The touristic utilization of natural and cultural heritage and its socioeconomic and environmental impacts in rural areas: the case of the Portuguese houses

• Grant number: 12/03149-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: June 15, 2012
• End date: December 14, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Odaléia Telles Marcondes Machado Queiroz
• Grantee: Odaléia Telles Marcondes Machado Queiroz
• Host Investigator: Lia Maldonado Teles de Vasconcelos
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal

Abstract

The research will develop investigation on the use of tourism natural and cultural heritage and its socioeconomic and environmental impacts in rural areas: the case of the Portuguese Houses. Analyze the rural tourism in Portugal, a segment that has been successfully implemented in the country and can be an example for the Historical Farms in São Paulo, Brazil, at early stage. The research is exploratory, qualitative and descriptive, using, initially, bibliographic data, historical documents and field research, interviews with those responsible for the Portuguese Houses and technical visits, raising its infrastructure, services and environmental management. The Portugueses Houses are undergoing the certification process with the establishment of quality standards for their equipment and services are assured of quality and this issue will also be researched. The objective is to raise the similarities and differences between the TER implemented in Portuguese Houses and Historical Farms in S Paulo, Brazil, also indicating a set of guidelines that seek to optimize the farms on tourism. Information obtained from research in Houses, of course, will be very important to the growth of tourism in Historical Farms in S Paulo, Brazil, thus becoming a considerable contribution. The methodological basis is supported by the Space Theory of Milton Santos (1996), which provides grants to explain the process of building space tourist. A key concern is to analyze the reality of the Portuguese Houses by the concept of sustainable development. There will be participation in an International Conference of EJTHR (European Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure) - "Equity, Appropriation and Authenticity”, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain (21 and 22/06/2012) and VIII CITURDES (International Congress on Rural Tourism and Sustainable Development) - "Rural tourism in neoruralidades time”, University of Tras-os-Montes and Alto Douro, polo Chaves, Portugal (25 to 27/06/2012). Drafting of scientific article leveraging data to be published in a journal in the area. Participation and presentation of seminars in the Department of Environmental Engineering and the FCT. (AU)