Urban landscape and tourism in the Historic Centre of Porto: The perception of residents

Abstract

This study aims to discuss the relationship between tourism and the urban landscape in the city of Porto, opening a dialogue around the creation of comparative dynamics between cities. The urban landscape has been analysed and studied by several authors under different perspectives that have been revised in the theoretical and methodological framework of the study presented here. In this case, we are interested in studying the landscape of Porto, a city on the rise in tourist?s numbers. It is intended to diagnose the local resident's perceptions about the landscape of the Historic Centre and reflect on tourist impacts motivated by the growth of its visitors and the highly intensive use of public spaces. The diagnosis of the landscape relates to directional signage, outdoor advertising, out-door terrace furniture of restaurants and similar, urban furniture, gardens and natural elements, traffic, cleaning, pedestrian areas, visitor flow, conservation of monuments, museums and buildings. The components inevitably put in the same urban image context residents and tourism who acquire and share the local experiences. This diagnosis will be an important dialogue basis regarding processes of urban landscape improvement and will allow reflection on the normative discourses that managers intent to materialize.