Research shows that academic tourism in Portugal has grown by 46% in eight years, albeit with regional asymmetries

According to a study by the University of Coimbra (UC), international academic tourism is growing in Portugal. The number of international academic tourists who came to Portugal to study for up to one year increased by 46% between the 2013/2014 and 2019/2020 academic years. However, the research points to asymmetries in this tourism dynamic: Higher Education institutions located further away from the main urban centres attracted fewer internationally mobile students.

In the scientific paper Exploring Higher Education Mobility through the Lens of Academic Tourism: Portugal as a Study Case, published in the journal Sustainability Portugal, the research team notes that Portugal has experienced remarkable growth. "Attributes such as quality education, safety, multiculturalism, affordable cost of living and political, economic and social stability have contributed to this growth between 2013 and 2020," says Cláudia Seabra, professor at the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Coimbra (FLUC) and researcher at the UC Centre of Studies in Geography and Spatial Planning (CEGOT).

This increase, however, was halted by the pandemic, leading to a decrease in the number of internationally mobile students enrolled in Higher Education Institutions (HEI). In the 2019/2020 academic year, there were 60,679 international students, compared to 55,137 in the following year (2020/2021). "Despite this decrease, it seems that the impact has been less severe than expected," says Dina Amaro, coordinator of the study and PhD student at FLUC."

Despite this decline, "academic tourists proved to be more resilient than traditional tourists, which we consider to be crucial information for the planning and management of tourist destinations", stresses co-author Ana Maria Caldeira, professor at FLUC and researcher at CEGOT. "This resilience may be linked to their commitment to their academic ambitions, which outweighed the immediate effects of the pandemic," she adds.

The authors also highlight the importance of student mobility for Portugal's tourism industry. "Although international students represent a very small percentage of the total tourist influx, their importance is growing, mainly due to their longer average length of stay compared to traditional tourists,". Moreover, they add, "These students are not only studying, they are also visiting the country, sometimes accompanied by family and friends. They interact with the local population, learn the language and culture, and thus contribute positively to cultural diversity and sustainability of academic tourism destinations".

The study defines international academic tourists as "non-Portuguese students who attend courses in Portugal HEIs for a short period (less than one year) and who are included in the tourist category", exlains the lead author. The research analysed data from the Directorate-General for Education and Science Statistics (DGEEC) and the National Statistics Institute (INE), focusing on information on all students enrolled in various courses and study cycles offered by Portuguese Higher Education Institutions (HEI). Academic tourists in Portugal, defined as students who stay for less than 12 months, come mainly from other European countries," explains the study's coordinator.

International students who stay in Portugal for more than 12 months - usually for a full degree programme, i.e. a bachelor's, master's, or doctorate - are mostly from the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP). As their stay is longer, they are not included in the same category of analysis. However, the study shows that "between the academic years 2013/2014 and 2019/2020, Portugal has seen a 251% increase in the number of international 'degree' students", Seabra points out.

In terms of the challenges that academic tourism faces and will face in the future, "our results show an asymmetric growth pattern across the country, which challenges the notion of balanced regional development," says Cláudia Seabra. This asymmetry can be tackled "with specific measures taken by HEIs and local authorities; incentives such as scholarships and accommodation discounts can help attract a significant number of academic tourists. Comprehensive strategies to promote different regions and cities in Portugal, highlighting their unique characteristics and attractions, will attract a wider audience," the researchers say.

Another challenge is to develop strategies to engage academic tourists in local communities and destinations to enhance their sustainability. "HEIs play a crucial role in promoting the sustainability of academic destinations by encouraging and adopting sustainable practices among their students, such as reducing energy consumption, minimising waste, and implementing green measures on campus," says Dina Amaro.

The FLUC student further suggests, "Higher education institutions and municipalities could enhance their efforts further by promoting partnerships with local communities to ensure academic tourism benefits the destination. This could involve fostering collaboration on community projects, cultural exchange programs, or volunteering initiatives. Additionally, encouraging students to support local businesses, markets, and artisans, as well as promoting local products, services, and cultural experiences, contributes to the economic development of the host community".

"From a management perspective, international academic tourism offers destinations competitive advantages, particularly in reducing seasonality, promoting sustainability and innovation. It attracts people, mainly young adults with high educational qualifications, with longer stays. These students may even enter our labour market in strategic sectors," says Cláudia Seabra.

This study was carried out by Dina Amaro, the first author of the paper, as part of her Doctorate in Tourism, Heritage and Territory, in collaboration with FLUC professors and CEGOT researchers Ana Maria Caldeira and Cláudia Seabra.

The scientific article is available at https://doi.org/10.3390/su16041359.