The spotlight of the Lisbon Tourism Exchange, which began this Wednesday at Parque das Nações, will be aimed at the Algarve, the guest destination of the 2016 edition of the main tourism event held in Portugal.
Entities in the region linked to the sector will take advantage of the extra attention that the title will give them and make a strong bet on promoting the region as a tourist destination.
From today until Sunday, 15 municipalities and 26 hotels and travel agencies will join the «Algarve Space» to make themselves known and attract tourists. In the first two days, the event is intended only for sector agents and journalists. Starting on Friday, it opens to the general public.
The nerve center of the action, as far as the region is concerned, will be the 900 square meter stand of Turismo do Algarve, where various activities will take place, from the presentation of new and established initiatives, to gastronomic demonstrations, with tasting of some products internationally famous algarvians.
This Thursday, RTA will make the already traditional presentation of the news of the current tourist year. But there will be other public entities to take advantage of the “showcase” BTL, namely the municipalities of Albufeira, Aljezur, Faro, Lagoa, Loulé, Olhão, Silves, Tavira and Vila do Bispo, which will also have the right to their moment (see detailed description below).
The 2016 BTL will feature more than 1100 exhibitors from different parts of the world. At the national level, 76 municipalities will be showcased in the initiative, in addition to the different tourism regions in the country and various companies.
For professionals connected to the sector who are present, «there is the opportunity to find buyers, meet the competition, analyze market trends and position their offer in an innovative and competitive way», while visitors can take the opportunity to «discover new destinations , compare proposals and buy at highly competitive fair prices», according to the Algarve Tourism Region.
On the first day of the fair open to the general public, the 4th, the exhibition will open from 18 pm to 23 pm. On the weekend, it opens its doors at midday. On Saturday it closes at 23 pm and Sunday, the last day of the market, at 20 pm.
O Sul Informação gives you an account of the different activities that entities in the Region have planned to promote themselves in BTL:
RTA
The Algarve Tourism Region will promote a vast entertainment program. Every day, gifts will be offered to those who spin the “Roda da Sorte”, while “Tômbola” will award vouchers with offers of accommodation, adventure experiences, well-being and gastronomy.
On the first day of the fair, visitors will be able to watch the presentation of a selection of cocktails by the hands of the barman Miguel Gião and on the 3rd, the Algarve Wine Route promotes a wine tasting. New projects are presented, including the launch of two new apps and a children's book, followed by a performance by the Orquestra de Jazz do Algarve.
More concerts are booked for the 4th, as well as two showcookings where the restaurant “Tertúlia Algarvia” will teach how to prepare the most appreciated delicacies in the region. The Folklore Ranch of Faro will also take the stage with two performances at the Key for Travel auditorium (March 6th at 16 pm).
Finally, «a dancer will hold her breath with movements on the suspended trapeze, while bodypainting artists, characters on stilts, musicians and dancers will draw the attention of passersby», adds the Algarve Tourism Region, as there are also actors who personify everything the Algarve has to offer: golfers, lifeguards, cooks and fishermen.
Albufeira
Albufeira will take advantage of its presence at the fair to promote a «Grande Wine Show of Portugal» (on the 2nd, 15:30 pm) and launch a new calendar of sporting events.
The 8th edition of the Mostra de Vinhos is considered by the Albufeira Chamber to be “a reference event both for producers and winemakers, and for Portuguese wine lovers”. The new Albufeiren sports calendar (3rd at 17pm) will feature the Crosse Internacional das Amendoeiras em Flor, which returns to the Pista das Açoteias on March 13th, and the national Youth basketball party, which takes place on the 29th from March to April 3rd.
Around 60 local producers take regional products to the stand in Albufeira, such as cheeses, sausages and olive oil. Those who visit the Albufeira Stand will also be eligible to win weekends in this municipality, a draw held in partnership with APAL – Turismo de Albufeira.
Loulé
As usual, the municipality of Loulé will invest heavily in its participation in the Lisbon Tourism Exchange. In addition to launching a new edition of the MED Festival, one of the county's main annual events, the municipality of Loulé is going to make known another of its babies: The Loulé Creative – Tourism project.
This project will be presented this Wednesday, at 14 pm, by the director of the International Creative Tourism Network “Creative Tourism Network”, Caroline Couret. MED, on the other hand, will be presented to the Media tomorrow, Thursday, and to the general public on Saturday, always at 16 pm. “The ten first names confirmed for the MED will be announced in the presentations and two artists will be performing who will be present at the festival”, according to Câmara de Loulé.
The municipality's stand will also give the opportunity, in a multimedia space, to consult its new website, in a responsive version. In addition, there will be entries to the MED Festival for raffle.
Lagoa
The award «Lagoa Cidade do Vinho 2016» will be a central theme of this council's participation in BTL. And the best way to promote the wine products that this Algarve county has to offer is to taste them. And there will be more than one opportunity to do so, both today. At 14:30 pm, wines from Lagoa will be given to be tasted at the «Pavilhão da Rota dos Vinhos Portugueses». At 17:30 pm, the Chamber will promote a tasting of the wines produced in the municipality, at the Turismo do Algarve stand
In addition to showing «the skills and abilities of the Municipality of Lagoa, namely in the area of quality diversified tourism», the Lagoon stand will feature the presence of hotel industry and regional confectionery producers.
