TOURISM IMPACT ON THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF A MOUNTAIN REGION

Since the pandemic, protected areas in mountain regions have become increasingly popular tourist destinations. However, mountains are considered fragile in terms of natural and cultural heritage, so a balanced use of resources is needed to develop tourism with long-term benefits for local communities. The present study investigates, through multi-stage research, the perspective of accommodation providers in the Serras D'Aire and Candeeiros Natural Park (PNSAC) (Portugal) regarding sustainable tourism. Data reported on Booking.com, a leading online tourist accommodation platform, in terms of their commitment to predefined sustainability practices was considered. Then, the tourist accommodations were analysed by proposing a ranking through an integrative approach. Additionally, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with accommodation providers to gain a deeper understanding of their journey towards sustainable tourism and its connection with the PNSAC authority as a promoter of this activity. Results emphasise that only 33.3% of the accommodation providers claimed sustainability practices, with 40% categorised as 'inadequate' in the rankings. This indicates that these units implement only a few measures. Content analysis of the interviews highlights commitment to sustainable tourism but also reveals a lack of interaction between accommodation providers and the PNSAC authority. There is, therefore, a disconnect between the two actors, which can be improved by creating an exchange framework. Furthermore, the providers acknowledge the need for collaboration with authorities to promote sustainable tourism, preserve natural resources, and suggest areas for improvement.