The 31st annual World Travel Awards, celebrated in 2024, brings a new record to Portugal, elected at the top spot in 19 different categories. As the European categories go, Portugal stands out with 29 awards among locations, hotels and national airlines. A true statement to why the country is becoming a top destination for tourists from all over the world.
Considered the Oscars of the tourism industry, the World Travel Awards (WTA) is no stranger to Portugal. In previews years, the country has received many honours, including World’s Leading Beach Destination to the Algarve Region, an honour that has been renewed in this latest edition, beating locations as Cancun, in Mexico, Thailand, the Philippines and Seychelles.
The 2024 Grand Final Gala Ceremony took place in the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira, that was also among some of the awarded locations as the World's Leading Island Destination of the year. Lisbon, Braga, Porto and the Azores Archipelago were also featured among the winners.
The record-breaking number of awards Portugal received in this latest event is a true testament that the country is one of the best tourist destinations for travellers of all tastes that will find an award-winning destination in almost every region of its territory.
Madeira is the World's Leading Island Destination
Nominated for the 10th consecutive time, the Madeira Autonomous Region was, once again, elected as the World's Leading Island Destination, leaving behind other paradisiac islands such as Bali, Fiji, Hawaii, Maldives, Mauritius, Sardinia and 13 others.
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago located in the Atlantic Ocean close to the Moroccan coast on the African continent. The province includes the islands of Madeira, Porto Santo, the Desertas, and the Ilhas Selvagens, having as its capital the city of Funchal, located on the island of Madeira.
This year, the celebration was even more joyful as the final ceremony of the most important tourism award took place in the Savoy Palace, located at the heart of Funchal, that was also selected as the World's Leading Luxury Hotel in 2024.
Lisbon Wins Two Categories
Portugal capital’s, Lisbon, was also named a winner of this year’s Travel Awards as the World's Leading City Break Destination in 2024, regaining the top spot after holding it from 2017 to 2020. The city of Seven Hills finished the race in front of other renowned nominees such as Hong Kong, Las Vegas (U.S), Cape Town (South Africa), Tokyo (Japan), Sydney (Australia) and New York City (U.S.), among others. And if you want a good example of a perfect blend between big city amenities and old town charm Lisbon is the WTA’s answer, as the capital was also awarded World's Leading Heritage City Destination of the year.
Indeed, Lisbon is one of the most important European cultural and counter-culture centres. With a growing international community and a huge historical legacy, the city is a great spot for those looking to live in a vibrant environment.
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Porto is the World's Leading Seaside Metropolitan Destination in 2024
The relative new category of World's Leading Seaside Metropolitan Destination, created in 2021, elected the Northern City of Porto as the winner of the 2024 edition. Dubrovnik, in Croatia, Lisbon, also in Portugal, and the Region of Attica, in Greece were the winners in previous years. In 2024 however, seems like the splendid Douro River and the charming Ribeira took centre stage and secured the win.
Apart from being historically important to the country, proclaimed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996, the Cidade Invicta (The Invincible City, as it is also called) managed to be one that best combined amazing riverside views and with cosmopolitan lifestyle in 2024, taking home the prize of the category.
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Other Portuguese Regions and Cities Awarded
The Algarve region, where the famous Golden Triangle is, scored, once again, the top position as World's Leading Beach Destination in 2024. The popularity of this location is not only recognised by the World Travel Awards, but also by visitors that contributed to a substantial rise in the Portuguese accommodation sector in 2023, something that will most likely happen again this year.
Other Portuguese cities that also stood out in the ceremony was Braga, tanking home the prize as World's Leading Emerging Tourism Destination and the Azores, World's Leading Adventure Tourism Destination of 2024.
Thankfully, getting around Portugal is uncomplicated and affordable. That means regular or long-term visitors, as well as residents, can easily check out by themselves the country’s award-winning destinations and many other beautiful spots in this Iberian gem. Getting here is also quite effortless as the country has hundreds of direct flying connection to the rest of the world.
Portugal's Prizes in 2024
Apart from being one of the safest countries in world, Portugal is also a diverse country with amazing sceneries from North to South. The booming tourism industry is well prepared to receive visitors with comfort, amenities and great hospitality. The transportation is also a plus, with good infrastructure whether you choose to hit the road or fly with one the country’s prestigious airlines also got the spotlight on this year’s World Travel Awards.
All of this contributed to Portugal’s achievement of the following 19 awards in 2024:
- World's Leading Adventure Tourism Destination - Azores Islands
- World's Leading Adventure Tourist Attraction - Passadiços do Paiva (Arouca UNESCO Global Geopark)
- World's Leading Airline to Africa - TAP Air Portugal
- World's Leading Airline to South America - TAP Air Portugal
- World's Leading Beach Destination - The Algarve
- World's Leading Boutique Hotel Operator - Amazing Evolution
- World's Leading City Break Destination – Lisbon
- World's Leading Classic Hotel - Olissippo Lapa Palace Hotel
- World's Leading Conservation Company - Parques de Sintra - Monte da Lua, Portugal
- World's Leading Emerging Tourism Destination – Braga
- World's Leading Golf & Villa Resort - Dunas Douradas Beach Club, Portugal
- World's Leading Heritage City Destination - Lisbon
- World's Leading Landmark Hotel - Bairro Alto Hotel
- World's Leading Luxury Boutique Hotel - The Reserve
- World's Leading Luxury Hotel - Savoy Palace
- World's Leading Retreat - Saccharum
- World's Leading Seaside Metropolitan Destination – Porto
- World's Responsible Tourism Award - Dark Sky Alqueva
Portugal was also elected World's Best Golf Destination, by the World Golf Awards, a parallel event hosted by the same promoters of the WTA. Besides that, they also have a separate segmentation of the World Travel Awards by continent, and in Europe, Portugal also scored big, winning 29 categories.
While SATA (Azores Airlines) was distinguished Europe's Leading Airline to North America, and Passadiços do Mondego (Estrela UNESCO Global Geopark) was considered Europe's Leading Tourism Development of the year and Lisbon, Europe's Leading City Destination of 2024.
Apart from having an amazing quality of life, air quality and infrastructure, Portugal has proven, once again, that is also not only one of the top destinations of Europe but also, of the world.
