TURISMO DE PORTUGAL AND VINIPORTUGAL JOIN FORCES IN PROMOTING PORTUGAL
Turismo de Portugal and ViniPortugal established today a partnership aiming to enhance the promotion and international marketing of the country as a wine tourist destination and wine producer country. 
The initiative was attended by the Secretary of State for tourism, Adolfo Mesquita Nunes, and the Secretary of State for Agriculture, José Diogo Albuquerque.The signing of the Protocol will lead to concerted action strategies and developing joint actions, under the brands Visit Portugal and Wines of Portugal, with reference to wine companies and tourism promotion and marketing initiatives.
It's still thought for the integration of Wines of Portugal in exhibitions and training initiatives for young people and professionals in the sector, as well as the structuring of national eno-touristic offer, identifying "Wine tourism centers of excellence".
João Cotrim de Figueiredo, President of Turismo de Portugal, stresses that "the gastronomy and wines is a strategic product for the tourism development of the country, particularly in the priority markets such as United Kingdom, France and the Netherlands"."The food and wine is one of the reasons for the choice of Portugal while leisure destination, with 88 percent of tourists to be very satisfied with their contact with experiences in this area. The high level of reception and hosting of the Portuguese, associated with good climate and good gastronomy and wines, make Portugal a destination of excellence, by which this Union of efforts contributes to the differentiation and qualification of national tourism offer, "adds João Cotrim Figueiredo.
Jorge Monteiro, President of ViniPortugal, states that "it matters that Portugal brand promotes brands associated with other products or sectors, that are looking for the same positioning, if leveraging each other, as is the present case. Moreover, being a cross-cutting activity tourism, which encompasses the gastronomy, more sense does this intersection. In particular we would like to see the wine tourism occupy in terms of economic value the place it deserves. Wins tourism and wins the Portuguese Wine. "
"We would also like to contribute to a strengthening of training about wines in the Horeca channel, because we feel that not always the quality of the wine service in the restoration, follows the quality of our wines. We see a very positive evolution, but there's still a lot of work to do, "sustains Jorge Monteiro.
Taste Portugal London 2014
Alongside this, Portugal tourism partnership will implement the Taste Portugal program, in London, with the aim of affirming Portugal as a gastronomic destination country, sustained in genuine products of great quality and at professionals who, each day, reinvent our cuisine and our wines.
For this year there will be various initiatives with Portuguese leaders, notably dinners for disseminating and promoting Portuguese cuisine targeting tourists and opinion leaders in this market. The project counts with the participation of Luís Baena and Nuno Mendes, Portuguese recognized leading Chefs, with two restaurants in London.
