<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>The objective of this study is to demonstrate the importance of the existing Ways of Saint James in Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, in the northern interior of Portugal, and that being integrated in soft tourism, can constitute a mechanism that allows the revitalization of rural areas, especially the sparsely populated areas, because it allows a series of benefits such as the increase of tourists and pilgrims, the creation of new services, among other structures, thus boosting tourism development. Above all, these Paths linked to soft tourism, allow us to highlight the predominance of tourism linked to nature tourism and slow mobility. In order to carry out this study, the methodology used will be based on interviews to tourists and pilgrims in order to obtain testimonies that can characterise the impact of the Ways themselves on rural territories.</p>
</abstract>

The objective of this study is to demonstrate the importance of the existing Ways of Saint James in Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, in the northern interior of Portugal, and that being integrated in soft tourism, can constitute a mechanism that allows the revitalization of rural areas, especially the sparsely populated areas, because it allows a series of benefits such as the increase of tourists and pilgrims, the creation of new services, among other structures, thus boosting tourism development. Above all, these Paths linked to soft tourism, allow us to highlight the predominance of tourism linked to nature tourism and slow mobility. In order to carry out this study, the methodology used will be based on interviews to tourists and pilgrims in order to obtain testimonies that can characterise the impact of the Ways themselves on rural territories.

The Ways of Saint James in Trás-Os-Montes and Alto Douro as an Example of Soft Tourism in Rural Areas

Degree in History and Master in Heritage and Cultural Tourism by the University of Minho, Researcher at The Centre for Transdisciplinary Development Studies of University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro

European Countryside

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The objective of this study is to demonstrate the importance of the existing Ways of Saint James in Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, in the northern interior of...

The Ways of Saint James in Trás-Os-Montes and Alto Douro as an Example of Soft Tourism in Rural Areas

Published Online: Jul 12, 2021

Page range: 314 - 329

Received: Nov 17, 2020

Accepted: Mar 04, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2021-0020

Keywords
rural territories, rural development, Ways of Saint James, soft tourism, communities

© 2021 Pedro Azevedo, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The Ways of Saint James in Trás-Os-Montes and Alto Douro as an Example of Soft Tourism in Rural Areas

Published Online: Jul 12, 2021

Page range: 314 - 329

Received: Nov 17, 2020

Accepted: Mar 04, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2021-0020

Keywordsrural territories, rural development, Ways of Saint James, soft tourism, communities

© 2021 Pedro Azevedo, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
rural territories, rural development, Ways of Saint James, soft tourism, communities