The article traces the evolution of Portuguese tourism over the past decades, moving from a model dependent on the sun and beach binomial, strongly seasonal and with reduced attention to environmental and social externalities, to a mature and competitive destination. According to the author, sustainability, previously a term circulated mainly in academic circles, has become structural to the sector, integrating environmental, social, economic and governance dimensions.
The author highlights that the Portuguese tourism sector has implemented strategies, programs and support instruments that mobilize companies, destinations and public and private entities around common sustainability objectives. The growing adherence to responsible practices and recognized certifications, as well as the international recognition achieved, confirm a culture that has learned to value environment, communities and heritage as assets to preserve.
The article points to the challenges of the 2050 horizon, which require a qualitative leap: caring for the relationship between tourism and communities, qualifying and retaining talent, and making tourism a lever for territorial cohesion. The author proposes that Portugal move from sustainable tourism to regenerative tourism, which returns to the territory more than it takes from it.
The author concludes that this leap requires companies that embrace sustainability as a real competitive advantage, entities that feel part of and benefit from growth, and organizations that transform good intentions into verifiable commitments. The central message is that the future of Portuguese tourism should be measured less by the dimension it assumes and more by the legacy it leaves.
