TTR Portugal Roadshow Dazzles in the Heart of Waterford

The Travel Trade Representation Destination Roadshow in association with Visit Portugal – TTR Portugal Roadshow – took place last night in the stunning location of Waterford’s Treasure Museum.

The evening began with drinks and canapés in the beautiful 14th century wine vault that was used to store wine in the city centre and used as storage for imports and exports coming into Waterford.

Guests were served a range of Portuguese delicacies with a selection of wine, beer and soft drinks. Trade enjoyed dishes like lamb slow corked in port wine, cous cous with a mushroom broth and brandade-an emulsion crafted from salt cod, olive oil, and mashed potatoes. The menu also featured bacalhau:  the Portuguese word for dried and salted cod. It’s a staple in Portuguese cuisine, known for its versatility and numerous traditional dishes. Bacalhau is so integral to Portuguese culture that there are said to be 365 different ways to prepare it, one for each day of the year. Lisboa was also in attendance, serving pastels de natas from their Andrew St pastelaria which they kindly brought to Waterford!

Guests then proceeded to the main hall to hear from speakers Carlos Pinto de Oliveira, Director of Visit Portugal Ireland, Alexandra Ramos from Visit Algarve, Fernando Pires from Visit Alentejo and Martim Noronha from Visit Madeira!

There, travel agents and tour operators heard about the exciting opportunities that travellers have with routes to different regions of Portugal. Flights to the country now depart and return from Dublin, Cork, Kerry and the most recently announced Ryanair route from Shannon, alongside their service from Knock airport to Faro. Alongside TAP Portugals flights to and from the country, connecting Ireland to the Azores and Madeira. This airline is also Europe’s most connected airline to Brazil, with almost 100 flights per week to 13 Brazilian cities.

Guests heard about the beautiful opportunities for travellers beyond the sun and beach holidays that Portugal’s southern Algarve is famous for. Alexandra Ramos tells agents about the outdoor activities like scuba diving to see two stunning art installations underwater, riding horses along the beach, golf opportunities and exploring the beautiful towns in the region. Of course, the vast beaches continue to draw thousands- with the changing coast that contains long stretching beaches to secretive spots!

Fernando Pires tells agents about the various regions of the Alentejo and what they’re known for- each with its own unique and exciting opportunity for visitors. The area is named for its location: ‘beyond (além) the Tagus river” (Tejo). To the north, the pastures of the marshlands; in the vast interior, unending flatness, and fields of wheat waving in the wind; at the coast, wild, beautiful beaches waiting to be discovered alongside a plethora of golf resorts, with new courses in development.
Must sees include cities like Elvas and Évora, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO with the flatness of the region perfect for cycling and hiking.

Martim Noronha expands our knowledge on Madeira, explaining that the renowned tourist activities like the Funchal downhill basket ride still draw tourists every year but there is a lot more to see to the island! Agents enjoyed stunning photos of the Northern landscape of the island, we learned that, at 580 metres high, Cabo Girão is the highest promontory cliff in Europe. Alongside the fantastic hiking and scenic opportunities here, this mountainous region is also popular for paragliders and BASE jumping!


Afterwards, travel agents and tour operators enjoyed some speed networking getting to know more about what Portugal and their travel partners have to offer- from gorgeous hotels to transport, experiences for their customers and much much more!

The TTR Roadshow concludes today in Cork and the team are so excited to see you there!