15-Minute City concept for healthy tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Who for? The city of Lagos, Portugal

Abstract

Urban spatial organization provided an important contribution for healthy tourism in the first COVID-19 pandemic period. The 15-Minute City concept promotes walking which is essential for the development of outdoor activities for a healthier tourism. The tourist city of Lagos (Portugal) is a pilot city of the Interreg Med SuSTowns Project which aims to promote sustainable and resilient territories. This study presents an analysis of the pedestrian accessibility through a specific geographical indicator: the percentage of short-term rentals existing in the surrounding tourist attractions. Ideal standard distances, studied internationally, were considered to assess this close proximity. Different walking speeds were considered to address human diversity and their implications on the 15-Minute City concept. The functionalities of the geographic information systems, in particular the assessment of distances over the pedestrian network were used. The results indicate that in the city of Lagos there is a trend towards an effective 15-Minute City for healthy tourists, promoting walking which could enhance tourism attraction. For tourists with reduced mobility, the use of accessible public transportation is required and needs to be integrated in the 15-Minute City concept.