The Economic Dimension of Quality in Tourism: Perceptions of Portuguese Public Decision Makers at the Local Level

ABSTRACT

A quality assessment scale in tourism was constructed in five dimensions: economic, development, human resources, marketing and product. We presents the research findings for the economic dimension, aiming to understand the perception of Portuguese public decision makers at the local level. Using survey methodology, a sample of Portuguese municipalities was used for data collection. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed, and three factors supported quality assessment regarding economics: development strategy (F1), economic factors of demand (F2), and financial incentives (F3). Results focus on the validation of the psychometric properties of this measuring instrument, identifying key issues for future research.

KEYWORDS:

• Competitiveness
• Economic dimension
• Quality
• Tourism
• Portugal

Acknowledgments

We are grateful for the participation of the Portuguese public decision makers at the local level that contributed with their experience and knowledge to the present research.