National Tourism Award: meet the finalists in the Inclusive Tourism category

Access Lab
Consulting and services company, dedicated to ensuring accessibility for people with disabilities, neurodivergence and deaf people to cultural, sporting, tourist and business experiences. It works by eliminating physical, sensory and communication barriers, with personalized solutions such as audio description, adaptation to Portuguese Sign Language and sensory break rooms. Through active listening to the community, adapted responses are created, which promote inclusive and welcoming spaces for all audiences and their specific needs, and which have a direct effect on social inclusion and the transformation of the cultural and tourism sector, reaching thousands of people per year in large-scale events. THE Access Lab It also contributes to the training of professionals and organizations and raises public awareness about the importance of accessibility. Among the innovative technological solutions already used, the following stand out: the accessibility project at the Belém Soundcheck Festival, awarded as the most accessible festival in 2024; Access All Areas, focused on accessibility at Altice Arena; the Colete das Emoções project at NOS Alive, which allows the deaf community to feel music through vibrations; and the Game On project with UEFA for the Portuguese Football Federation, which aims to include people with disabilities in sporting events.

Happy Coffee
Solidarity and inclusive café-restaurant, located in the center of Cascais, in a completely restored house, trains young adults with intellectual, cognitive and developmental difficulties, such as trisomy 21 or autism spectrum disorders, to promote their integration into the job market and offer certified training, personalized support and decent jobs, in establishments in the restaurant and hotel sectors. THE Happy CoffeeIt stands out for its fully inclusive social business model, where the space is designed from scratch to promote the autonomy of employees with special needs, including equipment and service model. The business model is based on a profit reinvestment basis, with 100% of revenues reinvested in the opening of new café-restaurants and in the development of the project, allowing the mission of inclusion to be expanded and more jobs created. It also has partnerships with social institutions to hire these employees, applying a sustainable model from an economic and replicable point of view, allowing growth and continuation of its social mission. The space became a meeting point for the community, fostering the spirit of solidarity that contributes to supporting the cause.

Most Solidarity Festival
Created in 2022, the festival takes place annually in Castelo Branco and combines culture, music, inclusion and solidarity, with the aim of financing the social activity of Associação de Apoio Quatro Corações, a Private Social Solidarity Institution that helps people and families in vulnerable situations, in the areas of health, food, education and housing. In a territory with low population density, the Most Solidarity Festivalhas an annual average of 25 to 30 thousand visitors and more than 300 volunteers; promotes the visibility of local institutions; generates impact on restaurants and hotels, with full capacity, and strengthens the community’s sense of belonging. By channeling all proceeds to support people in vulnerable situations, it has already contributed to more than 850,000 hot meals. The festival also guarantees free entry to multipurpose certificate holders, creates specific areas for people with reduced mobility and integrates immigrants, refugees and citizens in vulnerable situations through active participation in teams and cultural representations. This combination of culture, social causes and community involvement makes the event unique on the national scene and projects Castelo Branco as a responsible and accessible cultural tourism destination.

MEO Kaorama
Cultural festival that combines music, art and sustainability, held in Parque da Bela Vista, in Lisbon, values ​​inclusion by creating accessible experiences for people with disabilities, reduced mobility and neurodivergence. Among the various accessibility measures are regulated ramps, elevated platforms, adapted shuttles, inclusive toilets, interpretation in Portuguese Sign Language, audio description and sensory break areas. At the same time, the MEO Kaorama promotes urban regeneration and the involvement of the local community, which benefits from training and employment, with performances by emerging artists from the neighborhood and participation in the organization. Environmental actions such as planting trees and installing nests for birds, and sustainability, through the reuse of tarps and reduction of waste, are other central dimensions of the event. The festival values ​​the economy and culture of peripheral neighborhoods, reinforcing the city’s social and tourist cohesion. Social responsibility is reflected in donations of materials and equipment to schools and associations, extending the impact beyond the festival.

What is it? The PNT is an initiative of Expresso and BPI and its purpose is to promote, encourage and distinguish the best companies, practices and projects in the sector in Portugal, in five defined categories: Authentic Tourism, Gastronomic Tourism, Inclusive Tourism, Community Tourism and Blue Tourism. Innovation, sustainability and training are some of the transversal criteria used for this evaluation and election of winners. This initiative has the high sponsorship of the Ministry of Economy and the Sea, institutional support from Turismo de Portugal and technical support from Deloitte.

When, Where and at what time? The awards ceremony for the seventh edition of the PNT – National Tourism Award will take place on November 25th, at the Pavilhão de Portugal, in Lisbon, from 5:30 pm

Where can I watch? You can watch the ceremony via Facebook from Expresso.