The Association of Hotels, Restaurants and Similar Services of Portugal (AHRESP) annually distinguishes the Best of the Year in the sectors of Restaurant, Accommodation and Tourism Promotion in Portugal.
The Municipality of Baião was recognized as the “Revelation Destination of the Year”, a category that rewards the destination that most contributed to leverage the growth and development of its region.
According to AHRESP “Baião is the first Portuguese municipality distinguished as a Sustainable Tourist Destination, an internationally recognized distinction by the international organization Global Council for Sustainable Tourism – created with the support of the United Nations.
As a result of the strategy to develop tourist assets, promoted by the Municipality of Baião in partnership with local tour operators, the number of overnight stays has been growing progressively”.
Baião was nominated for this category together with Arouca, Coimbra, Évora and Ilha das Flores.
RECOGNITION OF A SUSTAINED TOURIST STRATEGY
The AHRESP Awards ceremony took place at Pteo da Galé, in Lisbon, on the 1st of July and was attended by the Mayor of Baião, Paulo Pereira.
The mayor said that “Portugal is fantastic and to be elected Revelation Destination of the Year is absolutely fantastic!
And if AHRESP discovered us, it is because it certainly had good reasons for it. And they are certainly also good reasons for everyone to visit us. And not just Baião.
Also to our neighboring municipalities that make up the Douro Verde Territory. We do not compete against each other, but we all compete together to provide a diversified and quality tourist offer, at the same time as we compete for the improvement of the quality of life of our populations.
We were the winning Municipality, but this is a victory that is not exclusively ours, but that of the entire Douro Verde region. A region with natural, tourist and human assets of great value and a reference for the country.
We have enormous growth potential and together in enhancing the territory we will be able to better leverage our quality tourist assets and products, making this a territory of reference in the region.
I would also like to say a word of thanks to AHRESP for the work carried out in valuing a strategic sector for the country and to Turismo do Porto and the North of Portugal, for the dynamism it has imprinted in the dissemination of a region that has unique assets and an ability to incredible growth.
Together, the sky is the limit!
Baião was the first Portuguese municipality to be certified as a Sustainable Tourist Destination, a recognition that we are also very proud of and which is a reflection of the hard work of many people in many sectors.
Each one in their place, in hotels, restaurants, in other tourist activities and in the general business fabric, everyone is committed and lends their talent and work capacity so that our territory evolves more and more.
Without forgetting the employees of the municipality who have been fantastic in their desire to build a better Baião for everyone.
In the last year, we have been carrying out a very meticulous work with Earthcheck in the deepening of our tourism strategy, and a working instrument is being prepared that will give even greater emphasis to our ambition, responding to the current challenges of the tourist market and preparing for the future to a very dynamic reality, in which the tourist profile has been changing.
I would also like to thank those who voted for us and leave a word of appreciation for the people of Baião. They are the soul of the territory. The highest value of Baião. With its friendliness, genuineness and hospitality, Baião has become a national reference.
This award is for them!
This distinction is another step in an evolutionary and continuous process that does not end at the time of certification, as it is not a project for a generation, but a project of a generation for the future”.
The organization of the AHRESP Awards is the responsibility of AHRESP – “Associação da Hotelaria, Restauração e Similares de Portugal”
