The Impact of Information Systems and the Circular Economy in the Rural Tourism Sector. An Evaluation of the Algarve Region

Abstract

Rural tourism in the Algarve is one of the main types of tourism that has grown in importance over the last ten years. Its importance shows a new capacity for tourism supply and demand, as well as a new methodology to improve the rural market. In addition, the sustainability of the rural tourism sector and its performance based on the circular economy is a good indicator that the rural market has improved its competitiveness and resilience. The research aims to describe the importance of the link between the circular economy (CE) and the information system (IS) in the rural tourism sector in the Algarve region. The quantitative research focused on the importance of the combination of these variables in rural tourism (RT) through the analysis of rural organisations. The author addresses the following research question: How has the rural tourism sector promoted CE and IS to increase its competitiveness? The analysis presents a challenging opportunity to discuss the use of IS and CE in rural organisations in terms of sustainability and competitiveness in the sector. The research provides an accessible exploratory study of circular management in RT while offering the opportunity to discover a new management methodology based on IS and CE. Furthermore, it is of interest to academics, policy makers, and others working in the hospitality sector.