< PreviousALGARVE: AFFIRMING THE REGION AS A LEADING DESTINATION WEDDING Turismo do Algarve says that more and more foreign brides and grooms are choosing the Algarve as their wedding destination. Recognizing the enormous potential of weddings and other wedding-related celebrations for the region’s tourism, Turismo do Algarve has made a strategic commitment to this segment. An example of this is the hosting of the “Portugal in Love” event, an international forum exclusively dedicated to the wedding segment, which made its debut in the Algarve on November. The aim of this investment is to promote the region’s offer in order to attract the interest of brides and grooms from all over the world and to reinforce the Algarve’s position as a destination wedding. “We want to take advantage of the fact that the Algarve has all the necessary attractions for those looking for a dream wedding location,” says André Gomes, president of Turismo do Algarve, adding: “Weddings are an excellent promotional opportunity for the destination, as they allow us to show all the guests, in an organic way, the diversity of experiences that the destination has to offer those who visit it. As a rule, these types of celebrations correspond to a stay of a few days, giving participants a very complete overview of the region.” The Algarve’s mild climate encourages regular demand for the destination throughout the year, not only for weddings, but also for other celebrations related to this theme, such as honeymoons, renewing vows or celebrating 25 or 50 years of marriage. This segment can thus also contribute to alleviating seasonality in spring and fall. In addition to the climate, the beaches, the diversity of venues and scenery of great natural beauty, the richness of the offer, the hospitality, the experience and the professionalism of the services provided are some of the main arguments that have been winning over couples in the most diverse markets. According to the Algarve Tourism Association, the Irish and British are the most likely to choose the region to get married; France and the United States are among the markets showing the most signs of growth. Other differentiating elements that contribute to the Algarve’s status as a destination wedding of reference include value for money, good air connections, ease of completing the necessary legal formalities, the region’s multicultural environment and the legality of same-sex marriages. © Anantara Vilamoura 10 WWW.EVENTPOINTINTERNATIONAL.COM NEWS FORUM D’IDEIAS AWARDED BY THE EU FOR INVESTING IN SUSTAINABILITY Forum d’Ideias was awarded the Travelife Partner level award financed by the European Union (EU) within the scope of the Sustour project, which aims to promote sustainability in the European tour operator sector through a business approach. The creative agency, specialised in organising corporate events, meets more than 100 criteria related to the operational management of the office, service portfolio, commercial partners and customer information. Travelife Partner level standards encompass ISO 26000 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) themes, including environment, biodiversity, human rights and labour relations. The award recognises Forum d’Ideias’ long-term efforts with regard to sustainability and CSR. The Sustour project supports more than 600 small and medium-sized companies from 35 European countries to improve their sustainability performance through training, coaching and peer learning opportunities. DISTINCTION CAN INSPIRE OTHER COMPANIES According to a press release sent by Forum d’Ideias, Naut Kusters, head of Travelife for Tour Operators, says he is “very pleased to see that sustainability in the tour operator sector is gaining momentum”. “The Forum d’Ideias partner award will inspire other companies in Europe to follow the same path”, he highlights. For Marjolaine Diogo da Silva, managing partner of Forum d’Ideias, “obtaining the Travelife Partner award is a notable milestone” that reflects “the genuine commitment to sustainability, responsible business practices and the promotion of positive changes in the events industry”. Marjolaine Diogo da Silva WWW.EVENTPOINTINTERNATIONAL.COM 11 SUSTAINABILITY BUSINESS EVENTS BRING BENEFITS TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES 12 WWW.EVENTPOINTINTERNATIONAL.COM EVENT IT&CM ASIA: REFLECTING ON THE IMPACT OF EVENTS ON COMMUNITIES The impact that events can have on communities was one of the main topics discussed at IT&CM Asia, which took place in Bangkok from 26 to 28 September. Supanich Thiansing stressed that the positive impact of business events can be long-lasting on several levels, defending the importance of partnerships and adding that TCEB helps event organisers to integrate into local communities, whose potential can be exploited. In the context of the opening conference, dedicated to the impact of business events on communities, Supanich Thiansing, director of the Meetings and Incentives department at the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), argued that business events bring benefits to local communities, not only in economic terms, but also in social and environmental terms. If, on the one hand, events can leave their mark and contribute to the development of a community, on the other, they can help create a memorable event. “Communities can offer the local experience to the business event itself and can also be part of the service provision, supplying a local product to the event organiser,” said Supanich Thiansing, speaking to Event Point, noting that this can generate economic benefits for the community. This was the idea put forward by Supanich Thiansing in the panel ‘Getting deeper with community connections’, which followed the opening speech and was also attended by Sumate Sudasna. According to the TICA president, there are many event organisers who don’t know about the opportunities available in different communities and it’s important for the sector to become aware of the benefits. Despite the challenges in reaching less explored destinations, there are ways to impact the local community in the long term, also through the promotion of knowledge and training.From the strong return of cruises to sustainability The topic was also addressed at the second ASEAN MICE Forum, dedicated to the theme ‘Paving the way for embracing sustainability and empowering community’, where the way communities can be part of the event programme was explored: integrating gastronomy, handicrafts and other local products is