Are We Really Ready? The Investment Barrier Paradox in Portuguese Tourism SMEs

Manuel Au-Yong-Oliveira; José Magano

doi:10.34624/rftmg577

Are We Really Ready? The Investment Barrier Paradox in Portuguese Tourism SMEs

Authors

Manuel Au-Yong-Oliveira U
José Magano

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34624/rftmg577

Keywords:

digital transformation, tourism SMEs, investment barriers, skills gap;, perceptual gap, Portugal

Abstract

Digital and green transformation is reshaping European tourism, yet significant investment barriers persist among tourism SMEs. This study examines why Portuguese tourism businesses do not invest in the competencies the twin transition demands, even when skills gaps are empirically demonstrable. Drawing on 393 survey responses from accommodation, food and beverage, and travel and tour operations businesses, we show that the dominant barrier is not financial constraint — cited by fewer than one in six non-investors — but the absence of perceived need: 66–67% of non-investing accommodation and travel firms state they do not require green or digital capabilities. This ‘perceptual gap paradox’ — whereby firms self-assess as adequate in domains where Importance-Performance Analysis identifies material gaps — reframes the skills gap from a training supply failure to a managerial awareness failure. The study contributes to the digital transformation readiness literature by providing demand-side empirical evidence on why investment fails to materialise, and offers actionable implications for policymakers, VET providers, and industry associations operating in tourism-dependent economies.

Author Biographies

Manuel Au-Yong-Oliveira, U

O Manuel nasceu e passou parte da sua infância em Londres (1969-1980). Tem duas filhas e dois enteados gémeos e vive atualmente no Porto.

Na Universidade de Aveiro (UA) foi membro da Comissão Executiva do DEGEIT (2014-2022) e Diretor do Mestrado em Gestão (2016-2022). Foi ainda Diretor da Licenciatura em Gestão (2015-2016). É o Coordenador da Comissão para a Ética e Responsabilidade Social no DEGEIT (desde 2018). É ainda, atualmente, membro da Comissão de Análise do Sistema de Garantia da Qualidade (SGQ) do DEGEIT (desde 2014).

O Manuel fez estudos pós-doutorais na UA (2016-2019) sob o tema “Elementos que contribuem para a competitividade das organizações”. Fez um doutoramento em Engenharia Industrial e Gestão, na Universidade do Porto (FEUP, 2012 - área da inovação), onde foi docente convidado (2009-2014). Em termos de investigação, é atualmente investigador do GOVCOPP com uma colaboração com o INESC TEC.

O Manuel é Professor Associado com Agregação (em Gestão - Marketing) na UA onde dá aulas desde Fevereiro 2009. Já colaborou em diversas unidades curriculares na UA, tais como Marketing, Gestão de Marketing, Gestão do Conhecimento, Gestão de Serviços, Gestão da Inovação e Tecnologia, e Estratégia e Competitividade; deu ainda módulos em Seminário I e II no PDCEE, incluindo Tecnologia e Inovação nos Negócios e nas Empresas; e Investigação em Ciências Económicas e Empresariais I.

Experiência profissional anterior inclui colaborações com as multinacionais Accenture (em gestão da mudança relativo a assuntos tecnológicos), Worthington Cylinders (tendo sido, a nível Europeu, gestor dos sistemas de informação, trainer e analista de marketing), e Waterco Europa (responsável pela conquista de novos negócios na Europa de Oeste).

O Manuel também já trabalhou com empresas mais pequenas e empreendedoras incluindo a Areal Editores, a Motion Design, e o CRPG.
José Magano

Currently Associate Professor at the Higher Institute of Business Sciences and Tourism (Porto, since 1994) and Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Aveiro (since 2003; previously lecturer at the Catholic University since 1992). Lecturer on executive education courses at the Porto Business School of the University of Porto (since 2008). PhD in Applied Economics – Tourism. Specialist title in Marketing and Advertising. MSc in Management. Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering (1989, pre-Bologna), and Master in Business Administration MBA (1991). Integrated researcher at the Research Center in Economics and Business Sciences (CICEE) of the Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa. Research interests: tourism, project management, sustainability, marketing and innovation strategy, education, energy systems and digital transformation. Besides the academic career, the previous work experience includes over 30 years of collaboration with various private and public entities, including CCDRN (Regional development authority), AICEP (Portuguese trade and investment agency), and AEP (Chamber of Commerce), and served as the executive director of AURN (Association of Universities of Northern Portugal), managing a significant number of regional and European projects between 2000 and 2013. Consultant to SMEs since 1995, working with companies such as Deloitte and Horwath HTL in innovation, project management and operational optimisation, and, from 2001 to 2013, a business consultant at INESC Tec (Porto). Co-founded and developed several technology-based start-up companies with venture capital, playing CEO, CFO and board member roles.

References

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Published

2026-07-29

Issue

No. 7 (2026): ICIEMC 2026 - Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Marketing & Consumer Behaviour, July 10-11, 2026

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Are We Really Ready? The Investment Barrier Paradox in Portuguese Tourism SMEs. (2026). ICIEMC Proceedings, 7, 45-51. https://doi.org/10.34624/rftmg577