Features and impacts of second homes expansion: The case of the Oeste Region, Portugal

Abstract

In Portugal, the expansion of second homes has been an important feature of land use and landscape change. The growing omnipresence of second homes and the inherent environmental, economic, cultural and other aspects of land use are frequent discussion topics nowadays among policy- and opinion-makers, but this phenomenon has not yet become part of the national research agenda. In order to fill this gap, a research project entitled "SEGREX - Second Home Expansion and Spatial Development Planning in Portugal" was launched. The first phase of the project's fieldwork consisted of interviewing local authorities in the Oeste - the case-study region. Its aim was to identify localities with presence and/or growth of second homes, to determine the main features of second home expansion and to learn more about its economic, social, cultural and environmental impacts. Some findings are presented and discussed in this paper.