Portugal is a member of the UNWTO Executive Council (2019 - 2023)

Portugal is a member of the Committee on Statistics (2023 - 2027)

Portugal is a member of the Committee on Tourism and Sustainability (2023 - 2027)

Portugal is Co-Chair of the Committee on Tourism Online Education

Entrepreneurship & digital transformation

(Match: Portugal is partnering with companies like Google and Microsoft in the framework of the development of the Tourism Innovation Centre to promote the transition to a digital economy)

• UNWTO Start-up Competition - Turismo de Portugal has been the main partner for several editions.
• Innovation Hubs Network worldwide
• UNWTO has an MoU with NEST – TOURISM INNOVATION CENTER PORTUGAL
  • Collaboration in innovation, digital transformation, and capacity building to support the sustainable development of tourism.
• NEST launched the BOOSTX - ScaleUp Tourism international programme, in collaboration with UNWTO, Turismo de Portugal, and NOVA Medical School. The program aims to strengthen companies offering solutions that promote safe, healthy, and sustainable tourism.

Sustainable development of tourism

(Match:  Portugal’s 2027 vision to become one of the most sustainable tourist destinations in the world.)

• Azores and Algarve officially joining the UNWTO International Network of Observatories:
  • This brings the total of observatories in Portugal to three after Alentejo joined INSTO in 2018
• UNWTO Rural Tourism Development Programme - Best Tourism Villages of the World: International Label; Tourism Villages Upgrade Programme; Best Tourism Villages Network
  • Catesl Rodrigo and Cumeada were chosen as Best Tourism Villages during the 2021 pilot year
  • In 2022 Castelo Novo was chosen as the Best Tourism Village while Ferraria de Sao Joao was accepted to the Upgrade Programme

Education

(Match: Education plays an important role in the enhancement of the quality of the tourism service and is one of the priorities of Portugal which aims, among others, to double the number of tourism diploma holders)

• Participation of Portuguese Universities in the UNWTO Students League
• Current collaboration:
  • An Action Plan was signed between UNWTO and Portugal in education for the period 2020-2021
  • The International Center of Education, a venue to provide trainings, opened in the summer of 2019 in Estoril

Development of strategic tourism segments

(Match: Portugal is putting great emphasis on stimulating a more balanced distribution of tourism demand, reducing seasonality and generating employment throughout the country, in particular through the enhancement of the tourism offer)

• Wine tourism:
  • Portugal hosted the 6th UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism, 9-10 September 2021
  • Portugal is one of the 10 countries featured in the UNWTO book “Wine Routes of the World”
• Urban tourism:
  • The first UNWTO Mayors Forum for Sustainable Urban Tourism was co-organized with the Ministry of Economy of Portugal and the Lisbon Municipality, held in April 2019.
  • The Second edition was held on 8-9 July 2021 in Porto, where the Porto Declaration “Tourism and the Future of Cities” was signed.
• Sports tourism: Introduce the work of UNWTO in this area (Sports Tourism Start-up competitions). The “Portuguese Waves Programme” aims at promoting the sustainability of surf spots – the possibility to collaborate.

Tourism Strategy 2027

Five Strategic Pillars:

• Value resources: drawing on historical and cultural heritage, preserving its authenticity and improving the product to better match visitors’ needs.
• Boost the economy: increasing the competitiveness of the tourism sector, promoting innovation and attracting foreign investment.
• Promote knowledge: putting an emphasis on skills, quality jobs and the dissemination of insight throughout the tourism sector.
• Generate connectivity: improving air access and promoting networks between stakeholders.
• Promote Portugal: improving Portugal’s positioning as an attractive destination to visit, invest, live and study.

Objectives:

• Reaffirm tourism as a tool for economic, social and environmental development in Portugal
• Position Portugal as one of the most competitive and sustainable tourism destinations of the world

Goals:
Economic

• Increase the arrivals to 80 million overnight
• Increase the receipts to €26 billion

Social

• Reduce seasonality
• Double the number of tourism diploma holders
• Ensure positive impact for local residents

Environmental

• Ensure that more than 90% of tourism businesses adopt energy and water efficiency measures and develop responsible waste management measures

Source: oneplanetnetwork.org; OECD Tourism Trends and Policies