Tavares Moutela, José AlbertoAlmeida Carreira, VivinaMartínez Roget, Fidel2024-06-252024-06-252018Moutela, J.A., Carreira, V.A. and Martínez-Roget, F. (2018), "Authenticity in Portugal’s Interior Rural Areas", Authenticity & Tourism (Tourism Social Science Series, Vol. 24), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 109-126. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1571-504320180000024007978-1-78754-816-9978-1-78754-817-6http://hdl.handle.net/10347/34176This work focuses on the territory of Schist Villages Network, located in Central Portugal, which has become the target of sustainable development projects. These projects aim at conservation of natural and cultural landscapes, the valorization of heritage, boosting of socioeconomic parameters, and promotion of excellence in tourism with emphasis on hospitality. Empirical research applied different questionnaires to four stakeholders: local population, local decisionmakers, economic agents, and tourists and visitors. The data obtained were used to analyze stakeholders’ perceptions of cultural heritage and traditional roots, seen as essential elements of the territory’s authenticity, both from the point of view of tourism motivation and satisfaction with lived experiences, as well as to evaluate their loyalty to and image of the network as a destination.engAtribución-NoComercial 4.0 Internacionalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/AuthenticityRural TourismStakeholdersPerceptionsSchist Villagesbook part10.1108/S1571-504320180000024007open access