University of Aveiro

Graduate Student, DEGEI

About

Áurea Rodrigues holds a PhD in Tourism from the University of Aveiro. Between 2002 and 2008 she was adjunct professor at the ISPGaya, where she did coordinated the undergraduate programme in Tourism (2006-2008). She also was visiting scholar at RPTM, PennState University, PA, USA (2009), at the University of Siena, IT (2010) and University of Califórnia, Berkeley, USA (2011). She is the main researcher of the project “Genuineland” (European Network of Village Tourism) which was awarded with the UNWTO Ulysses award for innovation in Tourism made by a non-profit enterprise (NGO, Civil Society) in 2007. She is also a team's member of the FCT funded project “The overall rural tourism experience and sustainable local community development” (PTDC/CS-GEO/104894/2008). Since 2009 she is a member of the working group that is developing the  "Dark Sky Reserve" in Alqueva which was awarded in 2011 by UNWTO, with the support of UNESCO and IAC as the First Starlight Tourism Destination in the world. Her work focus mainly in the sustainable development of tourism destinations. Her research interests include rural tourism, nature tourism, nostalgia, astro-tourism, sustainable tourism, scale developement and consumer behaviour in tourism.