The Algarve has been nominated for Best European Beach Destination in the 2016 World Travel Awards, known as the tourism Oscars.
The category was created in 2007, since which the Algarve has won the top spot three times and the regional tourist board hopes that a fourth win will help secure the Algarve as the holidaymaker-s choice.
Voting is open to the travel trade and to the public until July 17th. The Algarve of course faces competition from some of the most famous European holiday destinations such as Cannes, Corfu, Greece, Majorca and Marbella, Oludeniz and Sardinia all of which are vying for Best Beach Destination in Europe.
"The Algarve is known as one of the best beach destinations in Europe, our bathing waters every year are awarded Blue Flag status and the nominations for the World Travel Awards are another reason for the Portuguese and foreign tourists choose the Algarve for their vacation," says the president of the tourist board, Desidério Silva.
The areas without Blue Flag status, such as the Ria Formosa lagoon area which suffers from direct sewage outflows, along with overflows from the inadequate waste water treatment plant between Faro and Olhão, are thankfully few but top areas such as the Golden Triangle still rely on inadequate sewage disposal systems with outflow pipes heading out to sea representing an environmentally damaging solution to an age old problem.
One beach that has Blue Flag status, which was removed in disgust by the awarding body, is Dona Ana, Lagos where work commissioned by the Ministry of the Destruction of the Environment finished last July.
Contractors scraped away the natural cliffs in the name of 'health and safety,' build an artificial sea wall and dumped 140,000m3 of sand from the seabed to make an artificial beach, much of which was washed away in a subsequent storm.
Awarding body Quercus considered that the works carried out compromised the environmental and landscape balance that underlies the award of Gold status.
In the ‘best hotels and resorts in Europe’ category, the Algarve’s hotels already have gained international recognition by winning 44 nominations in 25 categories, including the Best Hotel, Best Luxury Hotel, Best Resort, Best Luxury Resort and Best Beach Resort, among others.
Created in 1993 to stimulate competitiveness and quality of tourism, the most prestigious travel industry and tourism awards celebrate their 23rd year.
The results will be announced on August 27th, at an event in Turkey where tourists have been avoiding for Spain and Portugal with bookings up by over 30%.
More information and how to vote, at
http://www.worldtravelawards.com/nominees/2016/portugal
