Tourism and Sustainable Landscapes: A Portuguese Case

Abstract

Nowadays, the need for sustainable development and growth is considered as a maximum. Therefore, in Mediterranean territories, this issue is not dissociable as well. Nevertheless, this concept of sustainability, when applied to the environmental sphere, is not always fully considered and understood—as is the case of the landscape’s sustainability. Contextually, the present chapter intends to provide evidence of what way migrants and tourism businesses can change Mediterranean territories into sustainable landscapes. A Portuguese case study of 5,157 inquired migrants revealed that a significant percentage of them wish to return to their home country of origin to manage a tourism business and practice agriculture for self-consumption. This is owing to their tradition of practicing agriculture, where they generally do not employ insecticides and use simple techniques, as well as to the rural organization of the house and other cultivated lands they have scattered in their place of origin. Their similar experiences and migratory characteristics also lead us to argue there is a strong probability that migrants from Southern Europe and Mediterranean countries can also contribute to tourism development and sustainable landscapes in those countries.

1. Introduction

This material is devoted to the analysis of the impact of Portuguese return migration on the development of tourism and sustainable landscapes. As such, it starts contextualizing the potential of return migration movement, entrepreneurship and tourism on sustainable development and sustainable landscapes, especially in the countries of Southern Europe and the Mediterranean.

On this point, in the following sections, the results obtained in a study developed in Portugal through the application of a questionnaire survey of 5,157 Portuguese emigrants will be illustrated. It is shown that the emigrants with active age and a house in a rural area would like to return, have sufficient capital to invest, have a job in tourism in Portugal and would also like to reconcile tourism with traditional agriculture, mainly for self-consumption. In the final section, this chapter will also indicate some directions for future studies in countries of Southern Europe and the Mediterranean with similar migratory characteristics and historical profiles.

2. Return migration, tourism and sustainable development and landscapes

European rural territories face various socio-economic challenges, including unemployment, lack of income opportunities, negative migratory balances, emigration and aging population. The countries whose majority of its regions are less competitive are those where agriculture plays a relevant role [1]. On this point, Labrianidis and Thanassis [1] argue that entrepreneurship, associated with small- and medium-sized businesses, is one way to achieve rural development in low-density territories of Europe once it allows increasing employment and income. Also, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development [2] has argued that emigrants can return with training, professional experience and financial and social capital acquired abroad.

Thus, the emigration-return movement, except in its initial phase (the departure), has several potentialities in terms of rural development, since emigrants preferably head to the regions of departure, which are the most deprived [3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16]. However, in the countries of Southern Europe and the Mediterranean, there has been no impact of the return of emigrants on the development of their places of origin. They have returned with conservative ideas, reflected in the acquisition of a small parcel of land and a new house, as well as business objectives based only on creating small-scale companies linked to the services sector, particularly shops and bars [17, 18].

In Portugal, the excessive fragmentation of property is an important limitation to national agriculture development [19]. In this way, the link between agriculture and tourism in rural areas presents itself not only as an opportunity to diversify the economy but also as a strategy for raising income for rural households [20, 21]. Scientific literature has shown that tourism can be a viable development strategy in rural territories due to its multiplier effect in creating employment and income in this sector and others of the economy that support or attract visitors and tourism companies [21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51]. Therefore, in non-competitive farms, tourism could become the main activity where agriculture, primarily for self-consumption, could function as a complementary activity, providing a substantial income supplement.

Nevertheless, prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, statistical data on international tourism for the previous three years, published by the World Tourism Organization, has shown that Europe—especially the sub-regions of Southern/Mediterranean and Western Europe—were the ones that evidenced the most pronounced seasonality of tourism demand in July, August and September. This scenario has been greatly encouraged by the demand for sun and sea tourism, concentrated in only three months of the year, along the coastline of the most appealing destinations. Being heavily dependent on few touristic markets, this behavior has been causing pressure on natural and cultural landscapes. On this point, and in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UNWTO [52] has argued that rural tourism development is relevant because of the main motivations of these visitors for uncongested places, preferably with open-air experiences and activities. Thus, rural tourism development, return migration and entrepreneurship associated with small and medium-sized businesses present sustainable development and landscape opportunities for low-density territories in Southern Europe and Mediterranean countries.

