemic characteristics, men and history have become Natural Park.

Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro de Bogotá (FITB) is a great cultural event with international recognition held in Bogotá, Colombia. The main topic of this paper is to measure the impacts that the FITB has on tourist behavior based on the last celebrations of this event and the attitudes of locals. Previous studies about social, cultural and economic impacts were analyzed and they were complemented by the study that carried out with a sample of viewers (tourists) and interviews (festival organizers). In conclusion, Bogotá is a touristic destiny who takes advantage of FITB as an important opportunity to retain tourists interested in performing arts because they visit the city only one time. This advantage depends on quality improvements which tourist perceived around touristic products and services offered like: security, hospitality, environmental practices, mobility and connectivity.

Destination image has been recognised as an influential component of travel decision processes. Although organic sources of information play an important role in shaping destination image, researchers have often ignored the types of sources and the information they deliver. In particular, official websites where government travel advice is given, especially in relation to crime, have been widely excluded from scholarly research. This paper analyses the relationship between crime-related travel advice given by foreign governments and Mexico’s destination image. Qualitative content analysis of official websites from the US, Canada, the UK and Spain reveals that the travel advice given relates largely to the violence and insecurity that Mexico is currently experiencing. “No advisory in effect”, “Exercise caution” and “Defer non-essential travel” are messages commonly found in the governments’ travel advice about Mexico.

This paper analyzes the economic contribution from ecotourism to life strategies of domestic groups (GD – Grupos domésticos) from communities of Yucatán Peninsula, México. There were carried out 137 surveyors to GD in the influence area of Mayan Would Program – Programa Mundo Maya). (PMM). The general average of the daily income per person (IPCD – Ingreso percápita diario) was 4.07 US dollars. The GDs are dedicated to different life strategies and their IPCD contribution were 50.4% for fishing, 21.6% for labors; 18.8% and 9.2% for tourism and agriculture respectively. Ecotourism were reported as complement to the IPCD. It is necessary some public polices focused in factors that influence to the IPCD of the local life strategies.

Barcelona’s city tourism model over the last fifteen years has chalked up many successes in terms of soaring tourist numbers, overnight stays, cruise liner passengers, hotel beds and visits to priced sights. Growth in city breaks has soared to the point where Barcelona has become one of Europe’s most visited cities. But this growth has come at a heavy price: mass tourism, concentration in certain neighbourhoods, competition for space between tourists and residents, lack of adequate inter-modal transport. All of these problems threaten Barcelona’s competitive position. The paper reviews the city’s competitiveness, comparing Barcelona to ten other European cities. Starting out from a qualitative analysis of internal players and a Delphi Study with external players, we find thecity’s tourism model needs correcting. We also identify the vectors and most important factors for achieving this repositioning. The vectors reinforce the competitiveness concerning the model’s sustainability, integrated management and governance, and client orientation. The proposed strategic repositioning will allow Barcelona to continue competing with Europe’s main cities.

Abstract: One of the most troubling aspects of cultural studies, is the lack of comparative cases to expand the horizons of micro-sociology. Based on this, the present paper explores the effects of gentrification in one neighborhood, Riverwest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA. This essay-review explores the role of arts, not only as creating an image of neighborhoods, but as a mechanism to prevent the commoditization of spaces. Riverwest has never been commoditized as a tourist-product like many other tourist-sites. The concept of patrimony and heritage are placed under the lens of scrutiny in this investigation. To some extent, some cities are produced to be consumed while others do not, is one of the intriguing points this research explores.

Siem Reap province tourist destination is mainly based on Angkor archaeological park visit and it is gradually becoming a world top archaeological destination. Two basic levels of management are identified within this destination: one related to destination itself and another related to archaeological park. The aim of the paper is to point out and analyses destination and archaeological resources planning, management, enhancement and development and their formal coordination procedures.

