The region’s tourism board celebrated the start of its 55th anniversary programme at Lisbon’s international tourism fair last week
The Algarve region had much to celebrate at last week’s BTL tourism fair in Lisbon. Serving as an international launch pad for tourism activities, the five-day fair (March 12-16) provided the Algarve Tourism Board with an opportunity to unveil its projects for 2025, including celebrating its 55th anniversary.
Speaking to journalists at the fair last week, André Gomes, the president of Turismo do Algarve, announced that the institution’s 55th anniversary will be celebrated across the region with a comprehensive programme featuring 55 events, set to take place between March 18 and September 27.
“It is an event that intersects with several others and merits a unique programme,” explained André Gomes. “I think these events are all relevant. They will take place in the 16 Algarve municipalities, so they will have cover the whole region, ranging from cultural and sporting events to strategic conferences to the marking of anniversaries, such as the 60th anniversary of Faro Airport in July or even the 30th anniversary of AHETA, our main hoteliers association in the region, which also celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.
“What we intend with these 55 years and 55 events is, in some way, to leverage in terms of dissemination and promotion many of the annual events that are already iconic in our region. We recognise that they bring great added value to the relevant tourist interest of our territory,” André Gomes told journalists at BTL – Better Tourism Lisbon Travel Market, the largest tourism fair in the country, organised by the AIP Foundation.
The highlights of the fair
During the fair, each municipality had the opportunity to promote its programme for the year. Olhão launched the agenda for its Seafood Festival (Festival do Marisco), and Loulé, which received a “Green Destination” award for its efforts in sustainable tourism, revealed the first confirmed artists for the 2025 MED Fest.
A possible year of new records
André Gomes, president of Turismo do Algarve, emphasised that “after recording historical data in activity performance in 2023, 2024 has solidified the Algarve’s position as one of the principal tourist destinations in Europe. We welcomed 5.2 million guests for the first time, a figure the region had never attained, representing growth of 1.3% in national and 3% in international tourism.”
To counter some narratives about the internal market, “that there were fewer national tourists in the region in 2024, in fact, the data shows the opposite”, says the Algarve tourism boss.
When asked about the prospects for 2025, André Gomes predicts another excellent performance based on the available figures from January, a month in which “we again grew by 1.1% compared to last year in these main indicators”.
“We aspire for 2025 to be another year of growth”
Citing the feedback from the Algarve business sector with regard to bookings for the upcoming Easter break and also for the summer, “we already have numbers higher than what we saw at the same time last year. Therefore, expectations are good”.
“Clearly, we aspire for 2025 to be another year of growth,” says Gomes. However, it must be “a sustainable and enduring growth and demand should not jeopardise our resources, authenticity, and the experience we wish to provide to our visitors”.
Even so, some caution is needed “nevertheless; as we know, it is a sector that is somehow vulnerable to external circumstances that we do not control and that, obviously, influence the performance of some of our source markets.”
Having exceeded a record number of 20 million overnight stays, the Turismo de Portugal 2020-2035 strategy asserts, “more than merely the percentage of tourists or overnight stays, or even the revenues – crucial for both regional and national economies – the focus will be much more on the sector’s capacity to add value and enhance our territories and the daily lives of residents.
“We may be talking about many millions in tourism, but if these millions do not also reflect the living conditions of tourism workers – our main asset in hospitality – and in how they welcome our tourists, none of this makes sense. Tourism workers have to be better recognised,” he said.
Transatlantic connections
Another highlight announced at the BTL is the forthcoming direct United Airlines flight between New York/Newark and Faro, commencing in May.
“It is highly significant for the region,” exclaimed the president of the Algarve Tourism Board. “Our feedback from United Airlines indicates that sales are progressing well in both pace and pricing. Thus, things are going very well.
“To promote this new route, a week before its launch, we are also collaborating with local companies on a roadshow across the United States, particularly in Boston and New York. We aim to leverage the connectivity we have with SATA via Ponta Delgada to showcase the destination and create business opportunities between our local companies and numerous North American tour operators and agents to fully exploit the potential of this market.”
“We observe North American investments in the region with keen interest”
Despite the new geopolitical reality, Gomes remained optimistic about the North American market. “Based on the trends we have observed in recent months, US investments in the region have been quite evident. I would venture to say that the impacts are positive. We observe North American investments in the region with keen interest as they contribute to an extraordinary enhancement of our hotel offerings. They are introducing brands of significant international renown to our region – not through new construction, but by refurbishing existing units.”
Algarve golf is worth 67% of the national total
Golf, a key component of the region’s tourism offering, also garnered attention at the fair. “In summary, the region accounts for 67% of all golf played nationally. This reflects our collaboration with numerous international operators who continue to find in the Algarve the quality offerings that many golfers seek.”
Gomes pointed out that “we continue to grow in our most traditional markets, with which we have a historical connection”, such as the British, Irish, and German markets. However, “we see the growth of potential markets,” particularly in North America and other regions in central and northern Europe, which “find more and more motivations to visit the Algarve throughout the year.
“There should no longer be an airport in the United Kingdom that does not have a direct flight to Faro. However, we continue to invest in the region’s potential for these new destinations. We cannot disclose much more at this stage, but I can assure you there will be news throughout 2025.”
The “Save Water” seal is a sure bet
At a time when some relief is anticipated from the drought that has affected the Algarve, André Gomes stated that he is “very proud, not just of the efforts of the tourism sector, but also of the work of the entire region as we faced what was indeed the challenge of the year, in 2024.
“In light of the alarming situation we faced last year, marked by the lowest historical water reserves in our dams, it became essential to urgently respond to this challenge. Various sectors in the region, from agriculture to public services, demonstrated this capability by implementing a significant reduction in water losses.
“With the launch of the ‘Save Water’ seal during BTL 2024, a water certification aimed at tourist developments, we recorded a 16% reduction in the overall volume of water consumed by our hotels compared to 2023. Furthermore, this occurred in a year when we even experienced growth in activity,” he emphasised.
“It clearly demonstrated the sector’s capacity, particularly that of our companies, to invest in and manage water more effectively, enhance efficiency, and raise awareness among both their employees and the tourists they welcome. This is vital for better management of this resource, enabling us to make our destination more resilient and capable of facing ongoing challenges despite the recent rainfall.
“Regardless of the objectives set for us concerning this water challenge, I am confident that the Algarve region, together with tourism and other sectors, will continue this work,” he concluded.