3. Designing sustainable landscapes: in general terms

The thematic literature and the practical examples tell us, in general terms, that designing sustainable landscapes involves creating environments that balance human needs with ecological considerations, ensuring long-term resilience, functionality and esthetic appeal [53, 54, 55, 56]. Contextually, we can name some fundamental principles and considerations for designing sustainable landscapes:

1. Assess the site: Begin by understanding the site’s natural features, such as topography, soil composition, hydrology and existing vegetation. Evaluate any constraints or opportunities for sustainable design, such as sunlight exposure, water availability and wind patterns [57];

2. Preserve and restore: Prioritize the preservation and restoration of existing natural features, including native plants, wildlife habitats and water bodies. Protecting biodiversity and ecological processes is essential for the long-term health and resilience of the landscape [58, 59];

3. Water management: Implement effective water management strategies, such as rainwater harvesting, storm water management and water-efficient irrigation systems. Use permeable surfaces and green infrastructure to reduce runoff and promote groundwater recharge [57, 60];

4. Native plant selection: Opt for native plants adapted to the local climate and soil conditions. Native plants require less water, fertilizer and maintenance once established while also supporting local ecosystems and wildlife. Incorporate a diverse range of plants to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem services [58, 61];

5. Sustainable materials: Choose sustainable materials for hardscape elements such as pathways, walls and structures. Use recycled or locally sourced materials with low embodied energy. Consider the life cycle impacts, durability and maintenance requirements of materials to minimize environmental footprints [60];

6. Energy efficiency: Integrate energy-efficient design principles into the landscape. Use vegetation strategically for shading and wind protection to reduce energy consumption for heating and cooling. Incorporate renewable energy technologies, such as solar panels or small wind turbines, where feasible [62];

7. Ecological connectivity: Create linkages and corridors between different habitats to promote environmental connectivity and wildlife movement. Design green spaces that allow for the natural flow of plants, animals and ecological processes across the landscape [63];

8. Community engagement: Involve the local community in the design and maintenance of sustainable landscapes. Encourage educational opportunities and community involvement in stewardship activities. Consider cultural and social aspects to ensure that the landscape meets the needs and aspirations of the people who will use and benefit from it [64];

9. Maintenance and management: Develop a long-term management plan for the landscape to ensure its ongoing sustainability. Include measures for invasive species control, proper waste management, regular maintenance and monitoring of ecological health [57];

10. Adaptability and resilience: Design landscapes with adaptability in mind, considering climate change and potential future challenges. Incorporating resilient plant species, designing for water efficiency and creating spaces that can accommodate changing conditions [63] are just a few examples.

Besides, we should consider that designing sustainable landscapes is a dynamic and iterative process that requires collaboration, ongoing evaluation and adaptation. By considering ecological principles, resource efficiency and community engagement, we can create landscapes that are not only visually appealing but also contribute to the well-being of both humans and the natural environment [65].

4. Methodology

Bearing in mind the positive impact of return migration movement, entrepreneurship and tourism development on low-density territories, a study in Portugal, funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), was developed in order to assess the contribution of the return of Portuguese emigrants on tourism development in Portugal [66]. The population of Portuguese emigrants is unknown, and the data were obtained through the application of a questionnaire survey to Portuguese emigrants totalling 5,157 filled and valid questionnaires. For the design of the questionnaire, nominal scales, checklists and ratio scales were used. Data analysis was carried out by means of quantitative descriptive analysis (frequencies and crossings) and correlation tests of variables, as well as a qualitative analysis through the application of Student’s t-tests and ANOVA (analysis of variance) tests (Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney).

