Corporate social responsibility in tourism: The case of Zoomarine Algarve

Authors

  • Joaquim Pinto Contreiras Universidade do Algarve, Escola Superior de Gestão, Hotelaria e Turismo, Portimão, Portugal Centro de Investigação sobre o Espaço e as Organizações (CIEO), Faro, Portugal
  • Virgílio Machado Universidade do Algarve, Escola Superior de Gestão, Hotelaria e Turismo, Portimão, Portugal Centro de Investigação sobre o Espaço e as Organizações (CIEO), Faro, Portugal
  • Ana Patricia Duarte Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), Business Research Unit (BRU-IUL), Lisboa, Portugal Centro de Investigação sobre o Espaço e as Organizações (CIEO), Faro, Portugal http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7066-3956

Keywords:

Corporate social responsibility, sustainability, tourism, theme park, stakeholders

Abstract

This study had a threefold purpose. First, it sought to examine the opinion of three important stakeholders – employees, visitors and members of the local community – about the corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices of the theme park, Zoomarine Algarve. Second, this study evaluated the perceptions of the public regarding the impact of the company’s activities on regional development and environmental awareness. Last, the study sought to understand if stakeholders’ opinions regarding this company’s engagement in CSR practices are related to the impacts attributed to Zoomarine Algarve’s regular functions. The methodology comprised quantitative research based on a survey administered to convenience samples of the target groups (n = 405). The results reveal that stakeholders have an extremely positive view of the theme park’s engagement in CSR practices and feel that it contributes significantly to regional development, as well as to raising the environmental awareness of visitors and local communities. The findings also show that perceptions of CSR engagement are positively related with perceived impacts. 

Author Biographies

  • Joaquim Pinto Contreiras, Universidade do Algarve, Escola Superior de Gestão, Hotelaria e Turismo, Portimão, Portugal Centro de Investigação sobre o Espaço e as Organizações (CIEO), Faro, Portugal

    PhD in Management, Universidade de Évora.

    Assistant Professor, Escola Superior de Gestão, Hotelaria e Turismo, Universidade do Algarve.

  • Virgílio Machado, Universidade do Algarve, Escola Superior de Gestão, Hotelaria e Turismo, Portimão, Portugal Centro de Investigação sobre o Espaço e as Organizações (CIEO), Faro, Portugal

    PhD in Tourims, Universidade de Aveiro.

    Assistant Professor, Escola Superior de Gestão, Hotelaria e Turismo, Universidade do Algarve

  • Ana Patricia Duarte, Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), Business Research Unit (BRU-IUL), Lisboa, Portugal Centro de Investigação sobre o Espaço e as Organizações (CIEO), Faro, Portugal

    PhD in Social and Organizational Psychology, ISCTE-IUL, 2011.

    Researcher at BRU-IUL. 

     

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Published

31.01.2016

Issue

Section

Tourism/Hospitality: Research Papers

How to Cite

Contreiras, J. P., Machado, V., & Duarte, A. P. (2016). Corporate social responsibility in tourism: The case of Zoomarine Algarve. Tourism & Management Studies, 12(1), 127-135. https://tmstudies.net/index.php/ectms/article/view/844

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