International interest in the Algarve hit records in the 1st half of 2022

The number of international journalists interested in visiting the Algarve and learning more about the region's offer as a tourist destination, "has increased exponentially since the beginning of the year", revealed the Algarve Tourism Association (ATA).

According to this entity, in the first half of the year, that is, between January and June, "48 press trips.

«Among journalists, photographers/videographers, bloggers and influencers, 102 participants from different markets such as the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, Holland, Italy, France and Belgium. Interest in the region also extended to markets in Northern Europe (Sweden, Denmark and Norway) and to more distant markets such as the USA, Brazil and the United Arab Emirates», he adds.

In addition to journalists and other communicators, international tour operators also showed interest «this desire to find out more about the destination».

«From January to the end of June, ATA had the opportunity to organize 10 fam trips, with 72 participants from strategic markets in the region. By the end of the year, it is expected to triple the number of participants in destination recognition visits aimed at these professionals in the sector», says the ATA.

These actions aim to «promote, on the ground, the added value of the region, so that participants can experience what makes the Algarve a unique destination and understand the reasons that explain the various awards and international distinctions that the destination has. coming to conquer".

«The interest in the Algarve is not surprising, since, with the exception of the period in which we were in total confinement, we never stopped organizing initiatives with the press and international operators, also as a result of the strategy we implemented to maintain the high notoriety of the destination. during the pandemic. Even so, the speed of recovery of tourist activity is exceeding our best expectations», said João Fernandes, president of Turismo do Algarve.

«In this promotion effort, in addition to our beaches – which continue to be one of the main business cards in the region – we seek to introduce other facets of the Algarve and surprise participants with the diversity and richness of our tourist offer. One of our big bets has been the promotion of Nature and Sports Tourism, especially products such as hiking, sailing, surfing, diving or cycling, which have registered a huge number of followers», he added.

«In addition to helping to build the concept of a multifaceted destination, capable of responding to different motivations, these are products that generate demand. throughout the year, including the interior of the territory, thus helping to blur coastalization and seasonality», concludes João Fernandes.

In the first half of the year, the Algarve also promoted itself externally «in 15 strategically selected international events, where ATA represented the destination and its associates».

“In addition, it was involved in the preparation of around 70 marketing campaigns, carried out in collaboration with tour operators and airlines operating in the region. These campaigns resulted from the effort successfully carried out by Turismo do Algarve to resume existing air connections (which had been suspended by the pandemic) and to capture new routes.

Another milestone reached by ATA in the 1st half of 2022 was in terms of the number of associates, having reached 398 associates, «the highest number ever in the history of the Association and significantly representative of the various tourism activities to which agents in the region dedicate themselves”.

«We are committed to involving more and more companies in this aim of promoting a destination that is our greatest asset. Our desire is to be able to count on the effort and active participation of all, around a common objective: to consolidate the Algarve as an inspiring and authentic tourist destination, with a differentiated quality offer, which contributes positively to the region and to the its residents, those of today and those of tomorrow», framed João Fernandes.

Turismo do Algarve looks with «optimism» to the second half of the year and hopes to «continue all this dynamic of recovery, in a solid and consistent way, and reach the end of the year with values ​​close to 2019, a year of good memory for tourism in the region'.