C.2.2. Impact on lower-density areas

C.2.2. Economic Pillar - Local Equity - Impact on lower-density areas

Why does this matter?

Tourism can provide essential economic opportunities for rural and sparsely populated regions.

Directing tourism activity to these areas helps combat regional inequalities, supports local services, and prevents depopulation.

What does it take into account?

The score considers the distribution of overnight stays across the tour itinerary. A higher percentage of nights spent in these territories leads to a higher final score.

How is this measured?

The indicator measures the percentage of overnight stays that occur in low-density areas.

This is calculated by identifying where tourists spend the night during the tour and determining whether those locations are officially classified as low-density areas.

A low-density area is defined by the Portuguese government and usually includes places with fewer than 100 inhabitants per km². In the Azores and Madeira, all the islands are considered eligible due to their geographic isolation.

About the Score

Score 0: Very Poor

Very few overnight stays occur in low-density areas. The tour generates little or no economic impact in rural or sparsely populated territories.

10%

0.0% - 20.0%

Score 1: Poor

A limited share of overnight stays occurs in low-density areas. The economic contribution to these sparsely populated territories is weak.

30%

20.0% - 40.0%

Score 2: Satisfactory

Around half of the overnight stays occur in low-density areas. The tour provides a moderate economic contribution to sparsely populated territories.

50%

40.0% - 60.0%

Score 3: Good

Most overnight stays occur in low-density areas. The tour significantly supports economic activity in sparsely populated territories.

70%

60.0% - 80.0%

Score 4: Very Good

Almost all overnight stays take place in low-density areas. The tour strongly reinforces economic activity in sparsely populated regions.

90%

80.0% - 92.0%

Score 5: Excellent

Nearly all overnight stays occur in low-density areas. The tour plays a major role in sustaining sparsely populated regions.

100%

92.0% - 100.0%

Developed with the support of

Touristic Footprint Index (TFI) by Portugal Outdoor Alliance (POA) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License