The Algarve’s Rota do Petisco (Tapas Route) event has won a national gastronomic tourism award at the Prémio Nacional de Turismo 2021, which recognises the best companies, practices, and tourism projects in Portugal.

Organised by the Expresso newspaper and the BPI bank, the awards feature different categories each year. For this year, the categories were the following: Gastronomic Tourism (which Rota do Petisco won); Innovative Tourism; Sustainable Tourism; Inclusive Tourism and Authentic Tourism. Tourism entrepreneur André Jordan received the Career Award (Prémio Carreira).

To win one of the awards, there are several factors taken into account, such as the adaptability to the Covid-19 pandemic, the relations established with the consumers, innovation and compliance with Sustainable Development Goals.

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Rota do Petisco is all about small-sized dishes or desserts at a reasonable price

The Gastronomic Tourism award had a stiff competition of 439 bids, leaving only five finalists at the end, with the stop spot belonging to Rota do Petisco, which is organised by the Teia D’Impulsos association.

“We are so proud to receive (the award), but we also give ourselves more responsibility to continue working and improving the quality of Rota do Petisco,” said Teia D’Impulsos president Luís Gonçalves.

“It was with great pleasure and pride that the whole Teia D’Impusos team received this national award,” added Rota do Petisco coordinator Nuno Vieira, who stressed that the event “directly involves” thousands of people in the Algarve and acts as a “motor” for the region’s economy and its tourism sector.

According to Vieira, this award will “encourage more partners to join Rota do Petisco and contribute to its consolidation as one of the largest gastronomic events in the country”.

New Rota do Petisco edition on the way, with new routes to promote local gastronomy

This year’s edition of Rota do Petisco is already under works and will take place between September 14 and October 16 in several municipalities in the Algarve. New ‘routes’ are being prepared, such as the “Memory Route” and “Wine Cellar Route”.

The event brings together hundreds of restaurants and eateries in the Algarve, each of which presents a small-sized dish or dessert at a small, fixed price. The goal is to encourage clients to discover new places to eat and promote local gastronomy.