World Tourism Day: When Travelling Also Supports a Region

Every trip has an impact on the place we visit. Sometimes it is easy to think of tourism simply in terms of where we sleep, what we see or where we eat. But its influence goes much further. The decision to stay in one place rather than another can help bring visitors to smaller communities, support local businesses and encourage people to discover parts of a country that might otherwise remain outside the usual tourist routes. 

On World Tourism Day, celebrated on 27 September, we want to look at tourism from precisely that perspective: not simply as travelling somewhere new, but as a relationship between visitors and the territory that welcomes them.  At Quinta da Carlota, tourism in Torres Vedras is closely connected to that relationship. 

Beyond Portugal’s best-known destinations 

Lisbon, Sintra and some of Portugal’s most famous destinations are within easy reach of Quinta da Carlota. But staying here also opens the door to another side of Portugal. Torres Vedras, the Atlantic coast, the vineyards of the region, small towns, local restaurants, markets, farms and producers can all become part of the journey. 

It means that a week in this part of the country does not have to revolve around a single destination. One day might be spent exploring Lisbon or Sintra; another beside the sea; another visiting a winery, discovering Mafra or simply spending the day at the Quinta. 

And that freedom has another consequence: tourism can become more widely distributed across the territory. 

When visitors stay, the region benefits too 

A visitor who chooses to spend several days in the Torres Vedras region rarely experiences just one place. There might be lunch at a local restaurant, a visit to a nearby winery, fruit bought from a producer, a coffee in the town centre, an afternoon at the beach or a visit to a local monument. Individually, these may seem like small decisions. Together, they matter. 

Tourism can generate demand for local businesses and services, support employment and encourage visitors to discover places beyond Portugal’s busiest tourism centres. The UN also recognises tourism as an important contributor to employment, local economies and sustainable development.  

This is particularly relevant in rural and semi-rural areas, where tourism can complement agriculture, wine production, gastronomy, culture and other activities already rooted in the territory. The result is not tourism replacing local life, but tourism becoming part of its economy. 

Staying longer changes the way we travel 

There is also an important difference between simply passing through a region and having time to experience it. When you stay for several days, there is less pressure to see everything at once. 

You can return to the same café. Discover a restaurant because someone recommended it that morning. Visit a market. Talk to the people who live and work here. Change plans because the weather is perfect for the beach or because you have just heard about somewhere worth visiting. 

At Quinta da Carlota, this is one of the reasons we encourage longer stays. Our location makes it possible to combine countryside, coast, culture and city without having to change accommodation every couple of days. And the longer you stay, the more opportunities there are to discover what surrounds us. 

The countryside is part of the destination 

Tourism in Torres Vedras is also closely connected to the landscape. Vineyards, orchards, vegetable gardens, agricultural land and the Atlantic coast are not simply a backdrop. They help define the identity of the region. At Quinta da Carlota, that connection is visible every day. 

Our vegetable garden and orchards change with the seasons. Produce is harvested when it is ready. Life outdoors follows a different rhythm from life in the city. 

For guests, experiencing this environment can make a stay richer. For the territory, placing value on landscapes, local products and rural traditions creates another reason to preserve what makes the region distinctive. 

Tourism and agriculture do not have to exist separately. In places like this, they can reinforce one another. 

From a place to stay to a starting point 

We like to think of Quinta da Carlota as more than the destination at the end of a drive. It can also be the starting point. From here, you can explore Torres Vedras, Santa Cruz and the Atlantic coast, the wine region, Mafra, Sintra and Lisbon, before returning to the peace of the countryside at the end of the day. 

That allows visitors to experience very different sides of Portugal while keeping one base throughout their stay. It also means that tourism is not concentrated in a single place. Every excursion, restaurant, shop, producer or attraction discovered along the way becomes part of the experience. 

A different way of thinking about tourism 

The official theme for World Tourism Day 2026 is “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism.” It focuses on how digitalisation and AI can transform the sector while ensuring that communities, workers and emerging destinations also benefit from that change.  

Technology will undoubtedly be part of that conversation. But redesigning tourism can also mean thinking differently about where people travel, how long they stay and how the benefits of their visit are distributed. 

It can mean encouraging people to look beyond the most obvious destinations. To spend time rather than simply pass through. To buy locally. To discover the landscape and the people behind it. And to understand that choosing where to stay is also choosing which territory becomes part of the journey. 

Discover Portugal from Quinta da Carlota 

At Quinta da Carlota, you can wake up surrounded by nature and still spend the day in Lisbon, Sintra, Mafra, on the Atlantic coast or discovering the wines and flavours of the Torres Vedras region. Then you can come back, slow down and decide where tomorrow will take you. 

Perhaps that is one of the most valuable forms of tourism: travelling further by staying in one place for longer. This World Tourism Day, we celebrate everyone who comes to discover our region, and everything their visit helps to keep moving around us. 

Plan your stay at Quinta da Carlota and make Torres Vedras your base for discovering this part of Portugal. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

When is World Tourism Day? 

World Tourism Day is celebrated every year on 27 September. It was first observed in 1980 and is led by UN Tourism.  

What is the theme of World Tourism Day 2026? 

The 2026 theme is “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism.” It explores how technology and AI can help reshape tourism while creating broader opportunities for destinations, businesses and communities.  

Why is tourism important for Torres Vedras? 

Tourism can help generate demand for local restaurants, producers, wineries, cultural attractions and other services, while encouraging visitors to explore areas beyond the country’s major tourism centres. 

What can visitors discover around Torres Vedras? 

Visitors can combine the town and surrounding countryside with the Atlantic coast, Santa Cruz, wineries, Mafra, Sintra and Lisbon, as well as local food, markets and rural experiences. 

Is Quinta da Carlota a good base for exploring the region? 

Yes. Its location allows guests to combine countryside, coast and nearby cities while returning to the same accommodation each day. 

How can a longer stay benefit the local area? 

A longer stay creates more opportunities to eat locally, visit producers and attractions, use local services and explore several places across the region rather than concentrating the entire trip in one destination.