Tourism and folklore: the role of appreciation of folk dances by folklore groups of Viana do Castelo.

This paper aims to reflect on tourism and its relationship with intangible heritage, namely folk dance. It is based on a case study that intends to determine the contribution of popular dance groups of Viana do Castelo (Portugal) to the touristic valorization of this type of cultural heritage. It presents a content analysis of a set of 26 interviews with directors/presidents of popular dance groups. Among the main conclusions there is the recognition of the importance of folk dance in cultural tourism.