摘要：The present paper describes the most striking points of a research study on the Saints Fair in Chaves, a city from Trás-os-Montes. This study aimed at knowing how to turn into tourists some of the thousands of visitors that the Saints Fair attracts to the city every year, but who, generally, do not stay overnight. The methodology used in the research study was quantitative, with the use of the questionnaire survey. The results achieved demonstrate that: the festivity must be maintained, as it is part of the city’s heritage, enlivens it, and is a way to promote local trade and economy; spaces of the fair, as in the past, are still not to everyone’s liking; it is necessary to bet on more varied offers, namely on local products; there is a willingness on the part of those who visit the fair to stay in town for a few days, provided that they are made available recreational and cultural activities that they enjoy, including types of entertainment that are different from the ones currently made available, tours to locations with the typical cuisine of the region or even to the historic centre, to spas and to local churches.
