News snippings from the "The Algarve Resident" Newspaper!
13/11/2009

Algarve wins top  award in London

Algarve’s regional tourism board (ERTA) won a World Travel Market Global Award on the opening day of the World Travel Market (WTM) fair in London on November 9.

WTM’s Global Media Network, comprising key travel industry media around the world, put forward organisations and individuals which have contributed to their region’s travel and tourism industry.

ERTA was nominated by Publiturus and its Editor-in-Chief, Ruben Obadia, jointly presented the award with Fiona Jeffery and London Mayor Boris Johnson to President of the ERTA, Nuno Aires.

The tourism board won the award for its alternative marketing actions aimed at selling the region as more than just a sun and beach destination to tourists.

During the awards ceremony, the region’s annual Allgarve events programme was cited as an example of good promotional practices.

Fiona Jeffery, chairman of the WTM, said: “Allgarve is an excellent example for all traditional sun and beach destinations to follow.”

Nuno Aires said: “As well as our main products of sun, sea and golf, this year we have also highlighted other products that the region can offer: residential tourism, nautical activities and nature.”

About the Allgarve programme, he added: “It is a programme that elevates us internationally,” which is to be continued in 2010.

Next year, the ERTA is also looking to work on tourism offers in niche markets as well as attracting more tourists from Scandinavia and the Benelux countries as well as its traditional market of visitors from the UK, Germany and Holland.

The WTM fair, a four day business to business exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year,  was due to end yesterday (Thursday).