Territorial dimension in the internationalization of tourism destinations: Structuring factors in the post-COVID19

This study presents an empirical validation of a scale designed to measure the territorial factors which contribute to the internationalisation of tourism destinations. It is part of a broader investigation in which the dimensions and factors of tourism destinations’ internationalisation were identified, strengthening a systemic perspective of tourism: ‘territory’, ‘product’, ‘governance’ and ‘DMOs’. Here we present the psychometric properties of the items that operationalise the 'territorial' dimension. The questionnaire was administered to 470 Portuguese DMO with responsibilities in the areas of tourism and local or regional development. The scale items were submitted to content, reliability and construct validations through exploratory (principal component analysis) and confirmatory factor analysis (first and second-order factor structures). The data sustain a factor structure composed of the factors ‘resources’, ‘economic activity’, and ‘borders’. The relationship between political options of destinations’ internationalisation and territories’ geographical, cultural and economic characteristics were determined. This relationship forms the foundation of tourism in times of crisis, such as we are currently experiencing.