GERAt – Territory, tourism and talent,
an educational project aimed at raising awareness among pupils in the third cycle of basic education and secondary education of the potential of tourism as a driver of local, national and international development was recently highlighted by the European Union as a good practice in the tourism sector, and has now been included in the
Transition Pathways for Tourism platform, dedicated to promoting initiatives relevant to the sustainable, resilient and innovative transition of European tourism.
Developed by
Turismo de Portugal, in partnership with the Directorate-General for Education, GERAt – territory, tourism and talent, encourages pupils to develop tourism projects that compete against one another, with the best being supported and subsequently implemented. Instead of a traditional approach, GERAt uses practical activities and exercises to strengthen the link between the school, the surrounding community and the local area.
The final session of this academic year’s programme will take place on 28 May at the Estoril School of Hospitality and Tourism.
Launched in 2023 with 12 schools, the project has seen steady growth. In 2025, the initiative was extended to secondary education and involved 65 schools and over 1,300 students.
The GERAt programme includes regional rounds and a national final, during which students present their work to a panel of experts from the fields of tourism and education.
In secondary education, the winning project for the 2024/2025 edition was “Kit Caldas tem Cor”, developed by students on the Vocational Tourism Course at Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro Secondary School, as part of the initiative “Caldas tem Cor – a tourist route made up of pigments, history and identity”. The project offers a tourist experience based on promoting the cultural heritage and identity of Caldas da Rainha, by creating a tourist kit that includes natural watercolours, postcards and a map featuring 14 points of interest inspired by the figure of Queen Leonor.
In the Primary Education category, also for the 2024/2025 academic year, the winning project was “Portiranja”, from the Júdice Fialho School Group (Portimão), developed by a Year 8 class. Inspired by one of the Algarve’s most iconic products, the orange, the project resulted in a sustainable welcome kit, featuring handmade products created by the pupils, such as orange marmalade, biscuits, soaps and scented candles. Under the slogans “Feel, Taste and Take the Algarve” and “A project made by you and all of us”, the proposal stood out for its creativity, community involvement and respect for the environment.
