The Algarve has worked on “a very diversified offer” to encourage British tourists to visit year-round, according to its minister of tourism.
Speaking at World Travel Market (WTM) in London, André Gomes, president of the Algarve Tourist Board, told Travel Weekly: “People normally associate the Algarve only with the beach or golf and we are trying to increasingly pass on the message that we are much more than that.”
He highlighted the UK was “a special market” for the region as its largest main international market with a share of about 45% of international tourists.
Gomes urged British visitors to consider visiting not just the coastal areas but also the interior of the Algarve as a year-round destination as it has 300 days of sunshine.
He added that the Portuguese region was “betting a lot on” international events to attract travellers outside of peak season, alongside providing more “authentic experiences” for visitors with “increasing contact” with tradition, culture, artisans and gastronomy.
Events coming up in the Algarve calendar include the MotoGP tournament in November 2025 and March or November 2026, a gastronomy festival in July 2025, and a fifth walking festival being added to its slate next year.
As debates around how to tackle overtourism continue in several Mediterranean countries, Gomes acknowledged the importance of the “good perception” of tourism from local communities in the Algarve.
He said: “I don’t think that Portugal, and much less Algarve, has a problem regarding mass tourism, but we know that we have to have some action regarding the pressure that some places can have.
“We have to take some measures to manage those pressures and distribute the tourists in our territory to not concentrate on our coastline and get to know a lot of our territory that we have in the interior. Those are the challenges that we have right now.”
This links to the destination’s “biggest challenge” which has to do with climate change and the issue of water management on a daily basis, Gomes said, which it has launched several campaigns and initiatives around both for tourists and residents.
“Our main goal is to be seen as a sustainable destination, and we will do all the work we can in every possible way to reach that goal,” he added.
In future, Gomes said the Algarve would “continue to provide new offers” and promote the region with “a specific bet” on the UK market.