The Algarve Tourism Region announced the winners of the Make In Algarve Award – Best Cultural and Creative Tourism Experiences, in a ceremony held this Wednesday, June 24, at the São Brás de Alportel Costume Museum.
The initiative was part of the opening of the Handsome Festival, the Algarve’s International Festival of Cultural and Creative Tourism, and distinguished projects from São Brás de Alportel, Loulé, Lagoa and Castro Marim.
The award recognized four winning experiences and awarded honorable mentions to the other finalists, in the categories Cultural Tourism, Creative Tourism, Local Impact – Barlavento and Local Impact – Sotavento.
The evaluation was conducted by a jury composed of representatives from the Algarve Tourism Region, CCDR Algarve, APECATE, Turismo de Portugal and Accessible Portugal.
Four winning experiences distinguished by the jury
In the Cultural Tourism category, the award was given to the experience “Flavors and knowledge of an ancient Algarve”, by Vânia Mendonça, at the São Brás de Alportel Costume Museum. The honorable mention went to “Rota do Atum – Barril”, by Lais de Guia.
In Creative Tourism, “Da Rocha da Pena ao Mel do Caldeirão”, by Joana Almeida, from Loulé Rural, won. Honorable mentions were awarded to “Cataplana com Todos: Do Mercado à Mesa”, by Good Moments, and “Market Tour & Cooking Class: Algarve Food Experience – Seafood Cataplana”, by The Kitchen.
In the Local Impact – Barlavento category, “Algarve Go West – A Slow Food Journey”, by Luís Mota, from Seaside Walks, won. The honorable mention was given to the experience “Visit to the Family Estate”, at Herdade Barranco do Vale.
In Impacto Local – Sotavento, the award went to “Castro Marim Medieval”, by Carlos do Carmo Unipessoal. The honorable mentions distinguished “Guided Tour with wine tasting and regional tapas”, from Quinta da Tôr, and “Moinho do Gentil: A Dive into the Interior of the Algarve where Water Shapes Memory and Culture”, from Rêverie.
The Make In Algarve Award received 46 candidate experiences, of which 42 were considered eligible. Of these, 10 finalists were selected, evaluated in a first phase through the analysis of applications and, subsequently, in field test visits.
The evaluation took into account criteria such as the general quality of the tourist experience, sustainability, accessibility, inclusion, authenticity, innovation and connection with the Algarve’s natural and cultural heritage.
Algarve bets on authentic experiences linked to the territory
For André Gomes, president of Turismo do Algarve, “the Make In Algarve Award recognizes projects that show an increasingly valued dimension of the destination: the ability to provide authentic, participatory experiences and deeply linked to the territory. These initiatives help us to diversify the tourist offer, value the interior and local communities, preserve knowledge and heritage and affirm the Algarve as a destination that can be experienced in a closer, more sustainable way throughout the year.”
The official also highlights that “the distinguished winners represent a part of a broader movement, which involves tourist agents, cultural entities, local producers, artisans, communities and regional partners. All finalists contributed to showing that the Algarve has much more to offer beyond contemplation: it has experiences to do, learn, taste, share and take with us”.
The Make In Algarve Award is part of the Algarve Cultural and Creative Experiences Tourism Development Program, promoted within the scope of the INOVA Algarve 3.0 project – Promotion of Qualification and Innovation in the Algarve Region, with co-financing from the Algarve 2030 Program.
This program aims to expand the tourist offer aimed at niche markets and segments in demand throughout the year, stimulate the creation and innovation of cultural and creative tourism experiences and involve local communities in the preservation and enhancement of the region’s natural and cultural heritage.
According to the Algarve Tourism Region, the Make In Algarve brand was created as “an invitation to experience the Algarve in an active, genuine and human way”.
The proposal involves going beyond observing the territory, through experiences that cross tradition and contemporary times, coast and interior, tourism and community.
In addition to the awards, the program includes the development of digital content, the presentation of , the creation of a digital platform dedicated to the dissemination of cultural and creative experiences, added to the portal , and the holding of the Handsome Festival.
The Handsome Festival continues with a program dedicated to valuing cultural and creative tourism, promoting meetings between sector professionals, cultural agents, communities and experts, and reinforcing the Algarve’s commitment to a more authentic, sustainable and differentiating offer.
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