Fonte: Journal of Tourism & Development; n. 19 (2013); 99-110
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Resumo: The frantic pace at which people live in large urban centers, caused by the characteristics of modern society, makes them look for relaxing and quiet places in their free time travelling, in search for an escape from the daily stresses, practicing what is called slow tourism. Rural areas, faced with serious economic, demographic and social difficulties, can take advantage of this opportunity by offering a tourism product that incorporates the local resources in an orderly and sustainable way to meet this growing demand. The case of the “Schist Villages Network”, in the central region of Portugal, is an example of this new convergence between the needs of tourism demand and those of the territory with the implementation of an innovative project of Rural Tourism. This paper presents the main results of an ongoing research which examines the degree of knowledge the Portuguese have about this network of villages, the motivations of visitors, the satisfaction gained from their travels and its implications for loyalty to the tourism product.
