Created with the aim of promoting, encouraging and distinguishing the best entities, practices and projects in the Tourism sector, the seventh edition of PNT – National Tourism Award will announce the winners on November 25th, in Lisbon.
Authentic Tourism, Gastronomic Tourism, Inclusive Tourism, Community Tourism e Blue Tourism are the five categories of the 2025 edition, of this initiative by Express and the BPIwhich has the institutional support of Turismo de Portugal, IP, and technical support from Deloitte, while knowledge partner.
The category of Blue Tourism is a new addition to this year’s edition and is aimed at tourism projects in which the water element is an integral part of the business model and in which criteria such as the promotion of environmental education, the strengthening of local economies and the contribution to the preservation of resources in the long term have been taken into account.
In this category, which received a total of 40 applications, projects were also considered that, through natural aquatic environments (sea, oceans, coastal areas, rivers, lakes and reservoirs), reinforce the tourist attractiveness of the destination and contribute to the reduction of seasonality and better management of tourist flows. Projects that, through artificial structures with water treatment, create sustainable aquatic attractions were also considered. Sustainability is, in fact, a condition considered fundamental in the use of water resources in these projects, which must be careful not to compromise them and to preserve ecosystems, particularly marine and coastal ones.
Meet the finalists in the Blue Tourism category:
BEACHCAM – LIVECAMS & DIGITAL CONTENT
The project Beachcam is a pioneering digital platform that provides a free livestreaming service on almost 200 coastal and river beaches in Portugal, covering the entire continental coast and islands. In addition to the cameras, it provides information on sea, wind and tide forecasts, and also has drone videos of all the beaches, as well as editorial content on surfing, tourism and the environment. Beachcam – Livecams & Digital Content is a tool that works as a digital public service. By allowing visits to be planned efficiently, it contributes to reducing unnecessary travel and pressure on more crowded beaches; gives visibility to less explored destinations, decentralizes flows and reinforces local economies. The dissemination of regular content on good environmental practices, preservation of coastal ecosystems and marine conservation was also taken into account, as well as environmental education initiatives in partnership with NGOs and local institutions. With almost 200 thousand monthly users, outside the bathing season, and with more than 800 thousand in August, in 2024 the concept was improved with a new website and application, with new features.
MOURA NAUTICAL CENTER – ALQUEVA
Located next to the Alqueva dam, the project highlights the potential of the largest artificial reservoir in Europe, with a Blue Flag river beach, a floating swimming pool, a tourist office that promotes local products, a cafe-restaurant, a service area for motorhomes and spaces dedicated to tour operators, offering boat trips, pedal boats, water skiing or wakeboarding. Opened in 2024, water is the central axis of its business model, generating economic, social and environmental value for the municipality of Moura and the entire Alentejo region. THE Moura Nautical Center – Alqueva It also has certification as a Nautical Station, Accessible Beach and Blue Flag Beach and stands out for holding national and international sporting events throughout the year, which mitigate seasonality and attract new tourist flows to a low-density territory. At an educational level, a nautical club was created in Moura and local physical education teachers were trained, allowing young people from the municipality to practice sailing, rowing, canoeing and stand up paddle throughout the year.
Herdade da Cortesia
HOMERY OF COURTESIA
Designed from scratch to host rowing, canoeing, triathlon and open water swimming stages, it uses the Maranhão Dam as a central resource for the development of its tourist activity, and offers all the conditions to welcome elite athletes, Olympic teams, national teams from around the world and visitors interested in sport and well-being, who also benefit from direct contact with nature there. A pioneering project in Alto Alentejo, it is led by a former high-competition athlete, and has recently invested in the integration of new spaces such as deck yoga, walking trails, paddle tennis courts, meeting room and sports equipment rental, diversifying the offer. The project has a special impact on ensuring the continued preservation of the water plan; in combating pollution and creating opportunities and investments in the area, which boost local accommodation, restaurants and surrounding commerce. The high occupancy, even in low season, makes the Herdade da Cortesia in a case of success in combating seasonality in inland tourism.
PESTANA ALGARVE – COMMITMENT TO WATER
With the aim of reducing consumption, preserving water resources and ensuring operational efficiency, the project “Commitment to Water”, an initiative by the Pestana Group in the Algarveintegrated non-program Planet Guestpromotes efficient and sustainable water management in hotels and golf courses. The desalination plant in Alvor, an innovative infrastructure in the Portuguese hotel context, and the reuse of wastewater from the Boavista WWTP for golf courses stand out in the measures to reduce dependence on potable sources. Investment in smart irrigation, the production of photovoltaic energy and the continuous training of teams reinforce this link between tourism and sustainability, also contributing to greater resilience in the face of periods of drought, reducing pressure on sensitive ecosystems and raising awareness among tourists and employees about the preservation of water and marine resources. The project has already achieved a reduction of around 20% in daily consumption of drinking water, per customer, in hotels and, on golf courses, it has managed to free up more than 100,000 m3 of water for other community uses.
Poço Corga River Beach
CM Castanheira de Pera
POÇO CORGA RIVER BEACH
Located in Serra da Lousã and integrated into the Natura 2000 Network, the Poço Corga River Beachin Castanheira de Pêra, currently has accessible walkways, adapted changing rooms, picnic areas, natural shade areas, a digital billboard with real-time information and a tree climbing park with a slide over the water mirror. The project focuses on combating seasonality, attracting diverse audiences, from families to schools and active tourism practitioners. The commitment to universal accessibility, with amphibious chairs, ramps and adapted changing rooms, guarantees full inclusion, and the requalification of the space has a direct impact on the local economy, benefiting restaurants, accommodation, tourist entertainment, private investments and employment in a territory with low population density. On an environmental level, the project promotes the recovery of riverside vegetation, the control of invasive species and the sustainable management of rainwater, reinforcing biodiversity.
Winch
Rui Cunha
National Tourism Award
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