This is one of the projects presented by the president of RTA, João Fernandes, at the Lisbon Tourism Exchange (BTL), which seeks to take advantage of the region's past and history in the period of the Discoveries to expand the tourist offer and reduce seasonality in region.

João Fernandes also highlighted the Exhibition Center of the Fortress of Sagres, in the municipality of Vila do Bispo, alluding to the Discoveries and the Portuguese Expansion, which invokes the past and the contribution of Infante Dom Henrique to this goal.

“When opening the Sagres interpretive centre, the Prime Minister himself mentioned how this is an important element for the diversification of the offer and this is one of the mottos of our strategy, which is to generate new reasons for visiting, enriching the visit of those who visit us”, said João Fernandes.

The president of the RTA also said that the project will “transform the Caravela Boa Esperança into an interpretive center on the Portuguese Discoveries, seeking to create another point of attraction for those who visit and live in the Algarve”.

“The 16th century caravel, which is a replica that we have and which has already sailed several times around the world, will now be available for visits”, explained the president of Turismo do Algarve.

The official also added that, with this project, a vessel that was built in Vila do Conde, in wood, by specialists who reproduced the techniques of shipbuilding from the 15th century, and which was launched for the first time, will also be rehabilitated.

Visitors will have the “opportunity to understand what it was like to live aboard a caravel and on which seas the caravel Boa Esperança sailed, in particular”, explained João Fernandes.

The RTA president also noted that, after today's presentation at BTL, which takes place at the Lisbon International Fair until Sunday, the Caravela Boa Esperança interpretive centre will be "inaugurated on the 21st, where the vessel is, at Marina de Lagos”, district of Faro.