Turismo Centro de Portugal and CCDR formalized European support for tourism promotion in the region: Gazeta Rural

Turismo Centro de Portugal (TCP) and the Central Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDRC) held a joint session, in Coimbra, to formalize the support of European funds for tourism promotion in the region, under the new community framework. The Term of Acceptance of the Application “Tourist Promotion and Sustainability of the Central Region 2023-2025”, submitted by TCP within the scope of the Central Regional Program (Center 2030), was ratified during the event.

The document was signed at the CCDR headquarters, in the presence of Raul Almeida, president of TCP, Isabel Damasceno, president of CCDRC, and Purificação Reis, president of ACISO – Associação Empresarial Ourém-Fátima, which is also a partner in the candidacy. Also present were Anabela Freitas and Jorge Sampaio, on behalf of the TCP Executive Committee, Jorge Brandão and Luís Filipe, executive members of the Center’s regional program, as well as directors of the TCP Strategy and Promotion Department, namely Adriana Rodrigues, Sílvia Ribau and Carlos de Figueiredo.

The action plan contemplated by the application aims to reinforce the notoriety of the Central region of Portugal and its economic dynamism, through the dissemination and commercialization of its tourist offer. This effort will contribute to solidifying the region as a sustainable and excellent tourist destination. The first investment phase of this operation, for the period 2023-2025, is worth three million euros.

Raul Almeida highlighted the relevance of this moment. “European support for this candidacy is very important not only for Turismo Centro de Portugal, but also for the entire territory and for tourist activity in the region. This strategy is the result of long meetings with partners across the region, including Intermunicipal Communities, Proveres and other stakeholders who play an essential role in promoting regional tourism. The collaboration and articulation between everyone was fundamental for us to achieve this result”, he highlighted.

Isabel DamI rise highlighted the close collaboration between CCDR and TCP. “We have been working with the Regional Tourism Entity in a coordinated way, with a strategy designed together, so that support in the area of ​​tourism is not isolated, but thought of in an integrated way. This is the correct way to work. Tourism has great potential in the region, as the numbers indicate. We must continue to invest in this sector and Turismo Centro de Portugal is the right entity to do this work. Support in the area of ​​tourism has borne fruit and achieved results. That’s what European funds are for”, he considered.

Application is based on five programs

At the time of signing, Turismo Centro de Portugal presented the structural pillars that are foreseen in this application. The operation is based on the execution of five programs, which complement each other.

Program 1 has as its objective “Campaigns and activation of the brand and destination” and aims to consolidate and reinforce the promotion of the Turismo Centro de Portugal brand, as well as its tourist resources and products. Program 2, called “Transversal promotion and communication instruments (online and offline)”, integrates a set of actions that ensure the creation, production and implementation of communication instruments that maintain and reinforce the permanent, innovative and effective presence of promoting the destination Centro de Portugal in different contexts and communication platforms.

Program 3 is based on the “Sustainable Tourism Observatory of the Central Region” and is based on monitoring regional and sub-regional tourist activity, contributing to a better integrated knowledge of the sector and its value chain. Program 4 is aimed at “Tools for promotion and communication by tourist product”, structuring and dynamizing tourist products in a logic of scale, integration and cohesion of the territory and allowing to take advantage of and enhance the concrete specificities and differentiators of the region, based on the products supra-municipal.

Finally, Program 5 targets “Religious Tourism”. With the aim of reinforcing the development of Spiritual and Religious Tourism in the region, the program is implemented through a partnership with ACISO – Associação Empresarial Ourém-Fátima and has as its specific objective the tourist products Fátima, Camino de Santiago and Jewish Heritage.