Portuguese tourism: How to share success?

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to draws on the main conclusions of an International Tourism Forum Round Table discussion, attended by representatives of the main entities of the tourism sector in Portugal as well as international travel and tourism specialists. The authors identify the importance of making travel and tourism growth sustainable and discuss how success approaches can be shared more widely. Design/methodology/approach The main conclusions resulting from the International Tourism Forum Round Table are presented and discussed. The event was organised by the Institute for Tourism Planning and Development (IPDT), with Sponsorship support from the Solverde Group, under the theme: Tourism in 2018: How to Share Tourism Success. Findings Participants in the International Tourism Forum Round Table concluded that the tourism industry worldwide and in Portugal in particular, is facing major challenges that calls for innovative ways of managing the tourist experience. Several questions regarding tourism have been discussed, including desertification in some inland cities and villages. Originality/value This paper provides knowledge about the current state of Portuguese tourism, its challenges and opportunities and identifies innovative ways and likely solutions for drawing tourists to other regions of the country - beyond the major cities.