Monitoring the quality of tourism experience

The new economic era the experience economy that we entered in the XXI century is challenging the overall tourism industry and destinations to respond to visitor expectations in a radically different way, demanding a new vision on what is truly being delivered to them. Within the current era, tourism businesses and destinations, in order to thrive and compete globally, are bound to recognize that experience, not goods or services, are what motivates visitors to travel, repeat visits to the destinations and recommend it to friends and relatives. Being so, a research agenda for tourism development and quality should place at its centre the nature of tourist experience and meanings of quality tourist experience from the stakeholders point of view, so that the industry actors can take joint action supported by in-depth knowledge of meanings attached to experience. With few exceptions, in tourism related literature, quality tourism experience has been largely overlooked. However, tourist experience and tourism experience have been discussed by Clawson [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9] among others. Clawson[1] wrote about recreation experience; Boorstin[2] discoursed on authenticity in tourist experience; Cohen[3], [4] studied the phenomenological tourist experience frames; MacCannell's[5] presented contemporaneous writings on tourist experience and authenticity. Pearce and Caltabiano[7] further extended consideration of traveller and tourist experience and authenticity with connections to motivations. Smith [6], Smith and Brent [8] addressed the interaction of host and guest in travel experience. Ryan [9] focused particularly on the `tourist experience'. Tourism and tourist experience past research have also focused on temporary and activity-based relationships [1] and some only on activity [10], [11]. Borrie and Birzell[12] presented four ways used to understand tourist and tourism experience. Those four ways include (1) meaningsbased[13], (2) benefits, (3) satisfaction[14], and (4) experience based means[4], [15]. Urry[16] introduced the notion of 'gaze' into considerations of tourist experience albeit 'his gazes' were challenged by Perkins and Thorns[17]. Although there has been considerable theoretical thinking on the subject, not much empirical research is available. One reason for this to happen is the multidimensional, complex and highly diversified nature of the tourist experience. Another reason is related to the fact that supporting constructs, namely satisfaction, quality and value, continue relatively ambiguous and are not always part of an integrated vision and consistent research. And yet, understanding of major and relevant dimensions of the tourist experience are of utmost importance to construct operationalization for effective experience management at destination level. The article proposes an integrated vision on how to monitor the quality of tourism in a mass tourism coastal destination the Algarve (Portugal). While analyzing the quality of the tourism experience from tourists' perspective represents the overall purpose of this paper, and the specific objectives are threefold. Firstly, the research intends to assess the tourists' perceptions on the four dimensions of the experience destination, attributes and compares them with satisfaction felt in terms of the same attributes. Secondly, it expects to provide an overall assessment of tourism experience. Thirdly, the study proposes to establish the relationship between tourist satisfaction and the tourist experience and destination loyalty.The questionnaires were based on the work of Oh, Fiori and Jeong [18], after having been adapted to the Algarve tourist destination context, and refer to the four areas of the Experience Economy: Education (items a, b, c, d), aesthetics (items e, f, g, h), Entertainment (i, j, k, l) and Escapism (m, n, o, p). The last three items- q, r, s are related to memory and memories. To that end, a survey was carried out sampling 405 individuals. Of the 397 valid questionnaires obtained, 90% were answered by tourists from Portugal, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland and the United Kingdom. The results show about 95% of the respondents are satisfied and very satisfied. Approximately 95.3% of the respondents say they are satisfied and very satisfied with their stay in the Algarve. About the quality of lived experience, 77.3% classified very good and excellent. One of the important findings of this research is that the majority of the respondents (93`)/0) intends to recommend the Algarve to friends and relatives. With this research, the team expects to contribute to a thorough understanding of tangible and intangible activities and attributes that form the underlying basis of the tourist experience in coastal tourism

Sustainability through biomimicry: urban solutions inspired by nature

Peer Reviewe

A relação pedagógica entre docente e aluno no ensino do Design

Os elementos pedagogia, aluno e docente possuem um papel fundamental na formação ao nível do ensino superior. Temos assistido ao surgimento de várias mudanças neste paradigma triangular (pedagogia-docente-aluno) que é compartilhado por todos os que direta ou indiretamente estão envolvidos na atual formação dos futuros profissionais. É propósito deste estudo conhecer e compreender melhor o conjunto de medidas adotadas nos cursos de Design em Portugal, face às diretrizes impostas no âmbito do processo de Bolonha, de forma a proporcionar uma formação que responda às atuais necessidades da sociedade

