www.proactivetur.pt
MAGAZINE
years
A manifest for sustentability
A manifest for sustentability
Índex
05
IN2SOUTH
08
WFA — WALKING FESTIVAL AMEIXIAL
09
BEQ — THE CEREAL BAR
12
PROJECTO TASA
Editorial
I
n 2016 we reached 6 years of full activity in
Other initiatives, like Projecto TASA, Projecto
Proactivetur. During this period we started
Querença or the Walking Festival Ameixial, allow
new projects, reinforce others and we kept
us to focus in specific thematic and resources, in
a active presence in the territory, promoting its
order to support, develop and preserve them.
natural and cultural values! With this magazine we share with you some of Our mission have, naturally, a commercial role.
our daily work and projects. We hope you enjoy it!
Without it we couldn’t survive as a private
Like we do!
company. But, there is also a responsibility towards the Algarve, its heritage and people. In this balanced relation is, what we believe to be,
João Ministro
the Responsible Tourism, where we act.
responsibility towards the Algarve, its heritage and people Our programs always involve partnerships with local people and enterprises. They include different and alternative experiences with special persons, knowledgeable of the rural traditions, arts and techniques. They connect with other programs and projects in order the enhance the offer quality.
Sara Fernandes, João Ministro, Estelle Herdeiro, Bruno Rodrigues, Graça Palma
1
A good example of social entrepreneurship SEFORĂ?S, the largest global survey on social enterprises, has studied 111 companies in Portugal, and highlights Proactivetur as one among five good examples. The study surveyed more than 1000 social
Travel agency Proactivetur becomes a travel agency specialized in responsible tourism
enterprises in Europe, China and Russia, looking into their contribution to the economy in pursuit of a social mission. They came to the conclusion
Changing from a leisure and tourism
that in 2014, these companies generated 6 billion
company into a travel agency represented
Euros, served 871 million beneficiaries, employed
one more step for Proactivetur in our
more than 500,000 people, facilitated access to
ongoing quest.
employment for almost 5.5 million people, while promoting more innovative and inclusive societies.
2
This license allows us to provide more complete experiences to the adventurous
ď…¸ International study
souls who come to us and to work in a more integrated way with our much valued
ď…¸ Portuguese case
network of local partners.
Natural.pt We are part of NATURAL.PT , a Portuguese brand that aims to enhance and promote, in an integrated way, products and services associated with the uniqueness and environmental and cultural value of protected areas.
VA and RV programmes
conquer new partnerships with international tour operators
Gains
for the local economy
One of the most important components of ecotourism or We believe that building up an international network of partnerships is fundamental for the
responsible tourism is its role in supporting the local economy.
success of our mission. In 2016 we have kept up commercial relations with some of the biggest
This mission is ensured through
tour operators within the field of walking holi-
partnerships with local agents
days (“Wikinger Reisen”, “Schulz Aktiv Reisen” and “SNP Natuurreizen”, among others) and began working with more partners, some of which are from new countries. Highlights include “Pura Reisen” and “Portugal Reiseprofi” (Germany), “Barrio Life” (The Netherlands),
within the region, be they restaurants, accommodation, transport, commerce or entertainment. In the programmes Proactivetur has been promoting since 2013, especially those
“Hilltop Treks” and “Follow the Camino”
undertaken along the Via Algarviana
(Ireland) or “Juventas Rejer” (Denmark).
or the Rota Vicentina, more than
We kept up a special relationship with small operators that highly appreciate the Algarve’s
60% of the amount paid by tourists is injected directly into the small
inland areas, such as “Aarts Wandelreizen”
rural communities of the Algarve’s
(Holland). In Portugal we continue to work
interior, and this financial return
with one of the most prestigious operators in the luxury segment: “Tours For You”. Together we share the mission to promote
is fundamental for the survival of the small scale economic activities operating there.
the region and its resources. In 2016 alone, we worked with more than 70 local agents, located between Alcoutim and Odeceixe.
