The Paiva Valley, in the territory of the municipality of Arouca, in Portugal, was almost untouched by tourism despite its huge potential. To maximise tourism potential, two attractions were created: The Paiva Walkways walk and the 516 bridge. Thanks to a focus on sustainable development (implementing maximum capacity limits, visitor fees to fund operation and maintenance costs, and much more) and development of effective infrastructure meant that the destination is now attracting a lot of tourists while not being overwhelmed by over tourism.
Keywords: Tourism planning, Responsible management, Natural attraction, Tourism infrastructure Adventure Tourism Destination Management Policy or Strategy, Tourism Action Plan, Managing visitor pressure, Visitor management for destination assets, Tourism impacts on nature, Landscape & Scenery