5. Results and discussion

The conclusions of the study described in the previous section carried out with 5,157 Portuguese emigrants scattered around the world [53] have shown that those aged 29–39 who have a house in a rural municipality (or less-developed area) in Portugal are the ones who would like to return and work in the tourism sector, as also have sufficient capital to invest in this sector in their place of origin (Tables 1–3).

	Age
County of the house	Less than 18 years old	Between 18 and 28 years old	Between 29 and 39 years old	Total
Highest centrality index	0.6%	2.1%	6.7%	9.3%
Lowest centrality index	0.3%	7.2%	15.9%	23.3%
Does not know/does not answer	1.3%	30.0%	36.1%	67.4%
Total	2.1%	39.2%	58.7%	100.0%

Table 1.

Age of Portuguese emigrants vs. County of the house in Portugal.

Source: Own elaboration.

County of the house	Most important factors for returning to Portugal
	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I
Highest centrality index	18.2%	19.4%	16.3%	18.6%		17.1%	10.5%	15.5%	16.0%
Smallest centrality index	81.0%	79.9%	83.3%	80.9%	81.3%	82.3%	89.3%	83.8%	84.0%
Does not know/does not answer	0.8%	0.7%	0.4%	0.5%	0.7%	0.6%	0.3%	0.7%	—

Table 2.

County of the house in Portugal vs. Most important factors for returning to Portugal.

(A) Have a job opportunity; (B) Have income opportunities; (C) Have a rural lifestyle; (D) Live near my family in Portugal; (E) Existing infrastructures for living and investing in a business at place of origin; (F) Existing infrastructures for living and investing in a business at place of origin; (G) Have a house in place of origin; (H) Be able to exercise a paid activity, by my own, in the tourism sector; (I) None. Source: Own elaboration.

County of the house in Portugal	Capital to invest in a business in Portugal				Total
	Yes	Maybe	No	Does not know/does not answer
Highest centrality index	4.2%	7.2%	5.4%	4.7%	21.5%
Smallest centrality index	12.9%	24.4%	28.7%	11.3%	77.4%
Does not know/does not answer	0.1%	0.3%	0.2%	0.5%	1.1%
Total	17.2%	31.9%	34.3%	16.6%	100.0%

Table 3.

County of the house in Portugal vs. Capital to invest in a business in Portugal.

Source: Own elaboration.

The same study [53] also points out that emigrants also would like to have control over their own working hours in Portugal in order to reconcile tourism with traditional agriculture, mainly for self-consumption, since their house in the place of origin has vegetable gardens and/or other farmland scattered throughout the village, where they generally use simple techniques and do not employ insecticides (Tables 4 and 5). Thus, these Portuguese emigrants can contribute to rural tourism development and, at the same time, to sustainable landscapes in their place of origin, since the maintenance of small and very small farms, with little environmental impact, is a very important element for rural tourism destinations and sustainable landscapes. Furthermore, their houses in the place of origin are already built.

%		Age of Portuguese emigrants
		Less than 18 years old	Between 18 and 28 years old	Between 29 and 39 years old
If emigrants had a job in the tourism sector, in Portugal, they would like to control their own working hours due to several factors.	(a)	—	39.6%	60.4%
	(b)	—	33.5%	66.5%
	(c)	—	34.3%	65.7%
	(d)	—	53.4%	46.6%
	(e)	—	41.9%	58.1%
	(f)	—	41.3%	58.7%
	(g)	—	45.3%	54.7%
	(h)	—	41.3%	58.7%
	(i)	—	50.0%	50.0%
	(j)	—	41.0%	59.0%
	(l)	—	44.6%	55.4%
	(m)	—	42.1%	57.9%
	(n)	—	41.6%	58.4%
	(o)	9.1%	34.7%	56.2%

Table 4.

