SEANET - Rede para a criação de negócios inovadores e sustentáveis em turismo de mar em Setúbal

The development of tourism associated with the sea is a relevant argument for the potential for deepening the economy of the sea in Setúbal, where the investment in coastal tourism is underlying. In fact, the Setúbal 2026 Strategic Development Plan highlights the conditions of the Sado Estuary with regard to the exploration of nautical activities that not only allow the enhancement of existing tourist resources, but also the revitalization of the riverfront, the dynamization of economic activities and the job creation. The TARGET research project, developed between 2017 and 2019, in which the Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal participated together with the Superior School of Hotel and Tourism of Estoril, with the involvement of the Municipality of Setúbal, allowed the creation of a theoretical support base and fundamental empirical for the governance of sea tourism in this territory, since its main result was the proposal of a governance model that would facilitate the creation of innovative and sustainable tourism businesses. With SEANET, the intention is to develop the proposed governance model that resulted from TARGET. Assuming that the ideal governance model is a network, the general objective of this exploratory study is to map the network of stakeholders that can enhance the creation of innovative and sustainable businesses in sea tourism in Setúbal. In terms of the future, it is expected that, based on this exploratory study, it can be replicated in the different sub-areas of the economy of the sea, thus achieving a complete mapping of the stakeholders of the economy of the sea, and their relationships. A future study extended to the entire economy of the sea in Setúbal, would also include a comparison with other national coastal regions and other countries of the European Union.