The impacts of tourism seasonality in family business

: the case of Terceira Island, Azores

Abstract

Tourism services are the fastest growing industry worldwide and a key sector for some destinations, especially for remote areas where they play a central role given the lack of economic alternatives. Tourism seasonality is a complex phenomenon and it´s one of the biggest challenges faced by this industry. It is, as well, a recognized problem for most family businesses that are especially dominant in peripheral regions. The aim of this dissertation is to investigate the seasonality of tourism in family businesses, fundamentally in a supply-side perspective. Their impacts and mitigation responses are of great importance for the survival and growth of businesses, families and destination in general. To carry out this study, firstly tourism seasonality in Terceira Island in Azores was measured and characterized, and then nine semi-structured interviews were prepared and applied to nine managers of family businesses in some sub-sectors of tourism and hospitality. Other data sources were used to triangulate the research. This multiple cross-case-study had a qualitative data analysis and was interpreted by a critical realism perspective. This study serves to support and extend the conceptual framework of tourism seasonality mitigation strategies in family businesses, with the model “cope, combat and capitulate”, adding collaborative strategies and other strategies from the literature of service management in order to face irregular capacity fluctuations. In this manner, it has implications for science, family businesses, as well to other stakeholders and developers of public policies connected to tourism.

Date of Award	2011
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Ricardo Alexandre Morais (Supervisor)