ABSTRACT
The
European Capitals of Culture (ECOC) are the most ambitious European cultural partnership
project implemented in Europe, if one looks at its scale. In 2012, for the
first time in Portugal, a medium size city hosted it. Guimarães was the chosen
one. Three years after hosting the ECOC, it is time to access what has changed as
a consequence of it in terms of visitors’ profile and city attributes perceptions.
Primary data sources were used, gathered through surveys conducted to the
Guimarães tourists in the ex-ante (2010/11) and post-event periods (2015). In
analytical terms, we made use of statistical methods allowing to put in
evidence the similarities or differences found in what regards the visitors’
profiles and perceptions towards the destination attributes, when looking to
the two time periods under scrutiny. In what regards the results gotten, we concluded
that a change in the Guimarães visitors’ profile occurred (more balance between
men and women; decrease in the amount of tourists aged from 0 to 25 years old
and increase in those aged from 46 to 65 years old; and increase of the
tourists endowed of lower schooling levels), as well as a notorious evolution
in what regards the perceived city attributes. One believes that the empirical
results attained are a valuable source of information for tour operators and,
mainly, to city planning and managing authorities.
Key-words: visitors’ profile;
destination attributes perceptions; 2012 European Capital of Culture;
Guimarães.
Laurentina Vareiro
J. Cadima Ribeiro
Programa / Program: https://sites.google.com/site/casanobrecongresso/programa
