Academic and Institutional Context
The proposal for the "National Military Tourism Charter" is centred on a group of events and the development of actions around the "Military Tourism" theme, of which we highlight:
- The conclusion of the first "Military Tourism" encounters, on the 7th of December 2010 at the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar, these encounters counted with the presence of the, at the time, Secretary of State for Tourism, Dr. Bernardo Trindade, and the representative for the secretary of state for culture, Dr. Gonçalo Couceiro, (at the time Director of the IGESPAR) who determined that the integration of Historical-Military Heritage is a pertinent matter and that there is a need for further research into its operability in the development of tourism products.
- Research projects developed at the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar, namely the 2011 Master´s dissertation "Military Tourism as a Segment of Cultural Tourism: Memory, Collections, Exhibitions and Tourist Fruition" by Master João Pinto Coelho, which alerted the Middle Tagus Region and consequentially with national projection, to the integration of heritage namely of a Historical and Military nature in the process of developing cultural tourism products.
- The creation of TURIMIL - A "Military Tourism" taskforce, informally created following the first "Military Tourism" encounters, consisting of the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar, the Municipal Council of Vila Nova da Barquinha and the Fast Response Brigade, taking on the mission of creating applied research projects and actions which seek to provide a theoretical contribution with research on the theme.
- The partnership founded in 2012 between the scientific areas of tourism concerning the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar and the University of Aveiro, carried out through research in the doctoral program of the University of Aveiro considering integration of "Military Tourism" in the National Tourism Strategy under the scientific coordination of Doutor Carlos Costa (UA) and Doutor Luís Mota Figueira (IPT).
- The minister of National Defence (through the dispatch nº 2278/2013in the "Diário da Républica" 2nd Series - Nº 28- 8th of February 2013) determining that there is a need to present national historical-military heritage with tourist vocation as a means to boost national economy through the presentation of a proposal of tourist and cultural experiences and activities.
- The inclusion of "Military Tourism" in the current year´s "National Strategic Tourism Plan - Review of the Development Plan for Tourism on the 2015 horizon." (confirmed by the council of ministers nº 24/2013, "Diário da Républica" 1st series - N 74 - 16th of April 2013) as a project for the development of tourist destinations, not only contributing to the affirmation of the concept but also, indirectly stimulating the collaboration and intervention of institutions associated to operationalisation of "Military Tourism".
- At the behest of the Administration of Military History and Culture the "national military tourism implementation plan" was drawn up, in line with the guidelines of the last review of the national strategic tourism plan (2013) and through an economic social and cultural line of intervention, this presents a proposal for the development of a tourism activation model for national historical military heritage, adapted to the functional reality of national and international tourism activity - market, demand and supply - and the army's strategic guidelines, concerning promotion, openness and publicity of its material and immaterial heritage.
- Creation of a "Military Tourism" Technical Team following dispatch nº 26/SEADN/2014 of the Assistant Secretary of State for National Defence, Dra. Berta Cabral, which aims to "accompany the implementation of measures and guidelines relating to "Military Tourism", along with the presentation of programs, activities and methodology proposals deemed adequate.
- The development of the current project, namely concerning the domain of the operationalisation and constitution of a strategic network of partners lead to the celebration of a cooperation protocol between the National Ministry of Defence and the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar. This Protocol was celebrated on the 14th of November 2014 and aims to establish cooperation between these two entities through the conjoint development of actions in the fields of tourist activation of historical-military heritage - Military Tourism, based on the technical exchange and operational means to materialise the above referred actions.
Objectives
Presentation of a proposal for a "National Military Tourism Charter" through the collection of specialist contributions in the domains associated to "Military Tourism" as well as the general community, permitting it to be declared as a group of considerations and assertive intentions, for the better understanding of the concept for a strategic interpretation of possibilities and limits of its operationalisation sustained in national territories.
Specific objectives
- Stimulate participation of different entities and of the general community in the development of a common guiding proposal for "Military Tourism"
- Promote national awareness towards the strategic importance and pertinence of the development of sustainable and responsible products, projects and actions which combine heritage and Tourism.
- Contribute for the conceptual and operational development of Military Tourism in Portugal.
- Fulfil the principle of transference of knowledge, between governmental, academic, military and business guidelines on the basis of reciprocity and sustenance of the "Military Tourism" concept.
Raise awareness among the tourism sector and others towards the approaches which strengthen the proposed principles in the national strategic tourism plan.
