Portuguese urban spaces and perceived risks: A stakeholder perspective approach

Resumo

The pursuit of leisure linked with tourism activities is also associated with several perceived risks that may occur before or during visitation. The perception of risk in tourism is partly due to the intangible and unpredictable nature of traveling to a place other than one's usual place of residence, which is associated with uncertainty and fear. In the case of urban tourism, many common characteristics of urban circuits can condition the perceived risk, namely the large concentration of people, traffic, a greater propensity for crime, ghettos, homelessness, vandalism and others. These features, which are found in most large urban areas, can increase tourists risk perceptions. However, tourism is an integral part of the urban context and cities are generators of wealth, both economically and socio-culturally. The risk variables, space and consumption, are particularly important in the study of perceived risk, as more trips are being made and tourist centers in cities have become increasingly vital (Cui et al., 2016). In this way, tourist activity largely depends on the safety of tourists, which may affect their consumption behavior and their intention to revisit the destination. In view of these factors, it was considered important to consult the various tourism stakeholders such as tourists, tourism operators, tourism workers and residents. The aim of this work was to understand, whether on the consumer side or on the supply side which risks are most commonly perceived by visitors, in Porto and Lisbon. Finally, respondents indicated measures and policies that they believe could increase the sense of security in the destinations surveyed.