one way of supporting them. But there’s more. The panel argues that communities are ready to help the events industry, not only in terms of products, but also through activities. But they have to understand what the industry is looking for... In the case of communities that do not have the structures to host an event, there is a way to support: taking their experiences and products to the event, integrating them into the program. In this edition, IT&CM Asia addressed other topics such as the decarbonization of the MICE industry, the strong return of the cruise segment and how it can welcome the industry; the past, present and future of tourism; how, by embracing creativity, associations can unlock their full potential; between others. More than 1,700 delegates gathered in Bangkok IT&CM Asia 2023, which took place together with CTW Asia-Pacific, was attended by more than 1,700 delegates, including 400 buyers from 51 countries and territories, from the MICE (70%), associative areas (15%) and corporate (15%). The two events featured 595 exhibitors from 23 countries and territories, with a total of 241 stands, and 733 speakers, visitors, and guests. More than 5,900 pre-scheduled meetings were held, and it is estimated that the business will generate more than 155 million dollars. There were several destinations that showed their added value at IT&CM Asia. Thailand, Philippines, Hong Kong, Macau, Seoul, Taiwan, South Korea, Indonesia were some of the destinations that invested in large stands, bringing together agencies, companies, hotels, among other organisations. IT&CM Asia and CTW Asia-Pacific return to Bangkok from September 24 to 26, 2024. Maria João Leite *The journalist travelled at the invitation of IT&CM Asia 2023 WWW.EVENTPOINTINTERNATIONAL.COM 14 EVENT “LOVE AND PASSION FOR WHAT YOU DO” WWW.EVENTPOINTINTERNATIONAL.COM 16 OPINION PORTUGAL AND CULTURAL TOURISM: A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS Over the last 10 years, Portugal has seen constant growth in international arrivals. After the interruption forced by the pandemic, 2022 was an excellent year which, according to Turismo de Portugal (Portuguese Tourism Office), was very close to reaching the records of 2019. And the future looks promising. What is the recipe for success for the EU’s westernmost country? When I think about it, there are four ingredients that come to mind after a few years working with Portuguese partners. Firstly, the diversity of products. As a relatively small country, Portugal’s heritage is vast and significant. The monuments and palaces of Sintra, now visited by millions of people, are a good example of the vast heritage the country has to offer, as are smaller places like the Tile Museum in Lisbon, where visitors can find one of the rare images of the city before the earthquake. But Portuguese cultural tourism goes beyond what we might call the purely cultural scene, mainly related to history and the arts. In a more anthropological definition of culture, wine tourism is a motivation for many visitors who choose Portugal, especially in the north and the Douro Valley region. In addition, Madeira, the Alentejo or the Algarve are great examples of how these broader dimensions of culture are great assets for Portugal. The country has a diverse and competitive range of cultural tourism products that can rival Mediterranean giants such as Italy or Greece. Secondly, uniqueness. Over the years, I’ve learnt that the Portuguese are a proud people. And they are especially proud of their culture. Fado is a good example of this. Unlike Spain, for example, where flamenco (declared Intangible World Heritage by UNESCO, just like fado) is often seen as something of a tourist attraction, fado is highly valued by the Portuguese. Organisers of fado shows are aware that their product has to be genuine, which ends up creating exceptional experiences for foreign visitors. In Lisbon, examples such as Mesa de Frades or the Associação do Fado Casto offer mesmerising experiences that enchant locals and tourists alike. Thirdly, affordability. Money is an important factor when travelling. Even though prices have risen in recent years, Portugal remains an affordable country compared to other EU destinations. Affordability plays a vital role in the perception of value, and this is extremely important for word-of-mouth recommendation, which remains a very effective promotional tool. And fourthly, quality - which in Portugal is not compromised by affordability. Some of our Portuguese suppliers are among the most meticulous we have on our platform. In general, the passion that the Portuguese put into the experiences they offer is very sincere: every meal, every fado concert or every exhibition is carefully thought out with a generous dose of love for the local culture. So we have two extra ingredients that are equally important: love and passion for what you do. With the right dose of each, it’s no wonder that Portugal has won top positions in world rankings in recent years, as was the case with last year’s Remarkable Venue Awards, where 4 of the 7 winners worldwide were Portuguese. Jaume Vidal Tiqets Regional Director to Portugal and SpainPROFESSIONALISM AND DEDICATION © Bruno Seabra JMJ 2023 WWW.EVENTPOINTINTERNATIONAL.COM 18 FOCUS ON WORLD YOUTH DAY: A HUGE SHOWCASE FOR PORTUGAL World Youth Day (WYD) was a huge showcase for Lisbon, which proved to be up to the task of organising the biggest event ever held in Portugal. The acronym WYD will live on in the memory as a moment of extraordinary mobilisation and organisational capacity demonstrated to the world, with Pope Francis saying that “this was the best prepared I’ve seen,” on board the papal plane that took him back to Rome. With a great deal of professionalism, with the enormous dedication of many volunteers and with the ability to concert efforts and share responsibilities between the Church, civil society and public authorities (government and local councils), WYD was essentially a success. An excellent example of this spirit of collective involvement and solidarity was also seen in the organisation of the pre-days, which attracted tens of thousands of pilgrims to dioceses across the country. As far as the return on investment is concerned, I’ll leave the numbers aside and emphasise the human and spiritual dimension experienced which, for obvious reasons, is impossible to quantify. Portugal demonstrated its ability to host an event of this magnitude, leaving an image of preparation and organisation. © Bruno Seabra JMJ 2023 Next >