The combination of business and leisure into one trip – bleisure – is becoming popular. This segment has received a strong boost, especially from Millennials. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the bleisure tourism phenomena and the potential for this business-leisure symbiosis in Porto. A mixed-method approach was adopted through a Delphi technique to explore tourism stakeholder’s perceptions concerning both the city’s opportunities and strategies that should be followed to boost the bleisure tourism sector. The assets identified as very important for the development of bleisure tourism in the city were unique gastronomy, good wines, the historical center and local people’s hospitality. Nevertheless, improve human resource qualification, increase flight connections, enhance local heritage and urban regeneration and fostering collaboration networks between local stakeholders are strategic actions that merit more attention. Many studies have been conducted from the perspective of business tourism activities and impacts; few have been conducted from the bleisure tourism perspective and none have been conducted from the perspective of bleisure tourism in the city of Porto. This work represents the first attempt to elicit experts’ opinions about the potential of Porto to develop the bleisure tourism segment. This study aims to contribute to better understanding how destinations can take advantage of this niche segment of the tourism market, which kind of touristic assets can be valued and which specific destination attributes should be considered.

This study investigates the relationship between demographic factors and travel motivations among Generation Z leisure tourists through the lens of the Travel Career Pattern (TCP) theory. More specifically, the research focuses on how gender, age, and area of residence influence the travel motivations of Generation Z. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected from 303 respondents aged 18 to 28 through an online survey. The questionnaire assessed 14 motivational factors and analyzed them in relation to the participants’ demographic characteristics using linear regression models. Results indicate that gender and age significantly influence travel motivations, with women showing higher interest in personal development and social relationships, while men prioritize nature and adventure. Furthermore, rural residents exhibit greater motivation for autonomy, self-development and self-realization, while urban residents lean towards novelty and social interactions. The findings offer valuable insights for tourism marketers, emphasizing the importance of creating segmented marketing campaigns based on demographic factors. It also contributed to overcoming the lack of studies that specifically cover this interrelation between the motivational factors of Generation Z and the demographic factors of age, gender and area of residence. Nevertheless, this study also has limitations, such as the use of a non-representative sample and the focus on quantitative methods, suggesting that future research should adopt qualitative approaches and examine additional demographic variables to gain deeper insights into youth travel motivations.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify development strategies for Business Tourism in territories where this segment is not always given due consideration, especially at the level of local and regional development policies. Design – The paper discusses the concepts of Business Tourism and analyses the characteristics of a delimited territory in the Central Region of Portugal that encompasses the cities of Coimbra, Aveiro and Viseu, located between the main Portuguese cities, Lisbon and Oporto. Methodology – A Delphi study was conducted to explore the prospects of destination stakeholders, with the aim of identifying proposals and product development measures in this territory. Findings – Despite the lower urban density and lower load capacity, when compared with the main urban centres of Lisbon and Oporto, this territory presents a qualified and diverse tourism offer that combined with the existence of differentiated venues and quality accommodation can contribute to provide a valued tourism experience associated with the Meetings Industry. Originality – The study presented here allows us to reflect on the potential of Business Tourism in territories with lower urban density and lower supply of facilities and services, when compared to the major cities that usually take the leading positions in international rankings. This is especially true, if we consider that smaller urban centres that are relatively near each other (as is the case of Coimbra, Aveiro and Viseu) may find interesting strategic advantages in joint action, taking into account that these three geographic areas complement each other in the integrated supply of tourism products, experiences, services and facilities.

Urban tourism has witnessed significant growth in recent years, driven by various factors that foster the transformation of urban areas into tourist hotspots. These factors include a rising interest in culture and heritage, ongoing urban redevelopment and conversion processes, and the introduction of new experiences and activities. Two particularly influential factors contributing to this growth are low-cost travel, which facilitates more accessible access to urban destinations, and the emergence of new types of accommodation, such as short-term rental (also known as local accommodation or Airbnb-type accommodation). The sudden and continuous growth of this type of tourist accommodation brings new challenges to cities and local communities. On the positive side, it contributes to job opportunities, the dynamism of the local economy, and urban revitalization. On the other hand, it also represents more difficulty in retaining the local population in city centers, as more and more buildings are converted into hostels and tourist apartments. In this context, it becomes essential to conduct studies evaluating the impacts of these dynamics in urban areas and how they influence residents’ and visitors’ perspectives. Therefore, this study aims to identify the main transformations resulting from short-term rental (STR) development, focusing on the impacts felt by tourists and residents in Porto. A questionnaire was distributed to tourists and residents in Porto’s city center in June 2023. The results reveal differences in opinions between tourists and residents, particularly concerning historical heritage preservation, local population relocation, and reduced housing availability for residents. Nevertheless, there is a similarity in their opinions regarding the stimulus that local accommodation brings to the economy and the rehabilitation of buildings and urban areas. This study reinforces the need to pay more attention to the future development of tourist accommodation in city centers, especially regarding local policies and territorial planning, to balance better tourism development and local communities’ quality of life.

The purpose of this study is to diagnose the business tourism segment in the city of Porto and to propose a set of strategic measures to boost its development and convert the territory into a preferred business tourism destination. The opinions of 28 local stakeholders were collected through a Delphi technique. Results show that experts consider business tourism very important for Porto, as they see it as a (i) strategic tourist product, (ii) complimentary product for leisure tourism and (iii) facilitator of entrepreneurship and business network and a booster of local and regional economy. A number of improvements were proposed to help build the brand of Porto as a business tourism destination of note: (i) more offer of large venues, (ii) collaborative cooperation between businesses to consolidate the sector, (iii) increase the supply of animation, (iv) a strong marketing strategy and building a cohesive brand and (v) increase accessibilities, connectivity and facilities. Findings have important policy implications for Porto’s policymakers in understanding market dynamics and planning their business tourism strategies. Moreover, findings have a broader interest as they offer constructive insights into strategies to develop business tourism worldwide and thus provide important implications for managers, policymakers and service providers.

This paper presents a systematic literature review (SLR) about industrial tourism and intends to show how this product can increase sustainability and competitiveness in operating industrial companies. It uses bibliometric analysis with data from 32 journal articles that address this topic. Through this sample of articles, we do not intend to generalize conclusions but rather to concretely identify factors of sustainability and competitiveness based on a set of scientific studies that met a very specific set of criteria. Industrial tourism is categorized as a form of tourism encompassing excursions to industrial locations spanning the spectrum of contemporary, historical, or prospective significance. This encompasses venues that have ceased their industrial operations, presently functioning industrial enterprises, and forthcoming industrial establishments. Additionally, it involves visits to other destinations with an industrial theme, such as industrial technology hubs, museums, industrial tourist routes, educational institutions with industrial programs, laboratories, and analogous venues. The focus of this article is to analyze the literature on industrial tourism from the point of view of active industrial companies, the so-called “living industry”, to identify how this type of tourism can contribute to enhancing these companies. Industrial tourism allows industrial companies to achieve environmental, social, and economic benefits and can be seen as a marketing tool and a promoter of innovation within companies.