Abstract
Tourism is increasingly basing its activity in creating unique and authentic experiences, where the tourist seeks to fulfil their expectations and create memories that make the whole trip been a wise decision. The research made in this field of study lacks of a structure that explains the experience as a constant interaction between the tourist, the destination and the experience itself.
The present dissertation seeks to address this problem through a study about a generation that seeks more and more experiences in their travels: the millennials. This cohort is considered a market with huge potential and less volatile than its predecessors. Using Centro de Portugal region as a case study, this research aims to know if the territory studied is prepared to meet the millennials´ needs and demands.
In order to respond to the objective set previously, were conducted interviews to 19 different entities, with preponderance in the region´s tourism industry, both public and private sector, and also taking into account the level of their operation (national, regional, local). These entities´ specificities served as a way to confront the organisations´ answers and analyse what the entities think about the millennials´ general characteristics, the Centro de Portugal´s actual touristic performance and the millennials´ behaviour when visiting or planning to visit the region.
The results show that the entities are prepared to meet the needs and demands of millennials, being capable of an agreement on their main characteristics, mostly of sources of information used and the possible advantages brought by a millennial segmentation. However, the entities should improve their capacity for cooperation and exchange of information, mostly related to understand the millennials ´travel motivations but also any other tourist who visit Centro de Portugal.
Keywords: Tourism, Experience, Tourism Experience, Millennials, Centro de Portugal