The third edition of the International Conference on “Cultural Sustainable Tourism” was held in collaboration with the University of Maia in Portugal, and took place virtually from the 13th to the 14th of October, due to the travel restrictions caused by the pandemic.

The Conference discussed the impact of the pressing issues in the world nowadays on tourism and cultural preservation. The Conference’s topics attracted scientists, architects, cultural preservation enthusiasts, and researchers to discuss their papers and come up with possible solutions to solve the problems of endangered cultures worldwide and promote cultural tourism.

Among the main topics discussed in the conference:

1-     Policies and Mechanisms for Heritage Preservation

2-     Social and Economic impacts

3-     Future Prospects and Trends of Tourism

4-     Sustainable Environment: Geography and Tourism

Day 1:

Welcoming Session:

The Opening Ceremony started with the online registration and welcoming speeches from the Conference Chair and IEREK’s founder.

First a Presentation about IEREK introducing IEREK as a company and its activities to the audience.

Following IEREK’s introduction, short welcoming speeches were given by the conference chair Professor Eduardo Cordeiro Gonçalves, University of Maia-ISMAI, and Center of Tourism Development Studies, and the conference co-chair Professor Fernando Faria Paulino, University of Maia ISMAI, Portugal.

Plenary session:

A plenary session followed introducing the first keynote speaker Professor Manuel Salgado, Ph.D. in Tourism from the University of Aveiro, Portugal, whose speech was entitled: “Sustainable development and tourism research perspectives”.

After the keynote speech was the First Session of the conference titled “Development Strategies for Sustainable Tourism”. The session was moderated by Professor Antonio Jose Pinheiro, Ph.D. in Tourism from the University of Coimbra, Portugal, and Professor Roberto Reis, Ph.D. in Tourism from the University of Coimbra, Portugal. The session had six presentations before a short break.

Following the short break was the second Keynote Speaker Professor Xerardo Pereiro, Associate professor of anthropology and cultural tourism, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Portugal, with a speech entitled: “Tourism and Pilgrimage in post-secular times: The Portuguese Inner Way to the Santiago de Compostela (PIWSC)”.

The Second Session entitled “Sustainable Environment: Geography and Tourism” then started and was moderated by Professor Antonio Vilares Melo, University of Maia and Professor Ricardo da Costa Guerra, Phd in Tourism from the University of Coimbra. Four presentations were discussed during the second session and concluded the first day of the Conference.

Day 2:

The second day of the conference started with the speeches of the remaining keynote speakers, Professor Norberto Santos, Director of the Department of Geography and Tourism at the Faculty of Arts, University of Coimbra, with a speech entitled: “Culture and Tourism Development and Sustainability,” and Professor Ante Mandic, Assistant Professor at the University of Split, Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism, Croatia, with a speech entitled: “Smart governance for heritage tourism destinations.”

After the keynote speeches, the Third Session, which is moderated by Professor Roberto Carlos Reis, Ph.D. in Tourism from University of Coimbra, Portugal, and Professor Antonio Jose Pinheiro, Ph.D. in Tourism from the University of Coimbra, Portugal. The third session discussed seven presentations, before a short break.

Next was the Fourth Session of the conference and it was moderated by Professor Antonio Vilares Melo, Professor at the University of Maia. The fourth and last session of the conference discussed the remaining five presentations.

A discussion and a Questions and Answers session followed, and the Conference was concluded by a Panel session where final remarks and feedback were discussed.