3
What is a Responsible tourism? Responsible Tourism implies a long-term commitment to the territory in which it operates. A form of tourism is practiced here that seeks to respond to environmental, cultural, social and economic issues, ensuring that travellers have authentic and high-quality experiences, while at the same time, making
sure that the destinations, including the people who live in them and the biodiversity, are benefitted in a fair and balanced way. With this approach all players have a responsibility in some part of the system - environmental, cultural, social or economic.
And, together, we drive the local economy; we promote the welfare of the communities;
4
we minimize environmental impact; we guarantee the proper management of resources; and we contribute to the protection of the values of biodiversity and giving dignity to local culture.
TOURISM
HOW WE DO RESPONSIBLE TOURISM
LOCAL RESOURCES
COMMUNITY
OUR NEW BRAND
In2south presents the south of Portugal as a prime location for the practice of eco-Tourism and creative tourism, in perfect symbiosis with the values of responsible tourism.
cultural heritage, with numerous rural traditions
The new Proactivetur brand is geared towards
The In2South website opens a window directly
travellers looking for walking, bird watching or
onto this natural Algarve. The user can obtain
creative experiences linked to local culture and
information about the territory, learn about our
villages, always in a close sustainable relationship
network of local partners and, of course, look
with the values of the territory and the local
through and book the various programmes best
communities.
suited to their interests. Users can also be an
and practices, such as arts and crafts, cork harvesting or the production of medronho, a spirit made from the berries of the strawberry tree (arbutus unedo).
active part of a circular economy model, where This Algarve waiting to be experienced is that of
tourism, community and local resources work
wild beaches, estuaries, dense cork-oak forests
in close interaction. Highlights on the website
or mountainous environments, home to a very
include a series of pictograms depicting the evo-
special biodiversity and a rich human presence.
lution of direct contributions from the practice
About 40 % of this territory is protected under
of responsible tourism to the local community
national legislation and EU directives, such as
and the territory.
“Natura 2000”. Many of the species found here are quite rare and unique, such as the Iberian Lynx and the Bonelli’s eagle. This region in the south of Portugal also preserves a special
5
Projecto Querença & community entrepreneurship In 2011, in a
The “Projecto Querença” was thus created with the ultimate purpose of
partnership with
encouraging people to settle in this territory, which still suffers from the effects
the University of
of abandonment and depopulation.
the Algarve, Loulé Municipal Council
The first phase brought nine young people, trained in various fields, to
and the Manuel
villages in which they lived and worked in various areas. Its mission was
Viegas Guerreiro
simple and difficult at the same time: to design projects around the
Foundation, we
sustainable promotion of local resources, with the capacity to boost
started a project
economic activity and provide employment opportunities.
in Querença
6
with the aim of
The second phase brought together a smaller group (five young people)
attracting young
and new ideas. Today, after three years of the project, the results have been
entrepreneurs with
positive: five business initiatives were created, a sports organisation based
innovative ideas
in Querença, a traditional market was set up, a cooperative was founded,
and initiatives to
this territory was widely publicized, awards were won, international
the interior of the
partnerships were forged and a new concept of territorial intervention
region.
was introduced into the public forum. The “Projecto Querença” starts its 3rd phase in 2017, maintaining its most valuable and solid assets: a strong relationship with the local community and university, and a network of supporters and sympathizers who believe in this initiative and contribute to its success. Proactivetur is one of them.
A service cooperative for low density areas
We believe that bringing positive change to these depressed and deprived
QRER was formed by a group of people and organisations
territories is reinforced
with the aim of creating favorable conditions for attracting
and optimised through
individuals and ideas to low density territories, through
the action of a service
supporting and fostering sustainable actions that stimulate
cooperative, from which
the local economy, generating positive environmental and
the various individual or
social impact.
collective co-operators increase their capacity to intervene and achieve better results.
Here are some of Proactivetur’s initiatives, which have been promoted within QRER
Walking Festival Ameixial An event organized in partnership with “Projecto Estela”, with the aim of stimulating the practice of hiking in the interior of the country.
”Projecto Querença” An initiative that strives to attract ideas and projects for the promotion of endogenous resources and to support the settlement of a young and qualified population in the Algarve’s interior.
Querença Market An event that promotes the provision of agricultural, gastronomic and handicraft products from the parishes of Querença, Tôr and Benafim, as well as ecotourism and cultural activities.
