PROJECT

This exploratory research project aims to investigate the relatively recent phenomenon of entrepreneurial lifestyle migration, in the geographical context of rural spaces (specifically, of the Algarve), and from the perspective of its contribution to the tourism sector. The overall objective underpinning the research is to explore to what extent, and in which ways, tourism-related entrepreneurial lifestyle migration has the potential to contribute to the sustainable development of both tourism and rural areas.

The rationale for this research is further bolstered by the urgent need to rethink and rebuild tourism as a result of the current pandemic and in a post-COVID era. The research site of the project, the Algarve region, is heavily dependent in socio-economic terms on the tourism sector, and has therefore been particularly affected by the dramatic decrease in tourism over the past year. Although tourism in the Algarve has traditionally been concentrated on the resorts and towns along its well-developed coastline, the region also comprises a vast rural area. The majority of its 16 municipalities extend away from the coast into the barrocal (interior belt between the southern coastline and the hills to the north) and the serra (range of hills) beyond. Much of the inland Algarve is sparsely populated and most of the rural freguesias (parishes) have suffered from massive outward migration during the second half of the C20th leading to dwindling, ageing populations as well as abandoned and ruined houses and farm buildings.

Recently, however, these inland, rural areas are increasingly being sought out by international “lifestyle migrants”. These migrants are generally conceived as relatively privileged and affluent individuals whose migration is motivated not by economic factors but rather by the quest for a better quality of life. Importantly, they have mostly been studied from the perspective of consumption-based mobilities. However, there is growing evidence that these migrants, typically (in the case of the Algarve) from other European countries, are settling in rural areas, renovating old properties for residential use, and also, in some cases, pursuing entrepreneurial activities such as B&Bs and rural tourism units.

At the same time, there is a clear trend towards the practice of rural tourism, with this trend apparently accentuated by the current COVID-19 pandemic. However, tourism in rural spaces in the Algarve has only recently begun to emerge, and the supply has been limited. Whereas the mass, sun and sea tourism found along the coastal belt has been heavily supported by large-scale national and multinational development and enterprise, tourism in rural spaces is dependent on small-scale businesses and entrepreneurial activities.

Although it is often claimed that entrepreneurship can play a key role in the sustainable socio-economic development of rural areas, as long as all stakeholders (public and private enterprise, local populations and tourists themselves) work together to cooperate in this goal, there has been relatively little research to corroborate this. There is a clear need to carry out research on the emerging tourism-related entrepreneurial activity in rural areas of the Algarve, and this project proposes to contribute to this research gap by focusing on the role of international lifestyle migrants.

In sum, the broad goals of this pioneering project are twofold: firstly, to go beyond the dominant understanding of lifestyle migration as a form of consumption-based migration and to explore the extent to which (and how, and why) lifestyle migrants in the Algarve are taking up entrepreneurial activities that contribute to the production of tourism in rural spaces; and secondly, to better understand links between local entrepreneurism and the sustainable development of both tourism and rural areas of the Algarve, by investigating the potential for and the impacts of tourism-related entrepreneurial lifestyle migration in socio-economic and environmental terms.

The exploratory research plan comprises (1) identifying tourism-related entrepreneurial activity in rural areas of the Algarve; (2) conducting an online questionnaire survey aimed at profiling the entrepreneurs and their businesses; (3) in-depth interviews with migrants and other key stakeholders to explore motivations, impacts, challenges and successes.

The envisaged outcomes of the project are threefold: (1)for the migrants themselves, the project will provide the basis for support in terms of developing networking activities as well as deepening their understanding of the challenges faced and the support measures available to overcome these challenges; (2) the findings might also support the emerging policy agenda of rural areas; and (3) a framework for future, comparative research, including in other rural areas in Portugal and beyond national borders.