Gamification In The Context of Cultural Heritage In Portugal: Analysing The Perspectives of Tour Operators and Tourists Using Python

This paper explores the perceptions and expectations of tourists’ and tour operators’ perceptions and expectations of gamification in Portuguese cultur-al heritage, by analysing the benefits, challenges, potential returns and under-standing of the concept. Answers given through questionnaires were collected from 157 tourists and 58 tour operators. The results show that 43% of tourists and 53% of tour operators understand the concept of gamification, although there may be some confusion regarding the generic use of technologies. The tourists high-lighted accessibility, educational content and ease of the use as primary ele-ments, while operators valued ease of use, social interaction and attracting new audiences. The most mentioned challenges were lack of technical knowledge and difficulty of use. Data analysis and the visualisation of results were achieved through Py-thon, with customised graphics that synthesise tendencies and comparisons. This process made it possible to present perceptions in a clear and accessible way, contributing to a deep comprehension of the participants’ preferences. This paper concludes that gamification has a high potential to dynamise cultural heritage, as long as some technical barriers are overcome. It also points to the future use of predictive methods and segmentation to personal-ise initiatives and to maximise the impact of gamified solutions.