7
Mais que uma agência de turismo.
How about joining our friends for a weekend of walks in an isolated village of the Algarve’s interior?
and has a highly diverse range of natural, cultural and human features. The mysterious “Escrita do Sudoeste” (an ancient and non translated script), megalithic dolmens, the Ribeira do Vascão water system and its
This was the main reason behind the creation of the
biodiversity, and holm oak and cork oak forests are just
“Walking Festival Ameixial” in 2013. In that first year
some of the attractions of this territory.
we gathered about 200 people. In the following
Proactivetur produced this festival, with the ever-com-
years more people took part, reaching the maxi-
mitted and valuable partnership of
mum of 500 in 2016.
Loulé Municipal Council.
The festival is always held over the last weekend of
Routes have been created and
April. Its purpose: to promote the practice of hiking,
accommodation options for
as a leisure, well-being and tourist activity, in a bare-
walkers. The “Escrita do Sudoeste”
ly-known, isolated place, with a very rich heritage.
was promoted, as the distinctive motif of this festival.
Ameixial fulfils these very conditions.
The community was involved. Without any profit inten-
It is far from the main urban centres, near to the
tions, but with the aim of supporting the local econo-
upland area of the Serra do Caldeirão, and is dealing
my. A festival mentioned in 2016 in a Dutch specialist
with heightened depopulation. It is in urgent need of
magazine as one of the five most interesting in Europe.
action to revitalise and support the local economy
The festival returns in 2017 with more activities, a
8
better programme and new attractions. The event is
4 years guiding thousands of people to Ameixial
Walking Festival Ameixial More information here
scheduled for: April 28, 29, 30 and May 01.
The idea behind the development of this cereal bar arose from the urgent need to add value to the abun-
Stimulating local production
dance of raw materials, including dry fruits and nuts, in the Algarve region. BEQ provides a healthy form of energy to consumers and, at same time, contributes to promoting the Algarve’s rural produce. Also, the aim of this highly nu-
BEQ is a cereal bar made with
tritious product is to encourage the Algarve’s farmers
fig, almond, carob, honey and
to increase their production and to avoid abandoning
gourmet sea salt.
their farming activities. This is how, at the end of 2015, “BEQ-Suplementos
Following detailed laboratory research, BEQ is the
alimentares, Lda” was formed, of which Proactivetur is
result of a collaborative action between the
a partner, given its focus on fostering local production.
‘Projecto Querença’ and the food engineering department of the University of the Algarve.
More information at www.beq.pt
9
Mais que uma agência de turismo.
TASA 10
Projecto TASA — Ancestral techniques current solutions — is more than a collection of products made through the expertise of master craftsmen or design in terms of modern-day solutions. It is a mission to turn the craft industry into a profession with a future.
Projecto TASA extends network and reaches international market 11 In 2016, TASA reinforced agreements with partners based in Europe, Asia and North America in order to enter the international market and reach our target markets. The focus was on establishing partnerships with organisations that value handcrafted products and respect the holders of this ancestral knowhow. To this end, we have organised guided tours to the workshops of some of our artisans, introducing people to the faces behind the products and the history of these master craftsmen. In line with growing exports, we have renewed our range of products and our catalogue, while
two freelancers have joined our team: Alexandra Gonçalves and Ana Rita Aguiar. They have developed 12 new products for the home and kitchen categories, in the municipalities of Alcoutim, LoulÊ and Silves, combining design trends with the ancestry of craft techniques and local materials, bringing new proposals and continuities to Portuguese craftsmanship. This process has had a very positive impact on the strengthening of the network. Ten new craftsmen have joined TASA and the arts and crafts available have diversified. Know our catalogue 2017
Traditional crafts enhanced with the Projecto TASA seal
W 12
e believe that turning arts and crafts into a profession with a future requires a strategy based on a solid foundation in the region, supporting the training of new craftsmen and the integration of artisan knowledge into creative dynamics, reaching new audiences and horizons. We have taken small steps in this direction, but more actions are needed. In 2014 we challenged Loulé Municipal Council to launch a project integrating crafts and heritage, with creativity and innovation as its driving force. We acted as consultants in the “Loulé Criativo” initiative, supporting the formation of a creative tourism network,
the development of training actions and a programme of events. We were part of the “Mesa Ajudada” (2015) and “Designers de Loulé” (2016) organization team, two residencies focused on the most representative traditional arts of the municipality. Last year, we scoured the municipality of Alcoutim, looking for arts and crafts that are still alive and are part of the memory of this territory. The collaboration with the Alcoutim municipal council resulted in a proposal of actions to boost traditional crafts and to create four products made with municipality’s craftsmen, which then entered TASA’s catalogue.
