Resumo: Northern Portugal may be viewed as peripheral in Europe as it has many characteristics that Sofield (2003) associates with remote locations: rural depopulation, marginal economies, a high quality natural environment, and cultures in transition from traditional to modern. There is evidence to suggest that community development with a significant emphasis on tourism may be an important element in the survival and revival of the economy of this region as traditional subsistence agriculture continues to decline. However, a lack of community understanding of tourism and its impacts has been identified as barriers to effective tourism development in this remote rural region. This paper will take as a case study three mountain communities in the Peneda Gerês National Park. The aim of the paper is to determine resident perceptions of the contribution of local networks to the tourism development process.
