The definition of tourism has undergone significant changes, and what was previously meant by tourism has been seen from a different perspective in recent decades. For example, new definitions of tourism have emerged, including the development of types of tourism associated with nature-motivated outdoor practices that constitute alternative escape strategies for everyday life. Indeed, the demand for such activities promotes healthier lifestyles and personal well-being and is a way of getting around stress and a sedentary lifestyle. Literature refers to the contact with the natural environment offers numerous benefits, including reducing and preventing hypertension, developing a more remarkable ability to concentrate, satisfying emotional needs, and reducing stress. For women, in particular. Therefore, all the present research is designed to identify the outdoor activities practised in the North of Portugal, the reasons for their practice, and the possible benefits of these outdoor activities to self-perceived health by gender. To this end, a questionnaire survey has been elaborated and applied to the resident population and those visiting the region to practice outdoor activities. The results reinforce previously published results and consolidate the existing theory regarding the type of activities practised and the inherent health benefits. The outdoor activity that respondents mostly practice is walking, and they believe it reduces stress and improves physical and psychological states. However, no statistical differences among gender were found, even if the sample descriptive statistics seemed to follow the direction of the literature results.
This project is being carried out within the scope of the TURNOUT Project-Development of Outdoor Tourism of Northern Portugal, POCI-01-0145-ERDF-032289, financed by the European Investment Fund Regional Development (ERDF) through the Operational Program of Competitiveness and Innovation (POCI) and the Foundation for Science and Technology, IP (OE). The authors are also grateful to the UNIAG, R&D unit funded by the FCT—Portuguese Foundation for the Development of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education. “Project Code Reference: UIDB/04752/2020”.
