No abstract

This paper conducts a literature review on a topic that is still little explored, which is academic tourism, and explores through empirical research the perspectives of international students who have chosen the city of Porto to undertake Erasmus mobility. The main objective of the study is to better understand the motivations and factors that influence international student’s decisions to choose the location where they develop their mobility programs. An online survey was administrated and a total of 122 valid answers were collected. The data were analysed by descriptive and inference statistics. Results show that there are four main factors that influence this segment: quality and prestige of the universities; people's characteristics and hospitality; weather and landscape and being a fashionable destination. Este artículo realiza una revisión de la literatura sobre un tema aún poco explorado, que es el turismo académico, y explora empíricamente las perspectivas de los estudiantes internacionales que han elegido la ciudad de Oporto para emprender la movilidad Erasmus. El objetivo principal del estudio es comprender mejor las motivaciones y factores que influyen en las decisiones de los estudiantes internacionales para elegir la ubicación donde desarrollar sus programas de movilidad. Se administró una encuesta en línea y se recogieron un total de 122 respuestas válidas. Los datos se analizaron mediante estadísticas descriptivas y de inferencia. Los resultados muestran que hay cuatro factores principales que influyen en este segmento: la calidad y el prestigio de las universidades; características y hospitalidad de las personas; clima y paisaje; siendo un destino de moda.

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to examine fans' perceptions of pro-environmental sustainability initiatives promoted by a professional sport club and the ensuing effects on a triple bottom line (TBL) approach (i.e. fans' socially, environmentally and economically favourable behaviours).Design/methodology/approachData were collected in two different steps using an online self-administered questionnaire (n1 = 1,043; n2 = 2,167) distributed to fees-paying members registered in the club's database. The analysis was carried out though structural equation modelling.FindingsThe results indicate good psychometric properties of the scale used to measure fans' perceptions of a club's pro-environmental sustainability initiatives (perceptions of pro-environmental sustainability initiatives in sports; p-PESIS). Additionally, there is a positive effect of p-PESIS on fans' social behaviours as well as on their daily environmental actions. Furthermore, p-PESIS also shows a positive effect at improving fans' economic activities towards the club.Originality/valueExtending previous research, the authors tested a scale to measure fans' responses to pro-environmental sustainability initiatives in sport and examined their links to the TBL dimensions. Pro-environmental sustainability initiatives in sport benefit not only the club itself (by reinforcing fans' activities with the club) but also society as a whole, as it can promote fans' conscientiousness and likelihood to behave in environmentally and socially favourable ways.

Ritual food and gastronomy, as intangible cultural heritage, is important for preserving cultural identity and traditions of a country, as well as a tool for promoting tourism. Due to globalisation and the mixture of different cultures, there is a risk that ritual food and associated traditions may be lost. In this context, the EURICA project aims to contribute to the preservation and safeguarding of European ritual recipes. The present work reflects the perspectives of the project´s target group, represented by cultural organisations and stakeholders on the importance and ways of preserving this intangible cultural heritage, focusing on digital presentation and promotion. The results of the work are intended to raise the awareness of the target group about the process of digitisation of intangible cultural heritage, which in turn leads to the preservation of traditional Portuguese gastronomy in a long-term context.

This study explores the importance of environmentally sustainable initiatives in sport (ESIS) for stakeholders in pandemic times. Three topics—climate changes and energy consumption, environmental impact of sports events, and health and well-being—were considered and analysed under three sustainability forms: organisational, community, and individual. A total of 5917 stakeholders (sponsors, employees, and members) of a sports organization realised one online survey. The data gathering process occurred during pandemic times, when every kind of collective sport event was suspended to the general public. The descriptive analysis of the results is provided, and the findings reveal that health and well-being is the most valorised topic by members and employees, in a sustainable individual form. On the other hand, sponsors manifest their interest mainly in a sustainability organisational and community forms.

The health and wellness tourism sector is one of the most dynamic in Europe and has experienced a significant worldwide increase in the last decades. It emerges as a key element of lifestyle, due to a set of circumstances and restrictions imposed by contemporary life. In this sense, health and wellness activities may be revealed as a means capable of satisfying the needs of the consumers, that constitute the modern wellness tourists. Although the pandemic of COVID-19 may have an impact on individuals' visits to health and well-being destinations, it may, on the other hand, contribute to an increase in health concerns, both from the perspective of cure and prevention, supported by a continuous search to raise QoL levels. The aim of this study is to identify the contribution of health tourism to the quality of life of the demand, identifying the satisfaction levels on its' different dimensions, and presents the results of a comparative study developed in Thermal Spas in Portugal and in Hungary, providing theoretical and practical contributions to this research field.

This study explores the importance of sustainable initiatives (SI) in sport for the stakeholders of a professional sports organization (PSO) after three months of absence of the public at the stadiums due to the pandemic situation. Two topics—diversity and inclusion (DIVIN) and the attraction and retention of human capital (ARHC)—were considered and analyzed. A third factor—the distance of residence of the members and the PSO—was considered as an element of the possible relationship between the awareness of the SI and the assessment of the topics in question. A total of 5694 PSO members took an online survey. Through the description of the data, the results show that being aware of the SI performed is a crucial factor for the success of the SI. Distance positively influences SI awareness. The topics considered are rated most positively by members with awareness of the SI, with a higher rating for the topic with the highest external visibility.

Goal and objectives of the dissertation GoalThis study evaluates the contribution of Health and Wellness Tourism (HWT) in the improvement of Happiness and Quality of Life (QoL) of Thermal Spa users in Portugal and Hungary. ObjectivesIn line with the main goal, ten specific objectives (SO) were defined, conducting a comparative study between Portugal and Hungary: SO1: Identify the correlation between the levels of Happiness and QoL among the users of Thermal Spas. SO2: Analyse the influence of HW services on Happiness levels of Thermal Spas users. SO3: Evaluate the influence of Happiness levels of Thermal Spas users on their Health and Wellness experience (HWE). SO4: Determine the influence of regular use of HW services on the levels of Happiness. SO5: Evaluate the contribution of HWE to the QoL of Thermal Spas users. SO6: Determine the influence of regular use of HW services on QoL of users SO7: Perceive how the valorisation of Health dimension on QoL influences the regular use of HWservices. SO8: Detect the influence of generation profiles on HW motivations. SO9: Identify the influence of generation profiles on HW service preferences. SO10: Observe the influence of generation profiles on the valorisation of HW destination attributes. MethodologyThis study is based on a survey methodology, supported by quantitative data collection and analysis. The empirical study was developed in two European destinations. The sample is composed by Thermal Spas visitors and the empirical study was conducted on twelve Thermal Spas in Northern and Central regions of Portugal and in the city of Budapest, in Hungary. The field work was developed over a ninemonth period, where a face-to-face survey was administered, gathering a non-probabilistic convenience sample (N=753). SPSS and AMOS (25.0) software were used for data treatment and for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Descriptive statistical analysis was applied to characterise the respondents' profile, including travel behaviour and motivations, visiting habits and service preferences, and happiness and QoL levels. Perceived effects on HWE were identified by an importance-performance analysis (IPA). Multivariate analysis was used to analyse the correlations between variables. Multiple linear regression (MLR) was performed for measurement scales and model hypothesis test and ANOVA was calculated in order to attest the global significance of the theoretical model. of the demand, based on the values of the different generation profiles. Content of the dissertationThe dissertation is divided into eight chapters.