Age vs. Portuguese emigrants would like to control their own working hours in Portugal due to a number of factors.

(A) I would also want to practice agriculture, primarily for self-consumption; (B) I would have a job in the area of tourism; (C) I want to have a rural lifestyle; (D) I have a hard time getting a permanent job; (E) I could have had more than one job; (F) I could better reconcile work with my family/social life; (G) It would be easier to comply with health commitments (among others); (H) I could devote more time to domestic work; (I) I would be less tired by the end of the day; J) I would have a higher level of job satisfaction; (L) I would be more productive at work; (M) I would have less intention of changing job; (N) I would have less pressure; (O) Did not know/did not answer. Source: Own elaboration.

%		Age of Portuguese emigrants
		Less than 18 years old	Between 18 and 28 years old	Between 29 and 39 years old
Portuguese emigrants could practice agriculture for self-consumption in Portugal, due to a number of factors	(a)	—	44.9%	55.1%
	(b)	—	39.3%	60.7%
	(c)	—	43.6%	56.4%
	(d)	—	37.5%	62.5%
	(e)	—	43.3%	56.7%
	(f)	4.8%	35.1%	60.2%

Table 5.

Age vs. Portuguese emigrants could practice agriculture for self-consumption in Portugal, due to a number of factors.

(A) The house in the place where I was born has vegetable gardens and groves; (B) I own other farmlands dispersed in the place where I was born; (C) When I am in Portugal I practice agriculture (especially for self-consumption); (D) I usually practice agriculture with simple techniques and not employ insecticides; (E) Agriculture for self-consumption allow me to increase disposable income; (F) Did not know/did not answer. Source: Own elaboration.

6. Final thoughts

This study has argued that the return migration, entrepreneurship associated with small- and medium-sized businesses, and tourism present opportunities for tourism development and sustainable landscapes in Portugal. This is corroborated by Portuguese emigrants’ intentions of return, tourism investment and work, as well as their traditional agricultural taste and skills they put into practice in the house and small farms they have in the place of origin. Their similar experiences and migratory characteristics also lead us to argue there is a strong probability that emigrants from Southern Europe and Mediterranean countries can also contribute to tourism development and sustainable landscapes in those countries.

Thereby, return migration can positively affect sustainable development by facilitating knowledge transfer and enhancing local capacities. For example, returning migrants who have gained expertise in environmentally friendly practices or sustainable technologies can help promote sustainable development in their home regions. Additionally, remittances sent by return migrants can provide financial support for local entrepreneurship and investment in sustainable projects.

Also, tourism can contribute to sustainable development by generating income, creating job opportunities and fostering local entrepreneurship. It can also raise awareness about environmental conservation and cultural preservation. However, uncontrolled or poorly managed tourism can lead to environmental degradation, loss of cultural heritage and socio-economic imbalances.

In fact, landscapes are crucial in sustainable development as they provide the natural resources, ecosystems and cultural heritage that support human well-being. Sustainable development requires landscape conservation and wise management to ensure long-term viability. This includes protecting biodiversity, managing land and water resources sustainably, preserving cultural and historical sites, and promoting sustainable practices in various sectors such as agriculture, energy and tourism.

Sustainable development and landscapes are intertwined with return migration and tourism. Return migration can bring back knowledge and resources, contributing to sustainable landscape management. When practiced sustainably, tourism can help preserve landscapes by generating income for conservation efforts and raising awareness about their value. At the same time, sustainable landscapes and well-managed natural and cultural resources can attract tourists interested in responsible travel.

Considering the pronounced seasonality of tourism demand for sun and sea in the most appealing destinations of Southern Europe and Mediterranean countries, Portugal may constitute a pilot study in the sense that possible conclusions can be drawn by extrapolation to the same countries with similar migratory characteristics and historical profiles.

Acknowledgments

This study is a result of the Research Group CITUR–Madeira–Centre for Tourism Research, Development and Innovation).