The COVID-19 pandemic is responsible for a health crisis and, at the same time, for a sharp drop in activities of economic sustainability, particularly in tourism management, and has consequences in most countries that are still difficult to measure. The objective of this research is to identify restaurant entrepreneurs’ perceptions about the future, government measures, strategies they will apply, and lessons learned for the future after the mandatory lockdown of restaurants and hospitality establishments related to pandemics. The framework was developed through content analysis with line-by-line coding applied to questionnaires collected online from Portuguese restaurant entrepreneurs. The results reveal the existence of common concerns to all entrepreneurs in the restaurant business for the post-pandemic period, about the measures that the governments should implement, and about the strategies and lessons learned for the future. Resilience in face of the future, fear of a lack of appropriate government measures, strategies designed for markets with greater immediate availability, and the creation of working capital are visible concerns in the restaurant business.

Fascination for modern forms of creativity in the kitchen constitutes a differentiating factor in restaurants and for chefs in a particular destination. It finds its maximum expression in fine dining restaurants and more specifically in restaurants with Michelin Star chefs. This study explores the culinary creativity of Michelin Star chefs, with the assumption that the cuisine prepared by them can be considered art, or at least, that it has an artistic component which makes each restaurant unique. This research analyses creativity in haute cuisine through an exploratory qualitative approach that included in-depth personal structured interviews with eighteen Michelin Star chefs in Portugal. The research method based on oral narratives was chosen to evaluate emotions, to explore desires and to understand chefs’ creative processes, from the initial idea to the conception of the dish. The study shows that although there is a consensus regarding the different forms of inspiration and generation of ideas, there are also many different perspectives on the creative process, which differentiate culinary artisans.

This research was designed to analyze tourists’ perception of food markets in an urban context, specifically in the case of Time Out Market Lisbon. The sample included participants who visited and experienced the market food court. The data were collected using a questionnaire assessing the respondents’ perceptions of the location, food quality, food neophilia, market engagement, and the cultural attractiveness of the locale. The purpose was also to analyze how these factors contribute to visitor satisfaction and their intention to revisit the local area. The findings showed that food neophilia was the characteristic of Time Out Market Lisbon that had the highest impact on visitors’ satisfaction which, accordingly, positively influenced their intention to revisit the market. Visitors’ perception of the place as a cultural attraction was also found to moderate the relationship between visitors’ satisfaction and intention to revisit Time Out Market Lisbon. The findings provide an important contribution to the scientific community regarding the important role of modern food markets in urban city regeneration and more specifically as a tourist attraction. This research has significant management implications regarding the emotions of tourists’ food experience and can be used for stakeholders engaged in the tourism development process.

The unprecedented public health crisis experienced during the recent global COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has originated a catastrophic economic crisis for the entire globe. This crisis has been particularly harmful to the tourism industry and, more specifically, to the events’ subsector. This study aims to understand the main measures that have been implemented by the Portuguese public sector to assist companies which specialize in the organization of events. In addition, the study seeks to empirically understand the strategies and solutions that, according to the industry’s players, should be implemented in future crisis scenarios. The sample consisted of representatives of 165 companies belonging to the subsector of cultural and sports events, corporate events, and tourist animation. The data was collected during the month of April 2020 by means of a questionnaire prepared by the Portuguese Association of Congress Organizers, Tourism Animation and Events (APECATE). The adopted methodology was anchored in the mixed methods paradigm. Through a quantitative approach, the frequencies of the variables under study – sector of activity, support measures by the public sector, suggestions of additional measures – were analyzed. Afterwards, the suggestions referred by the participants were codified and analyzed qualitatively. The results of this research reveal that 72.1% of surveyed companies have used some kind public sector assistance mechanisms, with layoff being the most widely selected initiative by respondents. As actions to be implemented in a future crisis scenario, surveyed companies highlight, for instance, support to the managers of companies specialized in organizing events, as well as financial support to these companies by means of non-repayable loans.

Tourism makes destinations adapt to receive those who visit them, with a great impact among traditional residents. Overtourism affects picturesque places, and these areas end up losing their authenticity, submitting themselves to the consumption needs of tourists. Neighborhoods’ traditional residents also see their routine completely changed due to the different habits of tourists, and displacement rates rise. This study aims to understand how local people perceive tourism in Alfama, one of the most unique and tourist-oriented neighborhoods of Lisbon. Our study involves a questionnaire to old long-term residents and content analysis of their responses. We used Leximancer software to create categories of analysis depending on frequency of mentions and the way themes are related. Our interviewees testified that overtourism in Alfama generates perceptions that range from a generalized acceptance for the benefits that an improved safety associated to an increased street-life and a cleaner neighborhood generate, and on the other hand the grievance for the loss of a pre-existing community. We also conclude that the benefits of tourist-led gentrification are relevant for the gentrification analysis because they show the contradictions that the remaining residential community experience as tourist-led gentrification unfolds.

This research is aimed at analyzing the perception of future tourism professionals about the presence of robots in the hospitality industry. It was based on data obtained from undergraduate and master students in tourism and hospitality, through a questionnaire that sought to assess their perceptions regarding hospitality, novelty, culture, robot performance management in the tourism industry, and their willingness to work in a partially robotized environment in the future. The analysis of the perceptions of future tourism and hospitality professionals was performed based on a structural equation model and revealed that perceptions of novelty and performance management have a significantly positive impact on the willingness of participants to work in a partially robot environment in the future. When the intention to use robots in the future is included in the model, this positive effect decreases. The current existing research on the application of artificial intelligence in hospitality and tourism has, mainly, focused on the customer or the hotelier, making it important to understand how generations of future employees in hospitality and tourism view the use of this type of technology, anticipating any future less favorable situations.