How does gender affect visiting a world heritage site?: the case study of Guimar��es

To date few studies have been undertaken in Portugal dealing with the attitudes, motivations, and profile of tourists who visit World Heritage Sites. Also, few studies have dealt with destination image (e.g., Agapito, Mendes & Valle, 2010; Lopes, 2011). As far as it is known, none have approached the issue of gender differences in the choice of a Portuguese heritage destination. Since cultural tourism destinations need to differentiate themselves from each other, appropriate market segmentation must be based on a deep understanding of the customers��� motivations and preferences. Keeping in mind results from empirical literature (e.g., Silberberg, 1995; Beerli & Martin, 2004; Richards, 2004; P��rez, 2009; Sheng, Shen, & Chen, 2008), gender seems to be a possible approach to market segmentation, whether for Guimar��es or for other cultural tourism destinations around the world. Located in the north-western region of Portugal, Guimar��es is a city of strong symbolic and cultural significance, and the nomination of its historical centre as a World Heritage Site in 2001 enhanced its tourism potential. This study analyses the possible relation between gender and attitudes and motivations towards a World Heritage Site, such as Guimar��es. Additionally, the empirical approach used in the study tries to capture differences in the perceived attributes of the city. Commonalities and distinctions within and between groups of tourists, by focusing on the specific characteristic of gender, were analysed. The study addressed two main questions: first, whether males and females have similar or different preferences in choosing the city as their destination; and, second, whether there are gender differences in the perception of the attributes of Guimar��es. A better understanding of the gendered nature of the destination is a valuable cue for shaping products and services according to visitors��� preferences.

Residents��� perceptions on impacts of hosting the ���Guimar��es 2012 European Capital of Culture���: comparisons of the pre-and post-2012 ECOC

Residents tend to have high expectations about the benefits of hosting a mega���event. So, it was not surprising that the nomination of Guimarães, Portugal, as the 2012 European Capital of Culture (2012 ECOC) had raised great expectations in the local community towards its socio���economic and cultural benefits. The present research was designed to examine the Guimar��es residents��� perceptions on the impacts of hosting the 2012 ECOC approached in two different time schedules, the pre��� and the post���event, trying to capture the evolution of the residents` evaluation of its impacts. For getting the data, two surveys were applied to Guimar��es` residents, one in the pre���event phase, in 2011, and another in the post���event phase, in 2013. This approach is uncommonly applied to Portugal data and it is even the first time it was done to a Portuguese European Capital of Culture. After a factor analysis, the results of t���tests indicate that there were significant differences (p<0.05) between the samples from the pre��� and post���2012 ECOC on two positive impact factors (Community��� benefits and Residents��� benefits) and one negative impact factor (Economic, social and environmental costs). Respondents also showed a negative perception of the impacts in all dimensions, except Changes in habits of Guimar��es residents.

Ex-ante evaluation by the media of the Guimar��es 2012 European Capital of Culture

The nomination of Guimar��es to host the 2012 European Capital of Culture (ECC) has put on the agenda of the city the need of measuring the effects that the implementation of this mega event could have in it and in the municipality a whole. The balance of the benefits and costs and an extended community involvement tend to reduce negative impacts and enhance positive ones. This chapter analyzes the involvement of population and local associations in the planning and organization of the 2012 Guimar��es European Capital of Culture, using the coverage made during 2011 by local and national press of the mega event. A content analysis of the news published covering the period between January and December 2011 and using three newspapers was conducted. From those, two were local and weekly newspapers and one was a national daily one. Looking to data results, it can be concluded that it was poor the community involvement and, also, the one of the cultural associations in the organizations of the 2012 ECC. A strong negative reaction to the model choose to plan the mega event conducted by official organizers was found, which has cast doubts on the desirable participation of the residents and, consequently, on the success of the mega event, especially in a perspective of a medium and long term effects.

Residents��� perceptions on impacts of hosting the ���Guimar��es 2012 European Capital of Culture���: comparisons of the pre-and post-2012 ECOC

The nomination of Guimarães, a small city located in the northwest of Portugal, as European capital of culture (ECOC) in 2012 raised great expectations in the local community towards its socio-economic and cultural benefits. As noted by various authors, namely Kim and Petrick (2005), Kim, Gursoy and Lee (2006) and Gursoy, Chi, Ai and Chen (2011), residents tend to have high expectations about the benefits of hosting a mega-event, although they tend to recognize that some costs will result from it. Therefore, the present research was designed to examine the Guimar��es residents��� perceptions on the impacts of the 2012 European capital of culture (2012 ECOC) on the city and the municipality of Guimar��es before and after the mega-event and the differences found between the two time periods.

Auschwitz-Pilecki-Huber-Rosa Branca-Ratzinger-Wojtyla!

Estima-se que em Auschwitz tenham morrido, de modo directo, cerca de 1,5 milh��es de pessoas. 90% eram judeus. 150 mil polacos, 23 mil ciganos, 15 mil prisioneiros sovi��ticos, milhares de pessoas de diferentes nacionalidades incluindo, p.e., homossexuais e deficientes f��sicos e mentais. E ainda cerca de 400 testemunhas de jeov��. �� It is estimated that at Auschwitz died, directly, about 1.5 million people. 90% were Jews. 150,000 Poles, 23,000 gypsies, 15,000 Soviet prisoners, thousands of people of different nationalities including, eg, homosexuals and physically and mentally disabled. And still about 400 Jehovah's Witnesses.

Evaluating the Guimar��es 2012 European Capital of Culture: National and International Tourists��� Behaviors and Perceptions

In 2012, Guimar��es hosted the European Capital of Culture (ECOC). An evaluation of this event was needed because public, private, and community funds were involved. This analysis considers tourists as external and independent stakeholders who assessed the cultural activities developed during the event as well as the attributes of the city. The main objectives of the research conducted were to assess the visitors` motivations during the hosting of the Guimar��es ECOC 2012, their perceptions towards the city and if national and international visitors kept different perceptions of it. For two months, in the summer of 2012, a survey was applied to 390 visitors. The results revealed that hosting the 2012 ECOC was a major contribution towards attracting new visitors to the city (though many of the visitors stayed only for a short period of time). Based on tourists��� perceptions, the tangible heritage was clearly detached from the set of attributes associated to Guimarães, whereas the intangible heritage was less noted. The Portuguese tourists seem to be more prone to value the tangible heritage than the foreign tourists. Overall, Guimar��es received a very positive evaluation relating to the city���s image and, as stated by tourists, visiting it was declared to be highly recommended. Following the obtained empirical results, the need for changing the city���s promoted image emerges, which has been too centered on its tangible heritage. In doing so, it is believed that there will be longer overnight stays by visitors.