PORTUGAL

PORTUGAL

The Portuguese National Tourist Office is seeking to flag the country’s rural traditions

Warm by Nature is the engaging slogan used by the Portuguese National Tourist Office in the UK to hook British attention on to the lesser known regions of the country.

Although the Algarve’s beaches and golf courses on Portugal’s southern coast are the country’s main visitor attractions, the tourist office is looking to promote its rural tradition and understated grand architecture.

This can be seen as a throwback to the country’s immensely wealthy colonial past.

To draw attention to these traditions, Portugal’s second city of Porto will carry the crown of European City of Culture next year.

Following a £120 million renovation of the city’s buildings, the celebrations begin on January 13 and continue throughout the year.

There will be an array of arts and cultural events spanning music, audio-visual and multimedia, stage arts, science and literature.These fit in neatly with the tourist board’s desire to raise the profile of the country’s regions away from the mass-market Algarve.

Situated in the north, Porto is the obvious gateway city for exploring this green region which includes the Douro Valley and Costa Verde. Porto itself has strong historical and commercial links with Britain through the production of port and is an interesting city to explore.

Cresta said it has seen strong growth in the numbers it took to Porto on its flydrive programme last year.

Port wines and the opportunity to visit cellars and taste some of the vintages are the major draw.

The country offers a range of holiday options, including city breaks to Lisbon, beach holidays and villa stays.

Overnights on an independent tour can also be based on pousadas – state-owned accommodation in old palaces or renovated convents. This style of accommodation gives visitors the chance to enjoy an authentic taste of the country’s past.

Cresta offers flydrive itineraries called Pousada Trails that feature historic venues for overnight stays. The operator is also seeing a growing interest in what the Portuguese refer to as solares, casas or quintas, which in English means manor houses.

These are normally family run, private houses. Not necessarily like English manor houses, they vary in size but offer an upmarket style of bed and breakfast.

The two-centre holiday idea is also proving to be a major growth trend in Portugal.

Prestige Holidays will be offering two-centre holiday options in its winter 2001 brochure.

The most popular combinations are Lisbon and the Algarve or Lisbon and Madeira. The operator said that two-centre trips now account for 10% of its business.

The tourist office is also keen to promote areas such as the Alentejo region for its varied scenery, vineyards and cultural history. There are a number of driving routes that depict aspects of a long-forgotten Jewish community based in the town of Castelo de Vide in the 15th and 16th centuries.

On a more active front, Portugal is renowned for its choice of sports-based holidays including golf, sailing and tennis, as well as spa holidays.

Old-world charm: Armarante in the Costa Verde is just one of the areas reached through Porto

Agents’ choice

UK promotional budget:although the Portuguese National Tourist Office’s 2001 promotional budget for the UK has not yet been fixed, it is expected to take a similar format to the previous year’s activity.

Market trends:apart from Spain, the UK is Portugal’s most important source of overseas visitors. Between 1998-1999, the number of UK visitors rose by 7.4% to nearly 2 million. Out of its top 20 markets, the biggest rise during this period was from the Republic of Ireland, which saw a 16.5% rise to over 130,000 arrivals.

Dedicated travel trade staff in the UK: four.

CONTACTINFORMATION: Portuguese National Tourist Office, 2nd floor, 22/25A, Sackville Street, London, W1S 3LY. Tel: 020-7494 1441. Fax: 020-7494 1868. E-mail: plondt@aol.com Web site: www.portugalinsite.pt