02559nas a2200217   4500000000100000000000100001008004100002653001700043653002100060653002100081653002300102100001600125700001600141700001600157245008600173856011800259300000900377490000900386520192600395022002002321                                       d10aAuthenticity10aCreative tourism10aCultural tourism10atourist experience1 aD. Liberato1 aP. Liberato1 aD. Ferreira00aValuing authenticity in travel experience: an empirical study in viana do castelo  uhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85135185987&partnerID=40&md5=06881e1933362e4ddeeec9a4455e96f8  a1-330 v20223 aTourists are demanding authentic cultural experiences and unique local products, which can be seen as the answer to the globalization processes of tourism. It is intended to understand the role that the authentic local culture of a community, especially the intangible heritage, assumes in enhancing the tourist experience and later in its satisfaction. Additionally, it is intended to explore the importance of the authenticity of traditions and local culture in enhancing the experience in a medium-sized destination. This study contributes to the evaluation of the authenticity of festivities in its four main perspectives (objective, constructive, existential, and post-modern), the classification of the tourist experience in the four domains (educational, evasion, entertainment, and aesthetic) and the evaluation of the intentions of return and recommendation, verifying the existing relations between its different aspects. A questionnaire survey was applied to 299 tourists at the “Senhora da Agonia” festivities in Viana do Castelo. The main results show that a higher appreciation of authenticity corresponds to a positive evaluation of the tourist experience in the 4 domains, presenting a relationship between "objective and existential authenticity" and "tourist experience"; it can also be concluded that a better evaluation of the tourist experience corresponds to a higher level of satisfaction regarding the destination, presenting a relationship between "tourist experience" and "satisfaction". The study is an important contribution of analysis and reflection, allowing entrepreneurs and destination management organizations to plan and develop activities in order to promote authenticity in Viana do Castelo or similar cities, including proposals towards the improvement in terms of valuing and promoting the authenticity of the destination in the northern region, nationally and internationally.  a21826439 (ISSN)