Publication in the Diário da República: Despacho n.º 7822/2020 - 07/08/2020
6 ECTS; 1º Ano, 1º Semestre, 28,0 T + 28,0 TP + 14,0 OT , Cód. 82073.
Lecturer
- João Pedro Tomaz Simões (1)(2)
(1) Lead Professor
(2) Teaching Professor
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Objectives
1. Identify the fundamental concepts of tourism, the technical vocabulary of statistical observation, and the supply-demand-governance system.
2. Explain the historical evolution of tourism and the contemporary challenges associated with the Anthropocene.
3. Interpret economic indicators of tourism (tourism GDP, Tourism Satellite Account, tourism balance, employment) based on official statistical sources.
4. Diagnose environmental, sociocultural, and economic impacts in real cases, including overtourism and urban transformation.
5. Apply principles of sustainability, ethics, and accessibility in substantiated operational proposals.
6. Produce critical analysis and technical communication with consistent references and empirical evidence.
Program
1. Tourism: concepts, system and technical vocabulary
1. 1 Nature of the tourism phenomenon; usual environment; visitor, tourist, excursionist, guest; the overnight stay as a unit of statistical observation
1. 2 Tourism system: supply, demand, intermediaries and governance
1. 3 From conceptual indeterminacy to operational definition: synthesis of the genealogy of definitions and the reference definition of UN Tourism (formerly WTO/UNWTO)
1. 4 Tourism resource, attraction, product and destination: conceptual hierarchy
2. Historical evolution and contemporary challenges
2. 1 From pilgrimages to mass tourism and the digital age
2. 2 Tourism in the Anthropocene: climate risk, seasonality, resilience
3. Forms and types of tourism
3. 1 Typologies by motivation and destination space
3. 2 Implications for tourism management and planning
4. Economic dimension of the tourism phenomenon
4. 1 Tourism demand: notion of determinants and demand seasonality
4. 2 Tourism supply: capacity, seasonality, distribution channels and intermediation
4. 3 Macroeconomic measurement: tourism GDP, Tourism Satellite Account, tourism balance
4. 4 Tourism employment and the notion of the multiplier effect
4. 5 Official tourism statistical sources: nature, coverage and measurement limitations (INE, TravelBI/Turismo de Portugal, Banco de Portugal, UN Tourism)
5. Sustainability, ethics and accessibility in tourism
5. 1 Evolution of the concept of sustainability; Sustainable Development Goals applicable to tourism
5. 2 Environmental, sociocultural, economic and institutional dimensions of (un)sustainability
5. 3 Accessible and inclusive tourism as a quality criterion
5. 4 Sustainability discourse in tourism: greenwashing, trade-offs and distribution of benefits
6. Impacts, destination governance and case studies
6. 1 Overtourism, carrying capacity and pressure on residents
6. 2 Tourism, housing and gentrification: local accommodation platforms
6. 3 Destination governance and the role of destination management organisations (DMOs)
6. 4 Proximity case studies and proposals for improvement with operational indicators
Evaluation Methodology
General assessment regime
Examination (written test covering the entire syllabus) or exemption from examination through continuous assessment.
Cumulative conditions for exemption: minimum attendance of 50% in TP classes; submission of all assessment elements within the established deadlines; minimum grade of 9.5/20 in each component; final grade equal to or higher than 9.5/20.
Continuous assessment components and weightings
- Individual written test 35%;
- Applied group work 45%;
- Participation and class activities 20%.
Formula: FG = (Test × 35%) + (Applied work × 45%) + (Participation × 20%).
Examinations (regular, resit and special examination periods)
Individual written examination covering the entire syllabus.
The use of artificial intelligence tools is permitted. Any submitted element may be subject to an individual oral justification, which conditions the respective grade.
Bibliography
- Abrantes, A. e Cunha, L. (2019). Introdução ao turismo (6.ª ed.). Lisboa: Lidel
- Bernardo, E. (2013). Uma introdução ao turismo: conceitos, classificações e tipologias (CIES e-Working Paper n.º 164/2013). Lisboa: CIES-IUL
- Buhalis, D. (2022). Encyclopedia of tourism management and marketing (obra organizada). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar
- Cocola-Gant, A. e Gago, A. (2021). Airbnb, buy-to-let investment and tourism-driven displacement: A case study in Lisbon. 53(7), 16711688: Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space
- Koens, K. e Postma, A. e Papp, B. (2018). Is overtourism overused? Understanding the impact of tourism in a city context. 10(12), 4384: Sustainability
- Leiper, N. (1979). The framework of tourism: Towards a definition of tourism, tourist, and the tourist industry. 6(4), 390407: Annals of Tourism Research
Teaching Method
Theoretical Component (T): conceptual and theoretical framework for each module, with guided discussion and verification of prior reading.
Theoretical-Practical Component (TP): practical application of the contents through structured tasks.
Software used in class
Microsoft Office; Microsoft Teams; Zoom; mendeley.

















