The Portugal News: Portugal clears up at “Tourism Oscars”

The glittering ceremony was held last Saturday night in Madeira with Portugal winning 39 awards at this year’s World Travel Awards, three more than last year, with the high point arguably being it clinching the Best European Tourist Destination title for the third consecutive year.

The Algarve won the Best Europe Beach Destination 2019 award, which it has already won five times before: in 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017.

The Algarve also scooped four other awards at this year’s World Travel Awards Europe; Quinta do Lago was considered the Best Beach Resort in Europe, the Conrad Hotel, won Best European Luxury Lifestyle Resort; Vila Vita Parc in Lagoa is once again the Best Luxury Hotel & Villas in Europe, while the Dunas Douradas Beach Club has been chosen as Best Euro-pean Villas Resort in 2019.

Elsewhere, Lisbon was elected Europe’s Best City Break Destination and Best Cruise Port, while Madeira renewed its reign as Europe’s Leading Island Destination.The Passadiços do Paiva walkway won the Best Tourism Development Project award and Dark Sky Alqueva received the European Prize for Responsible Tourism.

Speaking after the event, Portugal’s president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said he “welcomes the election of Portugal as Best European Tourist Destination”, and believes it is “an opportunity to further enhance” other aspects of national tourism, such as nature conservation or social cohesion.

“The President of the Republic celebrates the election of Portugal as the best European tourist destination for the third consecutive year and for obtaining 39 awards in the World Travel Awards”, President de Sousa said in a message published on his official Presidency page.

“This good news for Portuguese and for the tourism sector should also be an opportunity to better value the environment and nature conservation, social cohesion and land use, culture and heritage and all values of authenticity of the national identity”, the head of state added.