Portugal aims to end reliance on the Algarve

Portugal aims to end reliance on the Algarve

PORTUGAL’S new UK tourism chief has pledged to market the country more aggressively and reposition it as a culturaldestination.

José Antonio Preto Da Silva, who took over from MarioFerreira in September, will head a tour operator forum to discuss ways of promoting lesser-known regions of the country and more cultural holidays.

Travel agents will then be targeted in the second phase of a new marketing push.

The move is designed to end reliance on the Algarve, which currently accounts for 72% of visitors from the UK and promote holidays such as flydrives.

“We need to find a new strategy to try to get the message over to the public that Portugal offers much more than the traditional sun and sea,” he said. “Of course this is very important – and it shall remain so – but we want to diversify.

“We have very good traffic from the UK, but now want to give attention to other products that are not so well known.”

Da Silva said Portugal was also responding to changing customer demands.

“Customers are better travelled and shop around. We need to offer more and, in partnership with operators, we hope to do that.”

Among the regions being pushed are historical Alentejo, while gastronomic and wine tours and cultural heritage will be highlighted. Tourism officials are also looking to attract a younger market to Madeira – which accounts for 18% of visitors to Portugal.

Heritage:a marketing drive will attempt to promote areas of Portugal such as Madeira instead of just the Algarve