Policy makers, practitioners and analysts have focused on the psychology to induce consumers to new products. These new eye-catching packaging products in tourism and hospitality industries and beyond are commercialized to thousands of home thanks to the media. We are living in times, digital times where organic image plays a pivotal role in arousing emotions and experiences, although these experiences were not authentic. Following this discussion, initialized some time ago by D. Maccannell and other sociologists, the present paper explores the philosophical roots of image to expand the current understanding about our ocular-centrism. At time, tourists select a destination, they are moved by “the wish of majority”, but once destination is maturated, its attractiveness declines. What seems to be inter- esting to discuss here is the connection between perceived safety (risk) and attraction (organic image). Following I. Kant’s contributions, we present a conceptual model to understand how the dilemma of safety leads consumers to visual pollution.

This paper discusses the topic of cultural tourism and museums. It is based on survey of visitors to Museu do Homem do Nordeste (MUHNE), in order to identify the cultural tourist profile who visited this equipment during the years from 2009 to 2011. The result of the tabulation and analysis of satisfaction and demand questionnaire applied to the MUHNE tourists was compared with the results of the research on the profile of cultural tourists applied by the Association for Tourism and Leisure Education (ATLAS), this comparative analysis provides information that may suggest actions, projects, marketing and policies aimed at attracting an audience ever-increasing of cultural consumers: the cultural tourists.

This paper discusses the topic of cultural tourism and museums. It is based on survey of visitors to Museu do Homem do Nordeste (MUHNE), in order to identify the cultural tourist profile who visited this equipment during the years from 2009 to 2011. The result of the tabulation and analysis of satis-faction and demand questionnaire applied to the MUHNE tourists was compared with the results of the research on the profile of cultural tourists applied by the Association for Tourism and Leisure Education (ATLAS), this comparative analysis provides information that may suggest actions, projects, marketing and policies aimed at attracting an audience ever-increasing of cultural consumers: the cultural tourists.

The computerization of the Revenue Management (RM) systems in the tourism industry has increased in recent years, as well as their uses in tourism companies. Moreover, these systems turned into the on-line management. Although the hotel sector seems to drive a slower speed of implementation of these systems than other sectors like the aerial or the maritime, the applications of RM applied to the hotel sector tend to fulfill three basic premises, 1) not being standard and with a self-made structure, 2) that can applicable to all kind of hotels and even to other systems of accommodation, and 3) that can be used for the on-line price establishment. Due to this the main aim of this paper is based on developing a system of pricing management that fulfils these basic premises.

Hospitality is a social phenomenon present in all contexts and interactions of human beings. It brings people together and provides the exchange of experiences, knowledge and affection. Thereby, hospitality presents itself as a key factor for tourism, since this is a phenomenon of experiences and relationships between people. The objective of this paper is to discuss hospitality and innovation as strategies for attracting tourists to the Christmas event “Natal Luz” in Gramado City (RS, Brazil) considering the cultural aspects and traditions of the local community. The realization of this work was based on bibliographic and documental research, as well as on the technique of participant observation. Considering that “Natal Luz” is a pioneer and unique event in Brazil and that it has been accomplished for 25 years in Gramado, becoming one of the largest in the world, this research points out the relevance of the study, through the analysis of hospitality as strategy of innovation. In this perspective, the conclusion shows the importance of the relationship between hosts and visitors in the context of the attractions of “Natal Luz”, since these relations of hospitality are one of the main motivations of visitors who go to the city of Gramado (RS, Brazil).

The tools and techniques of quality are the operational dimension necessary to support the implementation of the principles of Total Quality Management and necessary for the implementation of the processes of continuous quality improvement in business. The aim of this paper is to analyze the degree of use of quality tools and techniques for the tourism industry. The methodology consists of a descriptive analysis of the tools to investigate their level of use, and in order to check whether there are differences in the use of them by size of business and membership subsector use statistical tools, tables contingency. The empirical study was conducted on 186 companies certified tourist accommodation in Spain under the name “Q for Tourist Quality”. The results show that the most used tools are the survey of customer satisfaction, internal audits, suggestion system.

