The head of state made his statement following a visit to the Torre de Belém, in Lisbon, during which he was accompanied by the Minister of Culture, Graça Fonseca.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa asked the Portuguese to “do what many people don’t do on a daily basis, which is to know what is fundamental in Portugal’s heritage”, noting: “Foreigners visit, they know, and we suddenly realise that we haven’t known or visited these sites for many years, many, many years, which is unforgivable”.
“It’s not just a question of travelling around Portugal in June, July, August and September, stay in Portugal and plan your holidays in Portugal, but take the opportunity to do cultural tourism, with children and young people”, he added.
The President of the Republic reinforced the invitation to the Portuguese to “return to what were visits from the past and, in some way, rediscover the charm” of Portugal, “also in the cultural heritage of the country, which is very rich”.
Meanwhile, for those who are unable to visit Portugal in person this year there have been a number of initiatives launched across the country to bring Portugal into the homes of potential tourists from across the globe.
Turismo do Algarve have organised a virtual tour of the Algarve region (www.algarvepromotion.pt) simulating a five-day stay with participants having access to a programme of activities that will guide them through a set of diverse experiences on offer, from Aljezur to Alcoutim.
This new tool presents visitors with an intense programme of activities that will allow them, each day, to discover a specific area of the Algarve.
“The objective of this initiative is to continue to nurture the proximity and interest that the sector’s agents and international media maintain for the Algarve and, in a way, by sharpening their desire to experience everything that they already know virtually, in the near future”, explains João Fernandes, president of Turismo do Algarve. “As we do when we receive professionals in the region, we try to focus the visit on authentic experiences, where there is an opportunity to meet and interact with local life, and valuing the sustainability component, which is increasingly present in tourism in this region.”