National Tourism Award: meet the finalists in the new Community Tourism category

GOOD SOUNDS 2024
For four days, the village of Cem Soldos, in the parish of Madalena, municipality of Tomar, is closed and the perimeter of the village delimits the venue for the Portuguese music festival Bons Sons, which hosts 10 stages, integrating the streets, squares, squares and the church. Organized by the local cultural association, with the motto “Come and live the village”, the event contributes to the appreciation of local heritage and promotes the direct participation of its population. The latest edition of Good Soundsheld in 2024, received 35,000 visitors and had 500 volunteers, of which 400 are residents. Deeply rooted in the community, the festival attracts visitors and boosts the local economy, both in the search for accommodation, restaurants and commerce, creating temporary jobs and helping small family businesses. The flow of visitors also promotes the restoration of houses and the arrival of new residents, demonstrating that it is possible to live in villages and make them grow as centers of cultural dynamism. The program is focused on Portuguese music and each stage originates from a space in the village, with the Garagem Stage providing space for those who want to experiment. In 2024, the Diversity Plan was launched in partnership with Acesso Cultura, with measures aimed at visitors with special needs. The event also features community projects such as Coro da Cura and Coro das Mulheres da Fábrica.

FAFA – ALMOND TREE FESTIVAL IN FLOR DO ALGARVE 2024
Music, culture, hiking, traditional games, crafts, demonstrations of ancient crafts and gastronomy invade the village of Alta Mora, in the Algarve municipality of Castro Marim, for four days. The event is organized by the inhabitants themselves, mostly elderly, supported by external volunteers, who together contribute to the appreciation of rural traditions, arts and crafts and to the preservation of the cultural identity of the Algarve interior. Among the initiatives, highlights include walking tours with more than a thousand participants, the making of a giant almond pie and workshops that have already allowed the planting of dozens of new trees. The “Artisan Village” transforms local houses into living workshops, where more than 40 artisans share their knowledge with visitors, and the program gives visibility to lesser-known artists, raising awareness of the preservation of the region’s intangible heritage. THE FAFA – Festival of Almond Trees in Flor do Algarve had more than 10 thousand visitors in the 2024 edition and boosted the local economy, with direct effects on cafes, restaurants and local accommodation. The biggest impact, however, is on the local community, with the fight against isolation and desertification in the interior. The appreciation of the almond tree and its historical symbolism gives the festival a unique identity, immortalized in the “Legend of the Almond Trees in Bloom”.

HALF SCHOOL
The project is distinguished by a holistic and inclusive approach, which goes beyond the technical training of refugees and immigrants, by strengthening support networks and reducing situations of exclusion, with a strong focus on reinforcing self-esteem, autonomy and cultural integration, paying special attention to migrant women, often in situations of greater vulnerability. With the aim of responding to the lack of skilled labor in local businesses, the project includes a six-month program with technical-practical training at a hotel school and a practical component in the living room and kitchen at the Mezze restaurant, in Lisbon, and other partner restaurants. It includes modules in Portuguese, financial literacy, labor law and personal development and, at the end of the training, the association provides the bridge to send internships, many of which become contracts. The Mezze restaurant also functions as a showcase for the project, with an open kitchen and shared menus that allow visitors to learn about the initiative and contact the trainees. By empowering migrants to lead a more autonomous and dignified life, the project Half School achieves a profound human impact, contributes to employability, benefits the restaurant sector with better prepared professionals, increases diversity and brings communities together.

CHEESE MAKERS
O Cheese Projectpromoted by the Rede de Aldeias de Montanha, gives voice and protagonism to 44 women from Serra da Estrela and Gardunha who preserve the art of producing Serra da Estrela Cheese. The initiative makes available to visitors a network of 30 cheese shops open to tastings and immersive visits that allow them to learn not only about the artisanal process of DOP cheese, but also the life stories of these women. The project stands out for placing producers at the center of the experience, giving them visibility at fairs, press and events, and for promoting training programs that strengthen personal and entrepreneurial skills, allowing the transition from artisanal paper to a more qualified positioning in the market. The project has a direct impact on female empowerment and territorial cohesion, by creating income opportunities in low-density territories, combating depopulation, preserving traditional practices and transforming these women’s talent into a driver of social and tourist development. Innovative products such as the book and the Cheese Cover in burel finance the training and training of participants, involving the community through direct support.

SPIRA LAB
The project Spira Lab was born from Rota do Fresco, an initiative that promotes guided visits to churches and monuments with frescoes in Alentejo, and gained its own space in 2023 at Mercearia Spira LAB, a century-old space in Alvito, district of Beja, the second municipality with the least population in mainland Portugal. It functions as a space for creation, experimentation and sharing of knowledge linked to cultural heritage, with the promotion of traditional arts and crafts workshops, cultural tours, holiday camps and conservation projects in an open construction site. The annual program uses artisan services, restaurants and local accommodation, generating income in the village. The shepherd leads walks with the flock, the cooks teach recipes and the master craftsman collects the raw materials in communion with the participants. The project also promotes free Taipa workshops, which train residents, second-hand markets, Portuguese classes and school competitions that reinforce cohesion and participation. This is a community tourism model that puts heritage at the service of the local economy and the transmission of knowledge. The experiences are designed with protagonists from the territory and fairly remunerate those who conduct them.