Clúster

• Galicia and Northern Portugal collaborate in a new European tourism project, which has a budget of 1.6 million euros.

Last week, the European project Visit Rio Minho Plus was presented, an innovative and technological initiative that seeks to strengthen the sustainable tourism model in Galicia. The president and member of the Galician Tourism Cluster, Cesáreo Pardal and Mar Rodríguez Meseguer, attended the presentation. The project is part of the POCTEP program and aims to strengthen the “historical synergies” between Galicia and Portugal through a tourist activity that promotes knowledge of both territories through their common resources. The initiative highlights the heritage and natural wealth that Galicia and Portugal share, creating and reinforcing alliances based on these axes.

The project, led by the EGTC Río Miño, aims to articulate the common space between Galicia and Portugal, promote cross-border cooperation, protect and promote shared cultural and natural heritage, and increase institutional cohesion. Tourism products based on local agri-food resources, such as lamprey and wine, will be developed, and progress will be made in the study of the conditions necessary to obtain a food craftsmanship badge. The project will contribute to the territorial diversification of the Galician tourism offer and will energize the areas involved.

To promote the initiative, routes will be organized through the natural and historical resources of the territory, including fortresses and navigable stretches of the Miño River. These activities will seek to increase the visibility and attractiveness of cross-border tourism resources, promoting the sustainable development of the region.

Visit Rio Minho Plus has the collaboration of the Xunta de Galicia – Galician Tourism Agency, Provincial Council of Pontevedra, Tourism of Porto and Northern Portugal, CIM Alto Minho, the town councils of Tui and Salvaterra de Miño, the University of Vigo, the Polytechnic Institute of Viana del Castelo and the entities dedicated to food quality and rural development, Galician Food Quality Agency (AGACAL) and Adriminho.

The importance of the Portuguese market

Portugal plays a strategic role in tourism in Galicia, being the first country that sends tourists to the region. In 2023, more than 624,000 overnight stays by Portuguese tourists were registered, representing 20% ​​of the international total. This growth trend has continued in the first four months of this year, with more than 97,000 overnight stays, also 20% of the international total.