Portugal scoops top prize at Tourism ‘Oscars’
Portugal has been named the World’s Leading Destination at the 24th annual World Travel Awards (WTA) becoming the first European country to win this award by fending off competitors such as Brazil, Greece, Maldives, USA, Morocco, Vietnam or Spain. Portugal also claimed other top awards, including the World’s Leading Tourist Board, while Lisbon was presented with the trophy for World’s Leading City Break Destination. Portugal claimed a total of six prizes, with the national tourist board also walking away with the award for best tourism website. Sintra Parks was elected the leading conservation company, Madeira was meanwhile unveiled as the best island destination, and the Pine Cliffs Resort in Albufeira was awarded the prize of World’s Best Luxury Leisure Resort. The chairman of the Portuguese Confederation of Tourism (CTP), Francisco Calheiros, said on Monday that Portugal’s performance at the World Travel Awards (WTA) was “recognition of the dedication and professionalism of the thousands of people who work in the tourism industry in the country.”He said that people were the industry’s most important asset and they were decisive in the excellent situation Portugal’s tourism is currently enjoying “because a destination’s experience and authenticity depended directly on how the visitors interacted with their hosts.”
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