Interspecific hybridization as a genomic stressor inducing mobilization of transposable elements in Drosophila

Altres ajuts: I want to thank grants 2009SGR 636 from Generalitat de Catalunya to the Grup de Biologia Evolutiva.Transposable elements (TEs) are DNA sequences able to be mobilized in host genomes. They are currently recognized as the major mutation inducers because of their insertion in the target, their effect on neighboring regions, or their ectopic recombination. A large number of factors including chemical and physical factors as well as intraspecific crosses have traditionally been identified as inducers of transposition. Besides environmental factors, interspecific crosses have also been proposed as promoters of transposition of particular TEs in plants and different animals. Our previous published work includes a genome-wide survey with the set of genomic TEs and shows that interspecific hybridization between the species Drosophila buzzatii and Drosophila koepferae induces genomic instability by transposition bursts. A high percentage of this instability corresponds to TEs belonging to classes I and II. The detailed study of three TEs (Osvaldo, Helena, and Galileo), representative of the different TE families, shows an increase of transposition in hybrids compared with parental species, that varies depending on the element. This study suggests ample variation in TE regulation mechanisms and the question is why this variation occurs. Interspecific hybridization is a genomic stressor that disrupts the stability of TEs probably contributing to a relaxation of the mechanisms controlling TEs in the Drosophila genome. In this commentary paper we will discuss these results and the molecular mechanisms that could explain these increases of transposition rates observed in interspecific Drosophila hybrids

Humor: un cuidado holístico y promotor de la salud del niño

Objective: to discuss the importance of humor in children's lives. Method: it uses a reflective and analytical method, based on literature and starting with the following questions: Is there a link between humor and child health? What is the role of humor in people's lives? What role does humor have specifically in children’s lives? Results: humor in children's lives? ... Although it is easily accepted and commented in health contexts, why is not therapeutic value yet recognized? Too often people say «... take humor to Pediatrics wards», but frequently the argument about the therapeutic value of humor remains inconsistent, such as its physiological and relational benefits, among others. Health professionals, who treat and care children and adolescents, have a special role in their life and their families’, once they interact in a period of great vulnerability. During the disease process, both family and patient, across a phase of great anxiety and instability, where the loss of confidence and of control of the feelings of impotence arise constantly. Conclusion: the role of humor is of undeniable value, it is a basic human need, and a way to increase the horizon perspective. Humor is a unique way of changing reality, and interpreting the context of illness in a way to enable the greatest well-being of the child or adolescent. Descriptors: sense of humor and humor; welfare; child; holistic health; therapeutics.Objetivo: refletir sobre a importância do humor na vida da criança. Método: usa-se um método reflexivo e analítico, baseado em literatura e que parte das seguintes questões: Existe um vínculo entre humor e saúde infantil? Que papel o humor tem na vida das pessoas? E na vida das crianças, concretamente? Resultados: humor na vida das crianças?... Algo que é facilmente aceitável, comentado nos contextos da saúde, mas cujo valor terapêutico ainda não é indubitavelmente reconhecido. Não raras vezes se ouve dizer “… levam o humor aos serviços de Pediatria”, contudo continua inconsistente a argumentação do valor terapêutico do humor, dos seus benefícios fisiológicos relacionais, entre outros. Os profissionais de saúde, que cuidam de crianças e adolescentes, têm um lugar singular na vida destas e das suas famílias, já que se cruzam em tempos de grande vulnerabilidade. Essas fases são geradoras de grande instabilidade e ansiedade, onde a perda de confiança e de controle dos sentimentos de impotência surge a todo instante. Conclusão: o humor é uma ação de valor inegável, uma necessidade humana básica, um modo de aumentar o horizonte do olhar, uma forma própria de transformar a realidade, interpretar, criar perspectivas e promover o maior bem-estar possível da criança ou adolescente.Objetivo: reflexionar sobre la importancia del humor en la vida del niño. Método: se utiliza un método analítico y reflexivo, suportado por la literatura y con base en las siguientes preguntas: Existe un vínculo entre el estado de ánimo y la salud del niño? ¿Qué papel tiene el humor en la vida de las personas? Y en la vidas de los niños, en concreto? Resultados: el humor en la vida de los niños? ... Algo que es fácilmente aceptable, discutido en el contexto de la salud, pero cuyo valor terapéutico nos es reconocido todavía. Con demasiada frecuencia la gente dice "... llevan el humor a los servicios de Pediatría", pero sigue siendo inconsistente el argumento del valor terapéutico del humor y de sus beneficios relacionales, fisiológicos, entre otros. Los profesionales de salud que atienden a niños y adolescentes, tienen un lugar único en la vida de estos y sus familias, ya que se cruzan con elles en un momento de gran vulnerabilidad. Estas fases están generando inestabilidad y ansiedad, donde la pérdida de la confianza y del control de los sentimientos de impotencia surge en cualquier momento. Conclusión: el humor es un acto de innegable valor, una necesidad humana básica, una manera de aumentar el horizonte de la mirada, una manera de transformar la realidad, interpretar, crear y promover las perspectivas de lo mayor bienestar posible del niño o adolescente.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Move : measuring social impact