Using a similar approach, we have started collaborating with Silves municipal council. We have increased the artisan network and added three new products to the cultural repertoire of this municipality. Noticing that the art of the tinsmith is almost extinct in the region, we won a prize from EDP (one of the nine selected, from 105 applications), through the “Traditions” programme, to carry out a project with the intention of reactivating this craft in the municipality. We hope this year to strengthen and coordinate actions to keep alive (and in good health) the roots of our traditional arts.
13
More creative tourism
14
A
suitcase full of enriching experiences and learning, this is what new travellers are increasingly looking for.
Creative tourism is an alternative sought by people who like to participate in the local culture and to learn with the communities they visit. This segment of cultural tourism was identified in 2000 in the research work of Greg Richards and Crispin Raymond. Creative tourism has grown significantly and there is already an international network to promote it. Proactivetur supported the creation of creative tourism in Loulé municipality and to it joining the “creative tourism network”, the first in Portugal to do so.
In recent years we have organised dozens of workshops for tourists, residents and professionals. Authentic hands-on experiences, covering areas such as food, arts, crafts and other unique features of the Algarve’s interior. The In2South website features a section dedicated solely to this type of programme.
Next steps
Supporting youth training
As with all organisations, we have set some goals that we would like to achieve in 2017. We share some of them here.
Our role in educating potential new local agents in the area of tourism and creative areas has not been forgotten.
1
To establish a regional network of creative
Every year we collaborate with schools in
tourism animators. We want to extend our
the Loulé municipality to involve young
intervention to the whole Algarve in the
trainees, who actively collaborate in our
area of creative tourism, bringing together
activities for several months. In 2016
local animators who want to collaborate
we welcomed five young people, the same
with us, train them and plan new
as in 2015. They participated in nature
experiences to offer to our international
tourism, photography, design and agri-
partners;
food product projects. 2017 will be no exception. In January we welcome Inês
2
To launch a first community-based
Carvalho, from the “Escola Superior de
tourism programme, focusing on one
Artes Aplicadas” in Castelo Branco, Interior
or more inland rural villages, involving
Design and Furniture, who will be with us
voluntary tourism or Voluntourism,
for six months.
geared towards international markets To launch a first community-based tourism programme, focusing on one or more inland rural villages, involving voluntary tourism or Voluntourism, geared towards international markets;
3
To renovate our space, headquarters and shop, making it more appealing, welcoming and active, providing activities and moments of conviviality with our friends, partners and customers.
15
Giving back to the rural areas 883 Adventurous travellers were accommodated in the interior of the Algarve.
382 travellers learned local traditions from our villagers.
We walked more than 79,760.86 kms along the Rota Vicentina and the Via Algarviana.
CARBONO 0 PROGRAMME In 2017 we will launch our Carbon Zero programme. We want to reduce our ecological footprint in the region, converting our car journeys into
We have ploughed more than €1,500 back into the Rota Vicentina and Via Algarviana, ensuring their maintenance.
carbon capture actions. To this end, we are going to develop several initiatives and share them with our followers so that they can also participate.
We support local production. We purchased 5,461 pieces of handicraft produced by the inhabitants of the interior communities.
Actions such as reforesting the “Serra do Caldeirão” area, growing Mediterranean gardens, among others, which we will announce in due course.
PROACTIVETUR
Rua de Portugal nº 35, 8100-554 Loulé
mail@proactivetur.pt T: (+351) 289 416 198 M: (+351) 924 308 060
facebook.com/proactivetur
www.proactivetur.pt