Society 379

SOCIETY
Unforgettable
Portugal
As a tourism destination, Portugal is more
popular than ever. SOCIETY spoke with Inês
Almeida Garrett, director of Visit Portugal,
about the essence of the country.
You are director of Visit Portugal
since January 1st, 2020, taking over
this post in the midst of a pandemic.
What are your priorities during these
challenging times?
These are indeed challenging times
for our industry. At the moment, our
priority is to work together closely with
our local partners, ranging from tour
operators to travel agents or airlines.
Portugal is authentic, diverse, attractive,
inclusive and safe; our goal is
to broadcast our country as a destination
one can visit with tranquillty,
experiencing and enjoying nature,
high-quality products and well-being.
Portugal has huge potential, but sometimes
the landscapes, culture and
many other ingredients that make us
Inês Almeida Garrett, the director of Visit Portugal
a tourist hotspot remain untouched.
Especially now, when our efforts to
control the pandemic finally pay off,
it is time to rediscover this amazing
country. We can be confident that a
visit to Portugal is an unforgettable
and safe experience! [editor‘s note:
interview was in May 2021]
Speaking of safety, what is Portugal
doing in order to guarantee a
safe vacation regarding COVID-19?
Which measures have been implemented?
Portugal was the first European destination
to be distinguished with the
“TravelSafe” seal by the WTTC (World
Travel & Tourism Council). This came
as no surprise since we have implemented
measures in all sectors of
tourism activity to ensure our guests’
safety. For example, introducing the
Clean&Safe seal (portugalcleanandsafe.com)
provided the opportunity
to create safety requirements for the
prevention and control of COVID-19
according to the recommendations
of the DGS (Directorate-General for
Health). More than 21,000 companies
have already obtained the seal. Meanwhile,
Turismo de Portugal promoted
company-training to implement
safety-measures with over 33,800 staff
members already trained. Additionally,
there are more general pandemic
control measures implemented in the
country, such as reduced capacity
and mandatory use of masks, which
have been proven to be very helpful to
contain the spreading of the virus.
What are the most beautiful spots in
Portugal?
Portugal has countless assets like the
country’s history and culture, gastronomy
and wines just to name a few. With
its mild climate, 3000 hours of sunshine
per year and 850 km of splendid beaches
on the Atlantic Ocean, Portugal
is the perfect holiday destination all
year round and attracts visitors from
all over the world. Among the main attractions
I would mention the beautiful
sandy shores, over 200 surf spots with
all types of waves, more than 90 golf
courses, multifaceted landscapes and
above all the Portuguese people, who
are as affable as they are open and sincere.
To top it all off, Portugal´s unique
cultural heritage, where tradition and
modernity blend together in perfect
harmony, makes for a top-notch tourist
paradise.
How do you think the “tourism of the
future” might look like?
Portugal, like other countries, has a
responsibility to involve all stakeholders
(industry, locals and tourists) in
creating a more sustainable present
and future. As a touristic agency, our
purpose aligns with the 17 Sustainable
Development Goals of the United Nations,
aimed to create a blueprint of
economic, social and ecological sustainability.
For a better planet, a better
tourism. VisitBetter, VisitPortugal.
Foto: Visti Portugal
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