Assessing the Impact of Tourist Activities on Low-Density Territories: The Case of the Historical Villages of Portugal

The 12 historical villages of Portugal (HVP) present a set of distinctive characteristics—history, culture, and heritage—that enable the creation of a common identity. These villages, located in “low-density territories,” registered the effects of human desertification, enhanced by its interiority and desertification. With this scenario, a sustainable tourism emerges as a great opportunity to develop these territories. This chapter presents the work developed within the scope of the PLowDeR project. Its aim is to identify a framework of analysis and a set of indicators that will enable the evaluation of the economic and social impacts of the tourism of HVP in the territory these villages are inserted in.