The touristic dimension of geocaching: An analysis from the geocaching network of Pampilhosa da Serra

Abstract

Geocaching, as a leisure and recreation activity, has registered since its emergence, in the last two decades, an increasing number of users (geocachers) and oerings (geocaches), with practitioners and containers in all the Continents and practically in all countries. Recognizing the importance of geocaching, several actors or managers of tourism products have implemented thematic networks of geocaching, with the purpose of increasing the reality installed in their territories, diversifying and/or complementing the tourist offer and, also, to increase the length of stay of tourists in the territories. 

As a result of the perception of the relevance of geocaching in the valuation and diversification of the tourist product, the City Council of Pampilhosa da Serra (Center of Portugal) has structured, since 2017, a geocaching network, associated with its nine approved hiking trails, with geocaches along eighty four kilometers of waymarked trails, which reveals signicant results in understanding the importance of this activity for the development of municipal tourist activity.