Project: Impact of the Portugal Rally in the Tourism Economy and Image Formation of Destinations: North of Portugal – 2016 Edition
Team: Fernando Perna (Coordinator), Maria João Custódio and Vanessa Oliveira
Contracting party: Automobile Club of Portugal (ACP)
Execution time limit: 2016/17

Executive Summary:

The 2016 Vodafone Rally impact study on the tourism economy and destination image formation for the North of Portugal is the result of a commitment made by the University of Algarve through the International Centre of Territory and Tourism Research and the Automobile Club of Portugal with the main objective of ascertaining the direct economic performance and perceived image of the event and of the destination through its sports fans based on current methodologies and primary and secondary data collection during the event and the surrounding months.

As in previous editions, this project comprises two components. Firstly, the economic component, in which the contribution of the event is quantified for the tourism economy of the region involved. Secondly, marketing and image are analyzed; the first stage of which is quantified in terms of the event's public exposure through mass media. In a second stage, an assessment is carried out on the primary image assimilated by sports fans and the media in relation to the event and the region visited.