Portugal’s Algarve Wins ‘Europe’s Leading Beach Destination’ For Fifth Consecutive Year At World Travel Awards

THE Algarve region of Portugal has been named ‘Europe’s Leading Beach Destination’ in the World Travel Awards 2023.

For the fifth consecutive year, the popular tourist region in the south of the country has won the prestigious award, which it has now collected on 10 occasions.

André Gomes, the President of the Algarve Tourism Region (RTA) and the Algarve Tourism Association (ATA) commented: ‘It is an honour to receive this distinction for the tenth time. We remain committed to making travellers aware of the natural beauty of the Algarve’.

He added: ‘As such, this award recognises the work of all professionals in the tourism sector in the region who, through their dedication and professionalism, contribute daily to making this the best beach destination in Europe’.

These awards are recognised as the most prestigious in travel

The distinction was announced on Friday, September 29, on the 30th occasion of what is considered the most prestigious awards ceremony in the tourism and travel industry.

To realise the importance of this award one only has to look at the quality of competition that the Algarve beat. Famous international beach resorts such as Marbella on Spain’s Costa del Sol, the Balearic Island of Mallorca, Cannes in the South of France, and Sardinia in Italy were all also on the list of finalists.

The Algarve has now won the award on 10 occasions

Taking into account the region’s impressive track record in winning this award – which happened previously in 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 – this international recognition gives the Algarve the possibility of consolidating its already undeniable status as a seaside paradise.

Beaches on the Algarve are notorious for their stunning beauty, with more than 200 km of coastline to choose from. The region comprises sheer rocky cliffs, hidden coves, and large sandy beaches cooed by the Atlantic breezes.

The climate in the south of Portugal makes it an all-year-round destination for tourists. There are always plenty of places to indulge in pleasant walks, with an abundance of facilities offering sailing trips. Beach lovers will also find perfect conditions for surfing and diving.

The awards were held this year in Georgia, on the Black Sea

This year’s World Travel Awards were held in the Black Sea resort and port city of Batumi, Georgia. The event was founded in 1993, with the awards presented annually by an international jury of hospitality experts and peers, mainly from the World Travel and Tourism Council.

Awards also went to the city of Porto, which won ‘Europe’s Leading City Break Destination 2023’, which was won in 2022 by another Portuguese city, the capital of Lisbon. However, not to be outdone, Lison landed the award for ‘Europe’s Leading City Destination 2023’.

The country of Portugal also walked away with the recognition of ‘Europe’s Leading Destination 2023’, while Lisbon was ‘Europe’s Leading Cruise Port 2023’.