Cultural distance in UNESCO World Heritage destinations. The case study of Coimbra (Portugal)

The empirical research studies carried out in cities with World Heritage Sites and the relationships between tour guides and visitors strengthen the destination and mobility characteristics that are important for analysing behavioural distancing in tourist destinations. The theme of this article is...

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Main Authors: Norberto Santos, Claudete Oliveira Moreira, Luís Silveira
Format: Article
Language:Portuguese
Published: Coimbra University Press 2024-12-01
Series:Cadernos de Geografia
Subjects:
Online Access:https://impactum-journals.uc.pt/cadernosgeografia/article/view/14542
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author Norberto Santos
Claudete Oliveira Moreira
Luís Silveira
author_facet Norberto Santos
Claudete Oliveira Moreira
Luís Silveira
author_sort Norberto Santos
collection DOAJ
description The empirical research studies carried out in cities with World Heritage Sites and the relationships between tour guides and visitors strengthen the destination and mobility characteristics that are important for analysing behavioural distancing in tourist destinations. The theme of this article is related to the concept of touristification, which makes it possible to valorise the risk implicit in the context of relations between groups of visitors and resident populations (local community). The main purpose is to identify the challenges in managing the tourist destination of Coimbra (UNESCO World Heritage) when considering cultural distance as the relationship between tourists of different nationalities, the local community and the professionals responsible for delivery services. The focus is on how interpreter-guides perceive different groups of visitors, based on a set of 20 interviews. The group consisted of professionals who often visit the city and the University of Coimbra, but who work both nationally and internationally. The text highlights four crucial factors in the analysis of cultural distance in a destination between residents, interpreter-guides and tourists, these being i) communication, ii) experience/learning, iii) hospitality, and iv) knowledge of local history and good organisation of the tour programme.
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publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Coimbra University Press
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series Cadernos de Geografia
spelling doaj-art-ebbd0a0f104248b480fc4cd525afab2e2025-08-20T02:36:22ZporCoimbra University PressCadernos de Geografia0871-16232183-40162024-12-015010.14195/0871-1623_50_9Cultural distance in UNESCO World Heritage destinations. The case study of Coimbra (Portugal)Norberto Santos0Claudete Oliveira Moreira1Luís Silveira2Universidade de Coimbra, CEGOT, FLUCUniversidade de Coimbra, CEGOT, FLUCUniversidade de Coimbra, CEGOT, FLUCThe empirical research studies carried out in cities with World Heritage Sites and the relationships between tour guides and visitors strengthen the destination and mobility characteristics that are important for analysing behavioural distancing in tourist destinations. The theme of this article is related to the concept of touristification, which makes it possible to valorise the risk implicit in the context of relations between groups of visitors and resident populations (local community). The main purpose is to identify the challenges in managing the tourist destination of Coimbra (UNESCO World Heritage) when considering cultural distance as the relationship between tourists of different nationalities, the local community and the professionals responsible for delivery services. The focus is on how interpreter-guides perceive different groups of visitors, based on a set of 20 interviews. The group consisted of professionals who often visit the city and the University of Coimbra, but who work both nationally and internationally. The text highlights four crucial factors in the analysis of cultural distance in a destination between residents, interpreter-guides and tourists, these being i) communication, ii) experience/learning, iii) hospitality, and iv) knowledge of local history and good organisation of the tour programme. https://impactum-journals.uc.pt/cadernosgeografia/article/view/14542Interpreter-guidesBehavioural distancingCultural distanceTouristificationTourist (non) friendliness
spellingShingle Norberto Santos
Claudete Oliveira Moreira
Luís Silveira
Cultural distance in UNESCO World Heritage destinations. The case study of Coimbra (Portugal)
Cadernos de Geografia
Interpreter-guides
Behavioural distancing
Cultural distance
Touristification
Tourist (non) friendliness
title Cultural distance in UNESCO World Heritage destinations. The case study of Coimbra (Portugal)
title_full Cultural distance in UNESCO World Heritage destinations. The case study of Coimbra (Portugal)
title_fullStr Cultural distance in UNESCO World Heritage destinations. The case study of Coimbra (Portugal)
title_full_unstemmed Cultural distance in UNESCO World Heritage destinations. The case study of Coimbra (Portugal)
title_short Cultural distance in UNESCO World Heritage destinations. The case study of Coimbra (Portugal)
title_sort cultural distance in unesco world heritage destinations the case study of coimbra portugal
topic Interpreter-guides
Behavioural distancing
Cultural distance
Touristification
Tourist (non) friendliness
url https://impactum-journals.uc.pt/cadernosgeografia/article/view/14542
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AT claudeteoliveiramoreira culturaldistanceinunescoworldheritagedestinationsthecasestudyofcoimbraportugal
AT luissilveira culturaldistanceinunescoworldheritagedestinationsthecasestudyofcoimbraportugal