The fact that the Algarve has all the advantages you’d expect from one of Europe’s leading conference and incentive destinations will surprise nobody. Easy access from an increasing number of airports across the continent; fantastic weather, especially in the key conference seasons; top quality hotels, excellent meeting venues, and a wide range of activities and incentive ideas, all with professional support services at exceptional value for money: these are par for the course.
But it’s the unusual that makes the Algarve really special. And the many ways there are to see, hear, smell, taste and touch the Algarve are what makes it an outstanding destination.
Come to your senses
From endless beaches to the stunning interior, from Moorish castles to modern marinas, and from local culture to international sporting tournaments, there is always something new and exciting to see. Regular annual events offer the chance to see the world’s top golfers and tennis players in action, thrill at the speed of car, motorcycle and powerboat racing, and watch the past come alive at medieval fairs, carnival parades and historic traditional festivals.
Music fills the air of the Algarve, with jazz and fado to classical, opera, pop and rock concerts scheduled all year round. The line-up of international artists who played in the Algarve last year ranged from Stewart Copeland, Chick Corea and the Buena Vista Social Club to Mariza, Joss Stone, Seal, Diana Krall and James Morrison; more big names are planned for 2010.
And with crisp mountain air, salty breezes from the Atlantic coast and the scent of orange blossom in spring, the air doesn’t get any fresher. Book a jeep safari, hire a yacht or powerboat, fly high in a hot-air balloon, try your hand at water-sports or devise a team-building exercise on land, sea or in the air, and experience the great outdoors in true Algarve style.
Tasting the Algarve is a simple and common pleasure. From traditional rustic fare to all types of international cuisine, from beach bars and country inns to gleaming golf clubhouses and gourmet restaurants, the food in the Algarve is a constant delight. The region offers more Michelin stars than the rest of Portugal put together, and the superb choice of food is perfectly complemented by the best of Portuguese wine, to be enjoyed accompanying a gala dinner, as a sundowner, or on a wine tasting or vineyard tour.
Touching the Algarve means feeling the sand between your toes, the sun on your back, and the wind in your hair. Luxuriate in a sensuous spa treatment, experience the adrenalin rush of a drive around the Formula One race track, or enjoy helicopter and light aircraft flying, catamaran sailing, and karting and quad biking.
Al fresco events
The Algarve has something to offer almost any event organiser. Tired of grey skies and events washed-out by the rain? With over 300 days of sunshine a year, the Algarve enjoys the perfect climate to complement its spectacular coastline, making it an ideal destination in which to plan outdoor activities of all kinds. Feeling land-locked? Events can be organised on the beach itself, or in one of the many seafront locations of the Algarve’s top hotels, trendy bars and ocean-view restaurants. And with over 200km of coastline, a hundred beaches and scores of bays, coves and inlets, there’s plenty of room for everybody.
Bored with the same old hotels? The Algarve has a wide range of accommodation suitable for conferences, incentives and special interest groups, from private villas and apartments to rural tourism complexes, spas and wellness centres, historic pousadas, chic boutique hotels, all-suite developments and luxury resorts, and from international brand names to a range of hotels operated by top Portuguese companies.
Looking for established events to which you can invite guests, or unique corporate hospitality options? The region hosts dozens of concerts, theatre shows and arts performances, as well as top international sporting events such as the Portugal Masters in golf and the Vale de Lobo Grand Champions tennis tournament. This year will also see an extension of the successful Allgarve Festival, which combines music and the arts with gastronomy and sport.
On the fairway
It’s impossible to talk about the Algarve without mentioning golf. It was one of the first things that put the Algarve on the international tourism map, and is the reason why many organisers continue to bring events to the Algarve. The region has more than 30 top-class courses, including some of the most celebrated names in the international game, and a corporate golf day or intra-company tournament is an ideal opportunity for rewarding staff or entertaining valued clients and suppliers. Some of the game’s superstars, including Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Nick Faldo and Seve Ballesteros, have all designed courses in the Algarve, and there are often famous faces, golfing and otherwise, out on the greens.
The Algarve also has more than its fair share of show business and non-golfing sporting glamour, and you could easily find yourself rubbing shoulders with celebrities from other walks of life – Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher head the list of Formula One racing drivers who have tried out the new Algarve Race Track, and the likes of Cliff Richard, Hugh Grant, Luis Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo are regular visitors to the region.
Today, with new airline routes serving cities such as Birmingham, Geneva, Milan and Madrid, new hotel openings from Crowne Plaza, Conrad and Six Senses, and new events and activities all planned for 2010, now is certainly the time to visit.
Elia Freitas, MICE Product Manager, Algarve Promotion Bureau; efreitas@atalgarve.pt;
www.algarveconvention.com
