Local tourism strategic plan for Alentejo Litoral (Portugal). An experimental action of 2B Parks project

This article summarises the Local Tourism Strategic Plan (LTSP) proposed for the Alentejo Litoral Region (Coastal Alentejo Region), in Portugal, in the scope of the project 2BParks, co-financed by the MED Programme. The territorial scope of the LTSP is one of the 5 NUTS III subdivisions of the Alentejo region in Portugal. The territory combines small urban centres with rural landscape and a coastal area that spreads along 179 Km of shoreline. Three protected areas are located in this region: the Nature Reserve of the Santo Andre and Sancha Lagoons, the Nature Reserve of the Sado Estuary and a Nature Park located in the southernmost part of the Alentejo coast. The article includes a brief analysis of the natural resources and socio-economic characteristics of the target territory, a summary of tourism resources and of recent evolution of tourism offer and demand. This evaluation, combined with the participatory approach followed, supports a SWOT analysis addressing the development of nature tourism in Alentejo Litoral. A strategic plan for sustainable tourism is outlined, including the definition of strategic objectives, marketing objectives and operational goals. Based on this framework, a marketing mix strategy is proposed and an action plan is defined.