Rural tourism has been promoted as an effective catalyst for growth in rural areas severely hit by the rural structuring process. However, with regard to islands, rural tourism has been mainly advertised and promoted as a counterpoint to mass tourism. While in most Western countries rural tourism has been in place for decades, islands have been pursuing a rural tourism agenda only since the 1990s. Consequently, we face a dearth of research regarding motivation factors that attract tourists to the rural hinterland on islands. The purpose of this study is to segment and profile rural tourists based on benefits sought in order to gain a better understanding of the current demand trends. The data collection procedure were based on a self-administered survey applied to a sample of 180 tourists, and four clusters were identified. The relaxer cluster which comprises individuals attracted by opportunities to relax and recharge batteries, are the most dominant, suggesting that the sector mimics, to a large extent, the main tourism market. This is a problematic outcome because the sector is failing to attract a more diverse and wealthy clientele. Due attention should also be paid to other clusters. The ruralist segment values relaxation in natural segments to escape from daily routine, the ‘want it all segment’ is composed of tourists interested in all kind of activities and the family-oriented cluster is mainly interested in socialising with the family. Implications of our preliminary conclusions for theory and practice are discussed.

Purpose: This study aims to analyze the contribution of tourist event and satisfaction with tourism events as a product of regional tourism competitiveness, as well as evaluate factors of competitiveness.Design/methodology/approach: The research followed a quantitative methodology by conducting a questionnaire on the four largest tourist events in Madeira (Carnival, Flower Festival, Atlantic Festival and Wine Festival), an insular island located in Portugal.Findings: The sample consisted of 2,262 tourists surveyed during the year 2017 and structural equation models were used as the statistical method. Results showed that satisfaction is reflected in the client's loyalty to the choice of a tourist destination and also contributes directly and indirectly to the regional tourist competitiveness.Originality/value: This study contributes to the valorization of local and regional events, perceived by the level of satisfaction and loyalty of tourists, as products of regional competitiveness of a tourist destination.

Overtourism refers not only to situations in which carrying capacity levels have been exceeded, but also to those in which tourists and residents share negative feelings of discomfort and other emotions, loss of quality of life and unpleasant experiences in their activities of daily life. The growing number of places struggling with the problem of overtourism suggests that brand new approaches are required to minimize the effects of excessive tourism. However, the impacts of overtourism are place-specific and a one-size-fits-all approach is inappropriate. Many destinations still have a considerable margin to manoeuvre but are nonetheless heading towards increasingly unsustainable levels of tourists per square kilometer. Such regions have time to take some pre-emptive measures based on principles of sustainable development using greener and energy-saving technologies. Over the past few decades, degrowth has arisen as an unorthodox approach based on principles of fairness and social and environmental justice. In certain areas, such as island economies, the economic dynamics remain largely dependent on the tourism sector, which forces the local actors to think and act differently. In this study, we analyze the strategies employed by Madeira to counter the negative effects of oversaturation in a pre-emptive way. The findings of this case study, based on the data at the county level, are enhanced by a panel data analysis of a number of relevant explanatory variables explaining the dispersion of tourists to the rural hinterland. The results suggest that the development of the rural hinterland has proven capable of exerting a progressively positive influence well beyond the borders of the rural hinterland by accommodating a growing share of the increasing numbers of tourists welcomed in the region in the 2002–2019 period, at the expense of the main capital city. This study confirms the importance and potential of the development of the rural hinterland to tackle overtourism in the main tourism areas. In terms of recommendations, it is suggested that local operators and policy-makers must develop efforts to research new ways to adopt energy-saving projects and develop tourisms products that incorporate eco-friendly behaviors.

This article investigates the role of food in the tourism experience, particularly in destinations that are not famous for their food offer and where the local gastronomy is not a primary motivation for tourist visits. Factorial analysis and cluster analysis were applied to data collected on the food preferences and dining behavior of 392 tourists staying in hotels in Madeira. Although most tourists to Madeira could not be described as "food tourists," motivations to visit the islands nevertheless overlap with motivations to eat traditional local food once they have arrived. Eating local foods may be either a "peak" experience or a "secondary" experience for tourists, but these roles are not fixed and may be reassigned. The results highlight the need for destination marketing organizations to pay more attention to the link between destination image and food consumption. Well-directed marketing efforts can turn low-value "secondary" experiences of sampling the local cuisine into more high-value "peak" experiences. The study identifies and describes three clusters of tourists based on their level of engagement with local food. Such information can assist destination stakeholders make the most of the Madeira's unique food offer. This could involve providing the right context for "secondary" food experiences to be transformed into "peak" food experiences. An improved understanding is provided of the actual and potential role of food in directly providing or indirectly supporting the tourism experience, especially in destinations where the local gastronomy is not a primary motivation to visit.