On 2 June, the
Turismo de Portugal Schools Network won the
Training Entity category at the
7th edition of the AHRESP Awards.
The
Turismo de Portugal Schools are a reference in professional training in tourism. Their focus on people and talent has been one of their priorities for action, training over 3,000 students per year and simultaneously qualifying around 7,500 tourism professionals with on-the-job training. They are a unique network in the world of vocational education and training exclusively dedicated to the tourism sector and internationally recognised, awarded and certified by the World Tourism Organisation.
Besides training, they promote innovation and entrepreneurship, providing technical conditions and specialised knowledge, which they place at the service of small and very small companies in the sector, ultimately contributing to the competitiveness and quality of service provided by agents in the sector, aiming at a growing prestige of the tourism professions.
It is a national network of 12 Schools, leaders in the training of human capital for tourism, ensuring the preparation of young people for their first job and the qualification of professionals in the sector, with a view to improving the quality and prestige of the tourism professions.
The
7th edition of the AHRESP Awards distinguished companies and professionals in the catering, accommodation and tourism promotion sectors that most inspired these sectors in 2022 in 16 categories, namely, Innovative Concept, Gastronomic Revelation, Product of the Year, Service of the Year, Solidarity Project, Environmental Sustainability, Media Project, New Talent, Revelation Destination of the Year, Training Entity, Establishment with History and Event of the Year, Professional of the Year, Country Abroad, Career Award and Excellence Award.
In the Training Entity category, the 43-member jury had to choose among the 5 finalists, which besides the Turismo de Portugal Schools Network, included the Estoril Higher Institute for Tourism and Hotel Studies, Escola Superior de Turismo e Tecnologia do Mar - Politécnico de Leiria (Higher School of Tourism and Technology of the Sea - Polytechnic of Leiria), Rota Vicentina – Course for Local Guides and Nova SBE Westmont Institute of Tourism & Hospitality.
The evaluation criteria focused on the level of creativity, relevance and regional and national recognition, as well as each finalist entity's contributions to the sector.
At this gala, the
Excellence Award was also given to
Luís Araújo, Chairman of Turismo de Portugal.
