Speaking at the presentation of the joint cross-border tourism promotion strategy, which brings together the regions of Centro and Alentejo and Spanish Extremadura, presented at the Lisbon Tourism Exchange (BTL), Anabela Freitas defended the joint work of these countries.

“We have to work together to position ourselves as the largest tourism platform in the world,” said the official.

In the same session, Jesús Vinuales, Director of Tourism for Extremadura, praised the partnership “the result of good relations” between the three regions, arguing that Portugal is “the differentiating factor” in tourism in that Spanish region, as it allows visitors to get to know two countries.

“Two countries that once turned their backs on each other are now shaking hands,” he noted.

José Santos, president of Turismo do Alentejo, said that the cross-border partnership is an “opportunity to transform a territorial product into a commercial product”.

“We need to transform this potential into an effective sales force,” claimed José Santos, adding that cooperation between the three entities “is an opportunity” to make the territory more competitive “at times of the year when there is less demand.”

According to information provided to the Lusa agency by Turismo Centro de Portugal (TCP), the joint initiatives planned for this year within the scope of the partnership include a series of promotional actions, which will take place in June, in Madrid and Lisbon, with the media and which will have a promotional information aspect for the general public.

In November, in Elvas, a business meeting is scheduled to bring together businesspeople and administrations from the tourism sector in Central Portugal, Alentejo and Extremadura.

“With this strategy, the traveller has the opportunity to get to know two different countries in a single destination. These are regions that have continuity of territory and cultures. Together, we can work and do much more for our people, our territories, our identity and culture”, TCP pointed out.

Regarding the tourism products that can be promoted together, the regional tourism entity pointed out natural spaces, such as national parks, biosphere reserves, geoparks, nature reserves, reservoirs and lakes, but also culture and traditions, UNESCO World Heritage sites, castles spread across the territory, historic or schist villages, gastronomy and wines.