Portugal’s Cascais Wins Green Destination Platinum Status

Portugal’s Cascais, originally a summer retreat for Portuguese nobility, now a popular spot for digital nomads from the UK and wider world as well as a great holiday destination,  has been recognised with the Green Destinations “Platinum” award by The Green Destinations Foundation at a major travel Fair in Berlin.

This award is a great recognition for the region’s sustainable approach to tourism. The Platinum certification is awarded to tourist destinations that are guided by a code of ethics, that rigorously monitors tourism, that are based on strategic planning and that have sustainability indicators in the field of tourism.

“This award recognises Cascais as a destination with great environmental quality, not only for what it offers to those who visit us but, above all, for the involvement of the entire community in the development of environmentally fair solutions for the people who live here. Cascais aims to be the best place to live for a day, a week or a lifetime, and that is why we have increased the area of green spaces, the number of trees planted, and we have seen an increase in biodiversity, both in protected and urban areas. Community gardens, smooth mobility, free and non-polluting public transport, energy creation are all part of Cascais’s present days. This award is recognition of the work done”, says Luís Almeida Capão, Municipal Director of Environment and Sustainability at Cascais City Council.

Over the years, Cascais has stood out for its commitment to sustainability, as evidenced by the various awards and certifications received. From winning the QualityCoast Silver award in 2013 to the recent recognition with the QualityCoast Gold award in 2021, Cascais has demonstrated a continued commitment to protecting the environment and the well-being of its community.

This award was announced at the ITB Berlin 2024 Fair, a fair dedicated to the tourism industry. This award reflects the work that the municipality has been carrying out in order to obtain certification from the GSTC (Global Sustainable Tourism Council) in the future, which establishes and manages global standards for sustainable travel and tourism.

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