All visitors to the stand during the fair will be offered gifts as a souvenir “of a municipality that continues to invest in the concept of a different, attractive and very diversified tourist relationship”.
Lagos
Lagos will bet, at BTL, «in enhancing the municipality's attractiveness as a tourist destination of excellence, and demonstrating, both nationally and internationally, the full potential of a municipality deeply marked by its history linked to the Discoveries and where the tourist offer, despite Lagos and the Algarve being the destinations with the most hours of sunshine in Europe, it goes far beyond the excellence of the climate, golf and its dream beaches».
The culture, heritage and local historical identity will be highlighted with three presentations, on the 4th and 5th of March. For Friday, the 4th of March, the first presentation is scheduled at 16:30 pm of a more public character of the most recent Guide published by the Municipality of Lagos and whose theme is “Lagos on the Slavery Route (XNUMXth-XNUMXth centuries). The idea of the local authority «is that through this small guide, any visitor can take a “trip in time” to Lagos in the late Middle Ages and early Modern Period (XNUMXth-XNUMXth centuries) anchoring the route to the theme of the first generations of Africans landed here in the condition of Slaves».
On the 5th, and from 15 pm onwards, presentations will be scheduled at the Centro Ciência Viva de Lagos, appearing as “Promoter of knowledge and natural heritage” and at the LAC – Laboratory of Creative Activities, whose responsible will talk about one of the most important initiatives of this association – the ARTURb Project: Urban Art in Lagos.
Tavira
Tavira has a lot of historical and cultural heritage and does not intend to hide it in its participation in BTL. The municipality of Tavir has scheduled several cultural and gastronomic activities. On the day of the presentation of its stand, Thursday, at 12:30 pm, the municipality shows visitors the local project “Fado com História”, with the performance of Teresa Viola, accompanied by Jorge Franco on the Portuguese guitar and Virgílio Lança on the viola.
On the 4th, chef Noélia from the renowned «Noélia&Jerónimo» restaurant, in Cabanas de Tavira, will reveal some of the secrets of Algarve gastronomy, using muxama, octopus and sweet potato, typically Algarve ingredients. At the end of the day, the president of Tavira, Jorge Botelho, presents the county's most relevant event program, scheduled for this year, with a tasting of local products, such as olives, olive oil, sweets and liqueurs.
Vila do Bispo
Vila do Bispo Chamber starts to show itself on the first day of the Fair. With a new image, the municipality of Vila do Bispo, which has already been present in other editions, will present promotional material in the areas of Restaurants, Tourism and Accommodation.
On Wednesday, at 11 am, the Vila-Bispense council promotes the «Marine Species of the coast of Sagres» with the help of Sara Magalhães, master in Marine Biology. On the 4th, at 18 pm, Artur de Jesus, senior technician in History, will give a brief presentation on «Culture, Heritage and Tourism in Vila do Bispo» and marine biologist Nuno Barros will speak on «Bird Watching in Vila do Bispo », on the 5th, at 14:30 pm). On the last day of the fair, Sunday, historians Augusto Salgado and Jorge Russo reveal “A German submarine in the waters of Sagres”.
Aljezur
Nature tourism will have a central place, in the participation of the municipality of Aljezur in the BTLO Municipality of Costa Vicentina will promote three thematic presentations on this market niche, on different days.
The council's tourist promotion begins with the presentation of the «Interpretation Circuit of Pontal da Carrapateira» (March 2, at 18 pm), followed by «The potential of nature in the municipality of Aljezur», with Vitor Faustino (March 30 at 3:10 am). On March 45, at 4 pm, the focus will be on «Observation Routes», with two presentations being scheduled, one on the Aljezur Biodiversity Station project, by Patrícia Pereira, and another on «Birdwatching around the village of Aljezur », by Nuno Barros.
«The gastronomy and quality products will not be lacking, and there is also a small tasting of local products and sweets», says the Aljezurense municipality.
Vila Real de Santo António
The municipality of VRSA will take advantage of the extra attention provided by the fact that the Algarve is BTL's guest destination to present the municipality's new hotel units and launch the new corporate image of the beaches of Monte Gordo and Cacela.
The news will be announced this Wednesday, starting at 16:45 pm.
Silves
Silves is going to take advantage of the largest fair in the sector to promote cultural tourism, nature tourism and wines. The county will highlight not only its important cultural heritage (it has five national monuments), but also its vast natural heritage, especially the Iberian lynx. It will also present some of the best-known local products, such as Silves wines and oranges.
Faro
The Chamber of Faro will once again dynamize a stand at BTL and will seek, according to the Faro local authority, to assert itself as "a quality tourist destination throughout the year, making known the best it has to offer with its wealth of both natural and heritage historical and cultural activities».
Olhão
The Câmara de Olhão is promoted at BTL with a stand where it discusses the richness of the Ria Formosa, the barrier islands, its gastronomy and cubist architecture. There will also be prizes to be drawn between those who visit the space of the municipality of Olhão.
natural.pt
Natural.PT will promote at BTL the National Network of Protected Areas and the subscribing products and services, «that share the values and principles of sustainability and the valorization of nature and endogenous resources». On the 2nd, this platform of the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests will present the new map of the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park.
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