Saltpans: a natural and cultural heritage to know!

• Ana Margarida Tavares dos Santos Ferreira da Silva ^[1] ; Helena Cláudia da Cruz Albuquerque ^[1] ; Filomena Maria Cardoso Pedrosa Ferreira Martins ^[1]
  1. [1] Universidade de Aveiro

     Universidade de Aveiro

     Vera Cruz, Portugal

     
• Localización: Destination branding heritage and authenticity / Rubén Camilo Lois González (ed. lit.), Francisco Dias (ed. lit.), Xosé Manuel Santos Solla (ed. lit.), Pilar Taboada De Zuñiga (ed. lit.), Joao Paulo Conceição Silva Jorge (ed. lit.), 2012, ISBN 978-84-695-3961-3, págs. 59-70
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • Saltpans are the result of anthropocentric intervention in natural areas, which provide a unique landscape and special conditions for the existence of different fauna and flora species, particularly in different wetlands along Atlantic coast. They are the proof of an established equilibrium created between the anthropocentric use of this habitat and the maintenance of their natural functions. As a result of these unique conditions, in some of these areas the number of visitors is increasing for tourist purposes, namely in countries like France and Spain. However, it is important to combine tourism activities with artisanal salt production, since this is the activity that provides the maintenance of these areas. The Ria de Aveiro “Salgado” (saltpans) belongs to one of the most important Portuguese wetland area (Aveiro lagoon), providing special conditions for nature conservation, but also for the development of tourism based on this natural and cultural heritage. Nevertheless, the biggest part of the saltpans are abandoned, which is taking to different problems: an extinction of a traditional activity (the artisanal salt production), and a loss of natural, cultural, historic and human values. The development of tourism activities based on the artisanal salt production could be a solution for this area. In this paper, we will present orientations for a sustainable program for the development of tourism activities that could be applied in the Ria de Aveiro saltpans. The main objective is to present some strategies that could improve tourism attractiveness to these areas promoting the preservation of this specific natural and cultural heritage.