Between March 12th and 13th, Alcoutim will host the Jornadas do Mundo Rural, an event dedicated to sustainable tourism, certification of the territory and the role of young people and entrepreneurs in local development.
Organized by the Alcoutim Chamber, these days are held annually in the village in the northeast of the Algarve and seek to encourage debate and “strategic reflection” on ways to promote economic development in this low-density territory in the district of Faro.
With this initiative, the municipality proposes to affirm Alcoutim as a “territory of innovation, sustainable tourism and certification of excellence” and lead businesspeople, young people and local agents to “reflect the economic and identity future of the municipality”, said the Algarve municipality in a statement.
Sustainable tourism and certification of the territory under debate
“Certification and sustainable tourism are not fads, they are essential tools to guarantee quality, differentiation and the future. We want an economically active, socially cohesive and environmentally responsible municipality”, said the president of the municipality, Paulo Paulino, quoted in the note.
The involvement of businesspeople and young people will also make it possible to “strengthen the human basis of development”, because “it is people who bring strategies to life and who make possible a balanced growth model, rooted in local identity”, explained the mayor.
During the two-day event, participants will be able to share knowledge and find solutions for the future of a territory that is located in the Algarve mountains, has scattered villages and towns and a mostly aged population, said the Alcoutim Chamber.
Platform for dialogue between tradition and innovation
“The event, promoted by the Municipality of Alcoutim, brings together experts, businesspeople, young entrepreneurs, associations and institutional entities, creating a platform for dialogue between tradition and innovation”, highlighted the municipality. The Alcoutim Chamber recalled that the municipality has a territory “deeply marked by rurality”, “landscape authenticity” and “closeness to nature”, serving the meeting as a “structuring” moment to define strategies for future local development.
“In a context where tourist destinations compete for authenticity, environmental quality and cultural identity, Alcoutim asserts itself as a valuable territory, where certification is not just a technical seal, but a collective commitment to sustainability, quality of life and the preservation of natural and human heritage”, argued the city hall.
Young entrepreneurs at the center of the future of the rural world
The Alcoutim Chamber considered that, by including local businesspeople in the debate, cooperation networks are “strengthened” and it is possible to “stimulate a resilient rural economy, capable of generating income, retaining a young population and attracting responsible investment”.
This year’s edition of Jornadas do Mundo Rural will also highlight the role and involvement of young people, whose active participation is also important for “building the future” in the rural world and encouraging “entrepreneurial projects” and “creative solutions that combine agriculture, technology, tourism and sustainability”, added the Algarve Chamber. “Alcoutim is betting on a generation that values the land, but that thinks globally, young people capable of transforming demographic challenges into opportunities for social and economic innovation”, he highlighted.
The Jornadas do Mundo Rural program is available.
Also read:
