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Government wants to double the number of five-star hotels in the Algarve
• 31 May 2007 •
 PORTUGAL’S Economy Minister Manuel Pinho has visited the Algarve to attend the public presentation of the first hotel resort in Portugal to bear the Hilton International flag.
The five-star Hilton Vilamoura As Cascatas Resort and Spa is scheduled to open on July 1. During the presentation, the minister reaffirmed the government’s intention to support “top quality” projects which will double the number of five-star hotels in the Algarve over the next five years.
Manuel Pinho added that within the next three months, building works for another five luxury five-star hotels are scheduled to start in the region. The Algarve Tourism Board President, Hélder Martins, said that there are currently at least 10 five-star hotels in the Algarve, meaning that if this number were to be doubled over the next five years, there would be more than 20 luxury hotels in the region.
The Economy Minister added that the Algarve still has a great potential for the development of new luxury tourist resorts, but he stressed that the government will be paying especially close attention to the respect for strict environmental rules and land regulation.
Manuel Pinho also stressed that new investments must be made on the training of tourism industry staff, adding that the region must be prepared to cope with the increase in the demand of a highly skilled tourism workforce, which is vital to ensure the top quality required by the new luxury hotels.
The Hilton Vilamoura As Cascatas Resort and Spa is part of a series of investments in the tourism industry, worth 500 million euros, announced by Imocom, a Portuguese real estate promoter. Imocom and Hilton International have signed a 20-year contract for the management of the resort, a complex including a five-star hotel, a spa and residential buildings.
Theo Kreutzer, Hilton International Vice President Mediterranean, commented: "The agreement with Imocom represents a great opportunity for us to gain a foothold through a great complex in one of the most important leisure destinations in Europe: Vilamoura in Algarve. We are delighted that the Hilton flag will soon be seen flying for the first time in Portugal. Through this project, we look forward to extending our hotel portfolio with a top quality Spa and Hotel Resort offering our customers for their leisure and incentive stay the opportunity to enjoy the Hilton well-known quality of services and products in an important country such as Portugal."
Alejandro Martins, president of the Imocom Group, added: "At a time when we are developing our business and asserting our presence in the tourism sector, we could not have found a better partner than the prestigious Hilton Group. We are sure that this will be one of the most emblematic tourism developments in the Algarve, exactly the kind of top range offer which Portugal must provide. This is the first internationally branded hotel in the Algarve since 1991." |  Return to Top
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