Title: Knowledge transfer for the development of sustainable tourism: focus on official Portuguese tourism websites

Authors: Maria do Rosário Borges; Celeste Eusébio; Nuno Carvalho

Addresses: School of Social Science Department of Sociology, University of Évora, Largo dos Colegiais 2, Évora, 7004-516, Portugal ' Department of Economics, Management and Industrial Engineering, University of Aveiro, Campus Santiago, Aveiro, 3810-193, Portugal ' College of Education – Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Praça Heróis do Ultramar – Solum, Coimbra, 3030-329, Portugal

Abstract: To achieve development of sustainable tourism, policy makers and managers need up-to-date, accurate and relevant knowledge. Therefore, a tourism knowledge platform is essential for all stakeholders. Additionally, the internet is part of the day-to-day life of people and organisations, with all its inherent advantages. In this context, the present article features how the internet has been used by Portuguese public organisations operating in the tourism destination of the Alentejo to disseminate information about sustainable tourism. The content analysis research technique was used to evaluate information content within official tourism websites with a view to sharing data and information about the overall scope of sustainable development issues. The outcomes demonstrate that these websites are not used as platforms for knowledge transfer concerning sustainable tourism.

Keywords: sustainable tourism; knowledge transfer; content analysis; public organisations; Portugual; official tourism websites; internet; sustainable development; sustainability.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTP.2012.049718

International Journal of Tourism Policy, 2012 Vol.4 No.3, pp.183 - 205

Received: 01 Jun 2011
Accepted: 10 Mar 2012
Published online: 14 Nov 2014 *

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