TTR Portugal Roadshow Finishes Up with Memorable Night in Cork

The TTR Destination Roadshow in association with Visit Portugal concluded last night in another stunning location of St. Peter’s Visitor Centre in Cork city.

The evening began with drinks and canapés in the visitor centre built on the grounds of a 12^th century church, which houses a spacious and bright open floor plan.

The team of chefs, donned in traditional Portuguese hats, travelling with the roadshow that has visited Dublin and Waterford this week, served Portuguese staples for the Cork travel trade. The menu included creme frio de abóbora- cold pumpkin velvet with cottage cheese, almonds and basil chlorophyll, bacalhau confitado, ensopado de borrego- lamb stew (ensopado) with celery root, apple puree and picked green onions with a vegeterian option of cuscus from vinhais with wild mushrooms and baby spinach.  Lisboa was also in attendance, serving pastels de natas from their Andrew St pastelaria which they kindly brought to Waterford!

Carlos Pinto de Oliveira, Director of Visit Portugal Ireland, introduced the event alongside new President of the ITAA Tom Randles, who described the strong link between Portugal and Ireland tourism. Irish visitors were sixth in spend in Portugal last year, spending a whopping 1.89 billion in the country. Irish tourism is also 8^th in terms of national visits to Portugal, considering that Portugal has twice the Irish population this is a big feat for our smaller nation. Irish tourism is expanding outside of Lisbon and the Algarve, with Alentejo, the Azores and Northern Portugal becoming popular with travellers. This all demonstrates that the Irish consumer is interested in the historical villages, vast landscapes and unique experiences alongside sun and sand holidays. With the increase of flights between Cork and Portugal, amazing gastronomy for holidaymakers from families to groups, now is the perfect time for travel trade to get excited about Portugal as an ever-evolving destination. Speaking about the ITAA conference this year that will take places from the 1^st to the 5^th of October in Centro Portugal, Randles commended Carlos and the Visit Portugal team for being strong partners with the Irish Travel Agents Association. He also noted that there is a full day’s itinerary planned for the Wednesday for early arrivals making this year’s conference jam-packed with opportunity. 

Alexandra Ramos from Visit Algarve took the stage next, as tour operators and travel agents heard about the evolving opportunities for holidaymakers in this popular region beyond the sea and sand. Alexandra Ramos tells agents about the outdoor activities like scuba diving to explore two stunning art installations underwater, paragliding along the beach and of course- the popular golf opportunities with 44 courses available across the region- 34 of these have 18 holes and are considered world-class destinations for golf tourism. There are also fantastic wellbeing and nature holidays- combining retreats with hiking and cycling routes. The 7 Hanging Valleys Trail in Lagoa continues to be popular with tourists and is described as the Algarve’s most popular Instagrammable spot! This, combined with the glorious seafood restaurants along the coast continues to make the Algarve a most-desired destination.

Fernando Pires from Visit Alentejo described his region in detail- from the olive oil production, to the golf resorts along the coast, UNESCO World Heritage sites- Elvas and Évora, and the many opportunities for cycling and hiking in the region. The area is known for its ability to transform tourists’ expectations of Portuguese travel- from the rugged landscape along the coast that hosts a range of beautiful beaches to the flatlands of agriculture, perfect for activity and outdoor holidaymakers. The promotional video played for the region includes such quotes as “the secret garden of Portugal” and the “most beautiful coastline in Europe” while the New York Times has marked its unparalleled beauty and authenticty as reasons to visit. “Let me tell you a secret,” ends the video, “we call it Alentejo”.  

Martim Noronha from Visit Madeira, expanded tour operator and travel agents knowledge on the beautiful island that lies almost equal distance on the Atlantic between Europe and Africa. Although the capital of Funchal continues to entice customers every year with its stunning mountaneous views and exciting acitivites like the downhill basket ride- there is still much to see on 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. Noronha also explained the different types of accommodation available- from all inclusive five-star resorts, to townhouses in villages and towns to secretive retreats in the mountains. 

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! Suppliers at the event included Promenade a DMC operating in Spain and Portugal which provides high-quality standards on the ground for groups and tour operators. Abreu- Portuguese travel company operating since 1840, known for its expertise in selecting the best partners to make world class holidays. Hotel groups Turim Hotels, the Intercontinental, HF Hotels, Infante Sagres and Discovery Hotel Management where also in attendance alongside many others! 

After speed networking guests were invited to try more Portuguese delicacies including sardinha sobre tosta de centeio- sardines on rye toast with cherry tomatoes confit, tapenade, olive oil powder and seaweed alongside filete de cavala- mackrel fillet with thyme oil, mayonanaise, ciabatta toast and caramelized onion with fennel salad. Portuguese beer- Super Bock- alongside a red Mariana from Vinho Regional Alentejano and a white Segredos de Sao Miguel wines were also enjoyed. 

Then, guests were invited to take part in a gin-making competition, with first prize going to Aoife of Barter’s Travelnet- who has excitingly won a place at the ITAA conference in October. Then, travel trade watched as chefs gave a cooking demonstration on the aforementioned Portuguese delicacies which were enjoyed throughout. Safe to say, travel trade returned home with full bellies and most likely dreamed of the beautiful Portuguese landscape unravelling in their minds from the event.

We’re looking forward to bringing you more Portuguese coverage of upcoming TTR and Travel Media events alongside the ITAA conference in October!