Gardens, Urban Space and Tourism: the case of Ponta Delgada – São Miguel (Azores)

Abstract

The exploration and consumption of dimensions typically associated with and offered by the city's space – history, culture, modernity, and their intersections – constitute the core of urban tourism. Parks and gardens are also part of this urban tourist consumption. Microcosms of history and culture, thus reflecting the identity of a city, gardens are part of the strategies for diversifying urban tourist offerings, playing an increasingly relevant role in attractiveness, and their integration into tourist itineraries has contributed to promoting a holistic approach to urban destinations. As a result of its historical evolution, the island of São Miguel (Azores) possesses an interesting heritage of gardens, and this work proposes to analyze the position of gardens in the touristic offer and strategy, particularly in Ponta Delgada, a destination with a prominent role in the tourist demand for the Azores. The aim is to identify factors of attraction, assess the scale of demand in recent years, as well as the dynamics and constraints of observed visitation, and to propose recommendations in a prospective approach.