The Impact of Freight Transport on Event Tourism in Madeira Island

Abstract

Assuming tourism as ‘a social, cultural, and economic phenomenon that involves the movement of people to countries or places outside their usual environment for personal or professional purposes’ (UNWTO, 2010), factors such as the availability and quality of transport and infrastructure are decisive for the success of this economic activity. These factors take on special importance when it comes to events tourism because, in this case, in addition to the movement of visitors from one territory to another, it is equally important to ensure the movement of work teams and a wide variety of goods and merchandise. Tourism has established itself as one of the main drivers of the economy of the island of Madeira, however, this economic activity depends on several conditions to thrive. Congresses, fairs, celebrations, and other events are part of the events tourism segment that has been gaining prominence on this island, but they require complex logistical organisation, where the efficiency and reliability of maritime and air transport have a direct impact on the quality, cost, and even the viability of events, thus conditioning the quality of the tourist offer, regional development, and the tourist experience. This study aims to assess the impact of the logistics and transport chain on events tourism on the island of Madeira. To this end, we sought to identify the operational challenges faced by event organisers and logistics operators, caused by the transport of goods and passengers. The methodology used for data collection and analysis includes, after a careful review of the literature, a quantitative method involving the application of a questionnaire to a universe of 50 respondents. We also used a qualitative method, conducting interviews with three logistics operators, a freight forwarder, an air carrier and a maritime carrier, all with regular operations on the island of Madeira. The results obtained allow us to highlight structural weaknesses in the air and sea freight transport systems, as well as in the logistics of events on the island of Madeira, which have a direct impact on the success of events organised in the region.