Interview with António Vieira: “We want to define a set of strategies and policy proposals to promote a more sustainable and climate change resilient tourism”

“CLICTOUR – Turismo Resiliente às Alterações Climáticas nas Áreas Protegidas do Norte de Portugal” (Climate Change Resilient Tourism in Protected Areas of Northern Portugal) is one of the most recent research projects of the Communication and Society Research Centre (CECS), in partnership with the Centre for Research in Economics and Management​ (NIPE). 

We talked to António Vieira, CLICTOUR coordinator and CECS researcher, about the main goals and impacts expected by the project team. 

CLICTOUR stems from the need to use nature tourism as a strategy for local communities’ conservation and sustainable development. As its primary goal is to support the development of climate-resilient tourism in the protected areas of Northern Portugal, CLICTOUR combines two lines of research. The first focuses on the socio-economic development of tourism and, for tourism, influenced by the impacts of climate change. The second is more physical and linked to the natural geographic space.  

The scientific outputs of the project include a model of regional tourism, maps and statistical data on tourism and climate change, a climate change risk model, adaptation strategies and case studies, and a global tourism adaptation roadmap.  

The research applies to three protected natural areas, partners of the project: the National Park of Peneda-Gerês, the Natural Park of Alvão, and the North Coast Natural Park. 

Besides António Vieira, CLICTOUR team members are researchers Ana Melo (CECS), António José Bento Gonçalves (CECS), Francisco Carballo Cruz (NIPE), João Cerejeira (NIPE), José Cadima Ribeiro (NIPE), Linda Gonçalves Veiga (NIPE), Luís Aguiar-Conraria (NIPE), Maria José Caldeira (CECS) and Rita Sousa (NIPE). 

[Posted: 01-07-2021]