Officially launched in Porto de Mós, the initiative serves as an emotional invitation for Portuguese citizens to rediscover the diversity and richness of experiences within their own country, highlighting the heritage, nature, and culture found just a few kilometres from home.

Beyond promoting leisure, the campaign focuses strongly on territorial cohesion and economic regeneration, positioning itself as a direct response to support businesses and communities in regions that suffered significant losses from the severe storms last winter.

Importance of domestic tourism

The strategic importance of domestic tourism was the central theme of the speech delivered by Manuel Castro Almeida, Minister of Economy and Territorial Cohesion. The Minister made a point of framing vacations taken within the country not merely as a matter of convenience due to proximity, but as a commitment to social solidarity with the territories battered by severe weather earlier this year.

Castro Almeida also took the opportunity to challenge the public perception that Portugal is facing an issue of overtourism, clarifying that the pressure on tourist destinations is limited to very specific locations and specific periods of the year. In the government's view, the country's true challenge lies in achieving a better geographical and temporal distribution of tourist flows.

Moderate growth

Although the sector has recorded more moderate growth at the start of this year, financial indicators continue to demonstrate the robustness of the nation's primary economic activity. According to the most recent data from the Bank of Portugal, cited by the Minister, tourism revenues exceeded €5.1 billion in the first quarter, representing year-on-year growth of 3.8%.

Performance was particularly strong in March, a period when tourism-related exports surged by 6.7%, injecting over €2 billion into the Portuguese economy and cementing the sector's role as an indispensable engine of the country's stability and progress.

Campaign concept

The campaign's creative concept, outlined by Turismo de Portugal's leadership, proposes an immersive journey that intertwines human emotions with the actual place names of various national regions.

Through an imaginative play on words, the promotional itinerary renames authentic locations based on the feelings they evoke in visitors: the Castle of Porto de Mós appears transfigured into the "Castle of Certainty," the iconic schist village of Talasnal becomes the "Village of Calm," and the idyllic Galapos Beach transforms into the "Beach of Wonder." This same exercise extends to the "Mountain Range of Stillness," located in Montesinho, and the "Happy River," which embraces the banks of the Arade River near Portimão.

Distinct communication phases

This promotional wave will be divided into two distinct communication phases throughout the year: the first will run from May to June, while the second will run from September to November.

The omnichannel strategy will feature across radio spots, digital platforms, and television commercials, exploring narratives focused on well-being, identity, and the sustainability of the tourism ecosystem.

The primary objective is to challenge the cultural preconception that the value of a vacation is directly tied to geographic distance, demonstrating that Portuguese people can broaden their horizons—and discover the world's diversity—without ever leaving their own country.