to Natural Protected Areas of the Central Region of Portugal

Abstract

The Natural Protected Areas form an ideal setting for the development of ecotourism, demonstrating the dialectic between the intrinsic and utilitarian functions of these parks. This issue reveals concerns about the integrity of the biotic and abiotic assets sheltered by these territories, in addition to the sensibilities associated with the social fabric of the autochthonous communities. Thus, the literature argues for greater importance of the role of ecotourism management, detailing a set of techniques that put tourism on the path to sustainability. This article presents a study of ecotourism management in Natural Protected Areas in the Central Region of Portugal, seeking to identify the management practices related to the tools analyzed in the theory. This study relies mainly on a methodology that includes techniques of interview and direct observation for the data collection. While carrying out this study, it was observed that the parks analyzed still remain focused on the common paradigm of carrying capacity, and that they have not evolved to other models of management. However, an important point is the existence of a zoning in the parks analyzed, a practice which has had repercussions on the adjustment of the offer of attractions to the profile of ecotouristim demand. It is hoped that this paper will contribute to strengthening the development of sustainable tourism in Natural Protected Areas. Key words: Natural Protected Areas - Sustainable Tourism - Ecotourism Management Tools.