Tourist Utopias in Rural Spaces

Abstract

We focus on the ingredients supporting new paradise like tourist experiments taking place in the rural space of Alentejo. The hosts’ vision is valued and broadcast in the promotion of these recent and selected ventures. The environmental and landscape qualification, the organic agriculture in favor of sustainability, the experimentation of farming activities such as wine and olive oil production and gastronomy based on local products are recurrent examples in the tourist promotion. What are the creative ingredients which can render feasible these tourist “utopias” in vulnerable rural spaces? How do these strategic ingredients appear associated in different locations? How is this association achieved? Since their differentiating value is recognized, how can these ingredients be the vehicles of innovation and development in the rural spaces? What does each initiative offer to the location they belong in, with its original association of tourist experiments? What does each location bring to the tourist endeavour?