This dissertation thesis focuses on the case of the nonprofit organization MOVE operating in São Tomé and Príncipe and East Timor. With the goal of fighting poverty through entrepreneurship, innovation and business management, MOVE's board members aspire to make the best decisions in order to maximize the social value of their activities. Keeping in mind that the most important question is "Which model is the best to measure MOVE social impact?", the following managerial case study wishes to identify the main projects of the organization and what strategies can be used to measure their social value. This analysis will offer different tools, allowing board members to overcome challenges regarding qualitative results measurement. Furthermore, in a time where there is visible growth in the social sector, receiving increasing support, this thesis will enable a better understanding of the main challenges and goals in measuring social impact.A seguinte tese foca-se no caso da organização sem fins lucrativos, MOVE que opera em São Tomé e Príncipe e Timor-Leste. Com a missão de combater a pobreza através do empreendedorismo, inovação e gestão de negócios, a direção ambiciona tomar as melhores decisões para maximizar o valor social resultante das suas actividades. Tendo em consideração a questão mais importante, "qual o melhor modelo para medir o impacto social do MOVE?", o seguinte estudo pretende identificar os principais projectos da organização e as estratégias que podem ser usadas para medir o valor social dos mesmos. As análises realizadas oferecem diferentes ferramentas, permitindo à direção da organização ultrapassar os desafios de medição de resultados qualitativos. Para além disso, numa época na qual o sector social está a crescer recebendo cada vez mais apoios, esta tese permitirá uma melhor compreensão dos principais desafios e objectivos da medição de impacto social

Consulting project for the optimization of the automotive providers network of europ assistance Portugal ideation of major projects to promote an optimal network management

Europ Assistance Portugal can guaranteea successful auto network management in the long-term through the adoption of the Major projects detailed. The new provider’s selection process will assure that EAP isable to disp at cheach assistance request to the most capable provider, thus, prompting highe rquality standards. Regarding relationship management, the increased competitiveness that stems from relieving the providers financial burdenoutlines the need tounder take apartnership approach. Finally, EAP maybe nefitfrom providing repairons potitself ,creating attractive cost-saving sandenriching gcustomer experience by bringing frontline employees’ feed back in to the company’s operations

Employment, family and community activities: a new balance for women and men. Summary of the Portuguese national report

A versão original deste documento encontra-se disponível em: http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/pubdocs/2000/112/en/1/ef00112en.pdfThis research report aims to provide an overview of the key findings from the project ‘Employment, Family and Community Activities: a New Balance for Women and Men in Portugal’, the object of which was to examine family services. This involved, inter alia, drawing up an accurate picture of the role played by such services in Portugal in relation to job creation, reconciliation of family and working life and also in equal opportunities for women and men in the home, employment and social life in general. It also sought to identify innovative cases which constitute examples of good practice

The sacred landscapes of Tibet

UID/PAM/00417/2019Sacred landscapes is a research topic that has been explored mainly among humanities scholars. With the improvement of digital technologies and geographic information systems new perspectives on the subject can be established focused on geographic and conceptual space. In this presentation we will explore an assortment of technologies to display visual cultural data about the Buddhist monasteries sites of Tibet spread across the Himalia’s mountains. In Qgis and through terrain analyses (hypsometry, slope, aspect and hydrography) we will analyze the characteristics and symbols of auspicious sites of a set of monasteries. Using the plugin Space Syntax Toolkit and through the technique of axial analyses (Hillier and Hanson, 1984) we will also analyze the accessibility within each monastery.publishersversionpublishe

THE THEORY OF THE EMBLEM BY CLAUDE-FRANÇOIS MENESTRIER

A TEORIA DO EMBLEMA DE CLAUDE-FRANÇOIS MENESTRIERLA TEORÍA DEL EMBLEMA DE CLAUDE-FRANÇOIS MENESTRIE