Already named Europe’s best beach destination, the Algarve has now received an even greater distinction at this year’s World Travel Awards. The popular southern Portuguese tourist region was honoured as the “World’s Leading Beach Destination 2020” during a ceremony streamed online from Moscow.
Following up his comments after the Algarve had earlier been named “Leading Beach Destination in Europe 2020” for a seventh time, Algarve Tourism president João Fernandes said, “The award means a lot to us, especially after such a difficult year. To win the trust and recognition of travellers from around the world is very rewarding. We have worked hard on implanting new health and safety protocols to make visitors feel safe this year.
“In the Algarve we are blessed with a great diversity of beautiful beaches – from expansive stretches of sand on deserted islands to small coves surrounded by cliffs. We are proud to have 87 blue flag beaches, and our excellent facilities such as beach cafés, restaurants, help points, life guards and water sports operators all contribute to a great beach experience.
“Whilst many visitors come to the Algarve for the beaches, they are also able to enjoy our many golf courses, nature parks, cultural and historical sites, and incredible seafood.”
Portugal received three other main awards: Madeira was voted the “World’s Leading Island Destination” and Lisbon was named the “World’s Leading City Break Destination”.
Announcing the winners, World Travel Awards founder Graham E. Cooke said, “Despite the incredible challenges faced by our industry over the course of 2020, I am pleased to report that this year’s World Travel Awards programme saw record voting numbers from the all-important tourism consumer. This shows that the hunger for travel and tourism has never been as keen, offering fortitude and encouragement to us all.
“Our world winners represent the best in global travel and tourism, and my congratulations to each of them. They have all demonstrated remarkable resilience in a year of unprecedented challenges.”
WTA was established in 1993 “to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry. Today, the WTA brand is recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire.”