The slow tourism movement is gaining popularity as more destinations focus on the local environment and heritage experience. The approach to slow tourism usually occurs either when traditional destinations exhaust their life cycle with an evident reduction in sustainability, or when newly emerging destinations decide to develop in this way. The case of Madeira is different; the island has several decades of tourism development without excessive pressure or overcrowding, and in planning for the future it wants to sustain these conditions. Seeking to understand Madeira’s perception of the development model, we surveyed entrepreneurs in Madeira’s lodging, restaurant and bar, shopping, transportation, intermediation, and tourist activity industries, as well as its public sector. Even without having encountered the popularized the ideas of slow tourism, Madeira’s tourism entrepreneurs show significant alignment with the values of quieter tourism. In contrast to its mature counterparts (i.e., Europe’s other popular sun and beach destinations), for Madeira it is not a question of destroying or rehabilitating, but rather of continuing sustainable development processes. Our results suggest that although slow tourism is typically a reaction to a very advanced phase of the life cycle, it can be the result of an endogenous impulse, as is true for Madeira.

Recent research indicates that more and more often tourists use the Madeira Natural Park (MNP) area to develop their physical activity, through mountain hiking and Levada walks. This study aims at identifying tourists’ characteristics and to understand how visitors live their experience. A survey was carried out at the end of two different activities and the sample was divided into two groups (G1: Levada Walks in the Laurissilva; G2: Walks outside the Laurissilva). The data was collected immediately after the activity ended (total: 293; male: 124; female: 169) and people were asked about: 1. Information available at the start of the activity; 2. Interaction and attention demand; 3. Natural area visited. The data indicates that the Madeira tourists have higher education, many are students and teachers, the majority being European. Our tourists are well informed about the natural environment and more than 90% agreed that it was ideal for aesthetic enjoyment and inspiring exploration. Our findings can help the tourist agents to improve their products, encourage the agencies to attract new markets outside Europe and can work as a basis for providing more guidance in the MNP, promoting a higher ‘ flow experience ’.