Sofia Lopes

Dr. Sofia Lopes


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

6Years (2021-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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26 May 2023 in Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Teresa PalrãoTeresa Palrão
Teresa Palrão
Rosa Isabel IsabelRosa Isabel Isabel
Rosa Isabel Isabel
Arlindo MadeiraArlindo Madeira
Arlindo Madeira
Alexandra Sofia MendesAlexandra Sofia Mendes
Alexandra Sofia Mendes
SLSofia Lopes
Sofia Lopes
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.

20 June 2022 in Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
ICInês Carvalho
Inês Carvalho
SLSofia Lopes
Sofia Lopes
Arlindo MadeiraArlindo Madeira
Arlindo Madeira
Teresa PalrãoTeresa Palrão
Teresa Palrão
Alexandra Sofia MendesAlexandra Sofia Mendes
Alexandra Sofia Mendes
The purpose of this study is to understand how future employees in the hospitality and tourism industry envision the use of artificial intelligence in the organizations where they wish to work in the future. Through open-ended questions applied to undergraduate and master’s students in the area of tourism and hospitality, we capture their opinions when thinking about the partial or total use of robots in hospitality. Despite the increasing implementation of artificial intelligence in hospitality and tourism, existing research mainly focuses on current hoteliers and/or customers. However, anticipating how digital generations expect their future roles in a close engagement with robots allows researchers to predict and focus their attention on future problems. Their statements were subjected to a qualitative content analysis methodology, based on themes and sentiment. Participants expressed a negative view of the presence of robots in hospitality, mostly associated with a fear of job loss. Many also reported that interacting with robots is negative for both staff and customers due to robots’ lack of emotions. However, there is some division concerning the impact of robots on service quality: some believe that the service will be more efficient and with fewer failures; others believe that the limitations of robots will lead to worse service. The findings suggest that the acceptability and desirability of robotization may vary depending on the level of robotization in hotels, on the type of customer, and on the level of service provided.

5 March 2025 in Sustainability
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Arlindo MadeiraArlindo Madeira
Arlindo Madeira
Rosa Isabel IsabelRosa Isabel Isabel
Rosa Isabel Isabel
SLSofia Lopes
Sofia Lopes
Teresa PalrãoTeresa Palrão
Teresa Palrão
The tourism sector thrives on a comprehensive understanding of the factors that motivate individuals to explore new destinations. Identifying the push and pull factors that drive travel decisions is essential for analyzing tourist behavior and recognizing the external constraints that tourism enterprises and destinations must consider. Adopting a sustainable approach to these motivational forces underscores the need to balance tourism growth with the preservation of destinations, the well-being of local communities, and responsible travel practices. Push and pull factors in tourism are inherently linked to the emotional states that travelers experience throughout the decision-making process, from the initial intention to travel to the post-trip evaluation. The sector prospers by understanding the reasons that inspire individuals to discover new places. Determining these motivational factors is crucial for comprehending tourist behavior and addressing the external limitations that tourism businesses and destinations must navigate. A sustainability-focused approach highlights the significance of aligning tourism growth with destination preservation and community well-being, ensuring a responsible and enduring tourism model. This study aims to examine the impact of positive and negative emotions on push and pull motivational factors across different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, adopting a sustainability perspective. The research was structured into four empirical studies: (i) pre-pandemic phase, involving a sample of 508 tourists; (ii) pandemic phase, with data collected from 507 participants; (iii) post-pandemic phase, comprising 488 respondents; (iv) comparative analysis, assessing variations across the three periods. The results indicate that emotional states exert a significant influence on push and pull motivational factors, with variations observed depending on the period of data collection: before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. However, while emotions exhibited fluctuations across the three phases, push and pull factors demonstrated relative stability over time. These findings emphasize the critical role of emotional experiences in shaping travel motivations, highlighting the interplay between psychological drivers and destination attributes. This understanding is essential for tourism businesses and policymakers to develop strategies that align with evolving traveler expectations while promoting sustainable and responsible tourism practices.

1 January 2021
Verified
Book Chapter
Closed access
AMAnabela Monteiro
Anabela Monteiro
SLSofia Lopes
Sofia Lopes
FCFabio Carbone
Fabio Carbone
Education has played an influential role over time in economic, social, and cultural development and, hence, in the formation of individuals. The considerable increase in academic mobility, in recent decades, shows that it is an essential tool in students' education. Due to its specific characteristics, academic mobility has a strong link to multiculturalism, and one of its missions is to be a transmitter of values and is an important element for educational tourism. In this sense, this chapter intends to demonstrate the pedagogical potential of academic mobility, its individual and social effects in terms of peace education, and to explore the relationship between academic mobility and tourism for an environment of intercultural and peace sharing.

13 September 2024 in Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
Teresa PalrãoTeresa Palrão
Teresa Palrão
Arlindo MadeiraArlindo Madeira
Arlindo Madeira
JLJoice Lavandoski
Joice Lavandoski
Rosa Isabel IsabelRosa Isabel Isabel
Rosa Isabel Isabel
SLSofia Lopes
Sofia Lopes
Explore the role of traditional cafés in Lisbon and botequins in Rio de Janeiro in the history and culture of their respective cities, based on an analysis of the comments published on TripAdvisor. Using a mixed methodology, 7,430 evaluations were analyzed, of which 5,473 were for Portuguese cafés and 1,957 for Brazilian botequins. A content analysis and statistical treatment were carried out. A line-by-line analysis was also conducted to code the emotions reported in the customer reviews. The analysis categorized the comments into Gastronomy, Nostalgia, History and Heritage, and Quality of Service. Nostalgia garnered the highest percentage of positive comments for both Portuguese cafés and Brazilian botequins. These results emphasize the importance attached to sentimental connections and historical narratives, particularly those associated with notable individuals who frequented these places. Furthermore, no statistically significant differences were identified according to the type of establishment, which suggests a consistent pattern between cafés and traditional botequins. Draws attention to the importance of a collaborative partnership between restaurant owners and tourism authorities. This strategic alliance not only serves to raise the cultural profile of cities, but also generates substantial economic benefits. It also ensures the lasting legacy of these historic establishments, celebrating the past, enriching the present and safeguarding the future. Studying the cafés of Lisbon and the botequins of Brazil is important not only for understanding the history and culture of these countries but also for analyzing issues related to socialization, identity, artistic expression and urban transformations.

23 November 2022 in Turyzm/Tourism
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
ARAna Ramires
Ana Ramires
AMAnabela Monteiro
Anabela Monteiro
SLSofia Lopes
Sofia Lopes
SSSara Rodrigues de Sousa
Sara Rodrigues de Sousa
ÂLÂngela Leite
Ângela Leite
The importance of cultural tourism for the development of tourist destinations has created a need for knowledge on both supply and demand sides, related to the motivations and constraints which can affect the decisions of the cultural tourist. The aim of this study is to develop and validate for the Portuguese tourists two scales to measure motivations to travel and its constraints, considering theories of needs and constraints, and to examine differences according to tourists’ socio-demographic characteristics. The scales were determined using a non-linear principal component analysis followed by bootstrap confirmatory factor analysis, and differences were examined using parametric tests. A six-dimensional model for motivations and a five-dimensional model for constraints were validated, both with good overall fit. Motives linked to culture, intellectual curiosity and cultural knowledge stand out with high levels of relevance. Lack of resources and other commitments are the most important constraints. Significant differences were found in almost all characteristics. The results reveal influential dimensions on travel decisions which are of utmost importance for the design of the cultural offer of destinations.