Photography: Nuno Vicente
During her Scientific Masters (MSc) in Hospitality and Tourism Management at ISCTE Business School, Ana Filipa Martins prepared a dissertation whose central theme focuses on the personality of Ericeira as a tourist destination, with the main objective of understanding how the locals perceive it.
At this time, the author has already defended her study – where she intended to understand how residents, business owners, non-profit associations and the media perceive Ericeira’s personality as a tourist destination – and is currently attending the second year of master’s degree in the United States of America, at Rosen College of Hospitality Management, Florida.
AZUL – Ericeira Mag spoke with Ana Filipa Martins to find out more details about her thesis, which characteristics are attributed to the village, how Ericeira’s stakeholders describe it and which adjectives best characterize it.
According to the data gathered, what opinion do the locals have about Ericeira?
In general, the opinion of the locals about Ericeira is extremely positive, which was perceived by the enthusiastic way they responded to the questionnaire, not only for the adjectives used, but also for the descriptive way in which they did it, even when only singular characteristics were requested. It was interesting to condense all the warmth and pride that the locals put into their descriptions into unique features/attributes amenable to statistical analysis.
Ericeira was described as extrovert, welcoming and sincere
In the way the locals evaluated Ericeira, certain personality dimensions were determined based on personality traits, presented in the form of a questionnaire. The village, as a tourist destination, was described as Extrovert (lively, cheerful), as In Vogue (modern, sophisticated and dynamic), as Sincere (honest, polite and caring), as Cool (unique and fascinating) , as Confident (adventurous, confident, romantic and enthusiastic), as Welcoming (hospitable, welcoming and friendly), as Peaceful (calm, peaceful and patient), as Practical (family-oriented and down-to-earth), as Sane/Healthy/Robust (genuine and happy), and as Attractive (charming and contemporary).
How do you describe Ericeira and which characteristics are most often attributed to it as a unique tourist destination?
The characteristic/attribute that the locals mentioned the most is related to the beauty of the village, namely its landscapes, nature and coastline. Many described Ericeira as picturesque and wonderful. In addition, many mentioned the numerous Ericeira’s beaches and their attributes, as well as the village’s gastronomy, accentuated by seafood and fresh fish and the existence of numerous restaurant options.
Another characteristic often mentioned by the locals was the hospitality of the people of Ericeira and their art of welcoming, as well as the safety and tranquility of the village, characteristics that they determined were relevant to the success of local tourism.
Additionally, many were the answers that included characteristics/attributes related to Ericeira’s identity, such as its people, its uniqueness, its traditions, its history, its traditional architecture with the blue line and its characteristic smell of the sea.
the hospitality of the people of Ericeira was a frequently mentioned characteristic by the locals
Taking into account the responses to the questionnaire, can it be concluded that the recognition of Ericeira as a World Surfing Reserve (WSR) is important (and had a direct positive impact) for the growth and development of tourism in the town?
According to local responses, it was estimated that recognition as an WSR has and has had a positive impact on the development and growth of local tourism and is relevant to it. However, it was determined that this recognition did not influence the personality of the village as perceived by the locals, despite having been identified as a determinant for tourism in Ericeira.
What can’t our readers miss out on when they come to Ericeira?
According to the locals, Ericeira’s beaches and its magnificent landscapes, as well as the local cuisine, should not be missed out.
the findings showed that locals recognize the merit of identifying as SWR in the growth of tourism in Ericeira
What would you say to someone who has never visited the village as an incentive?
Ericeira is the ideal place to meet nature, in safety, with access to adventure tourism, but also with countless options for a well-deserved rest.
How has the recent evolution (the massification of tourism, surfing…) been impacting the identity of Ericeira?
Interestingly, the number of places that mentioned the massification of surf tourism in Ericeira was not significant, with the focus being mostly positive in the answers given, which contrasts with the many interviews included in the research for this thesis that makes come to light the harmful effects of promoting Ericeira linked to surfing and how this is reflected in the crowd at sea, among other less positive points.
In general, the conclusions of this thesis showed that the locals recognize the merit of the attribution as a WSR in the growth of tourism in Ericeira, however it should be noted that surfing and the WSR were seldom mentioned in a holistic way by the locals when asked about characteristics/attributes that make Ericeira a unique tourist destination. This fact led to the conclusion that, despite recognizing the importance of the WSR for Ericeira, the surfing heritage is not an extremely relevant factor in the way locals perceive Ericeira’s identity and, as such, the last 10 years as a WSR did not influence/change the identity of the village through the eyes of residents and locals.
Ericeira is the ideal place to meet nature
Read the full master’s thesis by Ana Filipa Martins here.
Esta publicação também está disponível em | This article is also available in: Portuguese (Portugal)
