Algarve loses title of Europe’s Leading Beach Destination to Porto Santo, Madeira
Portugal has brought home 31 accolades from the European edition of the World Travel Awards (WTA), considered the ‘Oscars’ of the tourism sector.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is that the Algarve was not crowned Europe’s top beach destination for the first time since 2018, with the title going instead to Porto Santo in Portugal’s Madeira archipelago.
Elsewhere in Portugal, Lisbon was named Europe’s Leading City Destination while Porto was crowned Europe’s Leading Seaside Metropolitan Destination. Further north, Braga was considered Europe’s Leading Emerging Tourism Destination, while the Azores archipelago was hailed Europe’s Leading Adventure Tourism Destination and the Madeira archipelago was granted the title of Europe’s Leading Island Destination.
Other highlights include Passadiços do Paiva, the popular boardwalks in Arouca, named Europe’s Leading Adventure Tourist Attraction, while Passadiços do Mondego, another popular set of boardwalks in Guarda, were voted Europe’s Leading Tourism Development Project.
National airlines also brought home accolades, with Portugal’s flagship airline TAP, named the best in Europe to travel to South America and Africa, while Azores Airlines was crowned Europe’s Leading Airline to North America and SATA was considered Europe’s Leading Regional Airline.
Dark Sky Alqueva in the Alentejo, self-described as the “first starlight tourism destination in the world,” received the title of Europe’s Leading Tourism Attraction as well as Europe’s Responsible Tourism Award.
Several hotels and resorts across Portugal were also awarded. In the Algarve, the list includes Dunas Douradas in Vale do Lobo (Europe’s Leading Resort Villas), Pestana Alvor Praia in Alvor (Europe’s Leading Beach Hotel), W Algarve in Albufeira (Europe’s Leading Lifestyle Hotel), Conrad Algarve in Quinta do Lago (Europe’s Leading Lifestyle Resort), Wyndham Grand Algarve also in Quinta do Lago (Europe’s Leading Luxury All-Suite Resort) and Cascade Wellness Resort in Lagos (Europe’s Leading Sports Resort). Elsewhere in the country, winners included Pousada Mosteiro Amares (Europe’s Most Romantic Resort), Savoy Palace (Europe’s Leading Luxury Hotel), 1908 Lisboa Hotel (Europe’s Leading Design Hotel), Pestana Palace Lisboa (Europe’s Leading City Family & Wellness Resort and Europe’s Leading Luxury Business Hotel), Valverde Hotel (Europe’s Leading Luxury Boutique Hotel), Vila Baleira Resort (Europe’s Leading Island Resort) and L’AND Vineyards (Europe’s Leading Wine Region Hotel).
The list of national winners is rounded off by independent hotel management company Amazing Evolution, crowned Europe’s Leading Boutique Hotel Operator and Europe’s Leading Hotel Management Company, and Madeira Promotion Bureau (Europe’s Leading Tourist Board).
