The Algarve Tourism Region (RTA) is participating in the 2nd edition of the national «Discovering Industrial Tourism» agenda. Between April 10 and 16, the project will showcase activities associated with Portugal’s living industry and industrial heritage, featuring more than 170 original experiences from the Algarve to the North of the country and the Azores.
In the Algarve, the “Discovering Industrial Tourism” agenda promotes 19 activities organised by 14 regional partners and runs through a differentiating tourist offer, punctuated by guided tours, tastings and exhibitions linked to the agri-food, cork and extractive sectors.
Guided tours of cork or fish canning factories are scheduled, as well as visits to wineries, cellars and wine tastings; visits to olive groves, mills and olive oil tastings; visits to traditional salt pans or mining tours in the galleries of a rock salt mine; and a guided tour of the Portimão Museum and exhibitions on the canning industry and lithographic arts.
“The dissemination of the region’s know-how contributes to creating a more diversified and sustainable offer, responding to new trends in demand”, says the organisation.
“The Algarve has significant potential in this segment, namely in traditional activities such as the harvest and processing of cork, the production of canned fish, arbutus, sausages or salt, the production of citrus fruit, especially oranges, and the production of building materials such as tiles, bricks or terracotta pavements”.
In addition to enriching the tourist experience of those who visit the region, these activities also contribute to the sustainability of local producers. The RTA is currently working on identifying and characterising the offer, promoting it, and training its agents.
So far, out of an identified potential universe of about 60 resources, 21 already offer industrial tourism visits.
The complete programme can be found here.