This study examines the gaucho folklore as a touristic product in the city of Irati-PR, Brazil. The methodology used was literature research and fieldwork. For theoretical research was explored the themes tourism, market segmentation, culture, cultural tourism, folklore, heritage and cultural identity. This paper also discusses the origin and trajectory of the gaucho, general information about the presence of gauchos in the state of Paraná and the city of Irati, and a survey of folkloric gaucho present at the city. At the end of the search, the conclusion is that the gaucho folklore in Irati may represent a potential tourism product, but to can be used effectively there, must be a further development of tourism in the city in general.

Gastronomy is becoming a key factor in attracting tourists and thus in defining the competitiveness of a tourist destination and as key for the promotion. The aim of this paper is to present an analysis of culinary tourism in the city of Córdoba (Spain). Here, a study is presented which analyses both the supply and demand of culinary tourism. The main results of this study reflect the high level of education among the tourists, the longer length of their stay in the city and the high level of satisfaction with both the local food and the rest of the resources available to tourists in the city.

In a context of intense competition between tourist destinations, the perceived image is key and plays, in turn, a key role in the choice of destination as the values associated to it, represent a decisive factor in the process purchasing decision of potential tourists. This is because the attitude of tourists towards a destination is the result of perception, reflection of the image, which has made it.The overall objective of this paper is to present a procedure for identifying the perceived image of the destination. To this end, we will analyze the set of cognitive-affective components that make up the image of rural tourism in Galicia. The results obtained from the study, performed using a total of 400 questionnaires to rural tourists, show that the image has a multidimensional nature that refers to both belief and knowledge that tourists have on the attributes of destination (cognitive dimension) and to his feelings towards this place (affective dimension).

This paper aims to analyse the woman’s role in the family vacation decision. Specifically, we intend to identify different typologies of women based on pre and post vacation decision, women’s’ lifestyles and socio-demographic variables. Information was obtained through 300 questionnaires addressed to married or cohabiting women. Findings revealed the existence of three differentiated clusters according to dissimilar women’s’ dissimilar roles: women who have a more active during holidays planning; women who, in general terms, have a minor importance in holidays decision making; and women who play a more active role during the holidays. Findings suggest to further explore the influence of women’s’ lifestyles in family vacation decisions.

This paper aims to identify and analyse the meanings inherent in the tourist experiences in caving. The studies related to the definition and classification of the speleotourism lead to a wide range of situations and motivations that stimulate the ones who practice it from a simple form of leisure and entertainment to the ones who are in search of unique sensations and a bigger involvement with under ground environment. Dealing with this last category , the caves visitors whose practice is different from the mass tourism, this study presents aspects such as spatial-temporal configuration and its influence on the perception and habits of this under ground environment, showing how these experiences tend to interfere into the Speleotourists sensibility as well as determine new relations with the Other and the nature.

This paper aims to contribute to the study of social networks as a resource in tourism communication and promotion, through the case of music festivals on Facebook (FB). Following a qualitative approach, the discourses of a selection of FB pages about Spanish festivals were analysed, emphasizing hybridity and polyphony as main features. Results also suggest that the use of social network in tourism facilitates the interaction between attendees and their respective community and provides data on customer satisfaction, while exerting a positive infl uence on patronizing intention.

this paper aims to analyze 4 guidebooks of Navarra written during the period between 1904 and 1929. The textual analysis shows the similarities and dissimilarities at the macrostructural level and the discursive and lexical strategies that take part in the persuasive function. From a comparative approach, the comparison between the guidebooks offers a linguistic and ideological refl ection – in this phase of consolidation of this tourist genre – on the kind of descriptive procedures that the writer performs in order to describe the image of Navarra and fulfi ll the addressees’ expectations. According to Adam (2006), we believe that every descriptive procedure is indissolubly bound to a point of view and, consequently, to the image that the writer aims to depict.