Fonte: Journal of Tourism & Development; n. 23 (2015); 119-128
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Resumo: This paper analyses the role of a cooperative of entrepreneur women in the development of a peripheral village in Portugal. These women have been stimulated to develop entrepreneurial activities in the countryside, taking advantage of local and endogenous materials and traditional knowledge. The establishment of the craftsman’s cooperative, almost 30 years ago, in the village of Campo Benfeito, was a result of the effort of the Institute for Cultural Affairs, which through a series of training courses, was able to organise women to work collectively in the production of fashion and home textile products, as a way to promote local crafts and (on the other hand) to revitalise the mountain area. This qualitative study reveals that this women’s initiative has a sustainable impact on the village, namely supporting other projects, such as the Regional Theatre of Serra de Montemuro and rural tourism establishments, in the leverage of population settling and in the preservation of the architectural and cultural heritage.
