World Tourism Day 2025: An invitation to sustainable transformation through the eyes of olive tourism in Trás-os-Montes
- M. Araújo
- Sep 27
- 2 min read
On September 27th, we celebrate World Tourism Day, a day that invites us to reflect on the transformative power of tourism for the communities, economies, and landscapes it embraces.
In 2025, the United Nations chose "sustainable transformation" as its central theme, highlighting the urgency of building a more responsible, inclusive tourism capable of generating a positive long-term impact.
This global commitment finds vivid expression in the Azeite a Norte project, which has been promoting olive tourism in Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro for several years.
Here, among the ancient olive groves, one discovers a way of travelling that goes beyond the visit—it is an experience that touches the roots of the land, cares for people, and preserves local knowledge.
The tourism that emerges in these regions is made of simplicity and authenticity, of conviviality around tables with genuine flavours and the discovery of stories that fill the soul. There are walks among ancient trees, the magic of olive oil that grows under the sun, and the pulse of small villages that keep their identity alive. A tourism that welcomes everyone, celebrates the beauty of the territory, and strengthens bonds of belonging, inviting us to care for it with attention and love.
As Turismo de Portugal points out, this date is an opportunity to reflect on policies, strategies, and practices that make tourism a possible path to stronger communities, fairer economies, and better protected ecosystems.
Azeite ao Norte is part of this mission, proposing sustainable tourism routes that combine environmental respect, cultural appreciation, and positive social impact.
In Trás-os-Montes, tourism is a living force for change, capable of retaining populations, creating jobs, and giving visibility to the territory's natural and human riches.
It is also an invitation to encounter, to share, and to recognize what truly matters: the deep connection between people and the place that welcomes them.
Olive tourism, the main focus of Azeite in the North, is an example of the direct link between responsible tourism and sustainable transformation. By opening doors to rural heritage, local gastronomy, and olive culture, the project contributes to the economic and social development of inland regions, as highlighted by several researchers:
“This vast territory… represented by the geographic area of the Association of Municipalities of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, has remarkable potential for tourism development. The high environmental potential and natural resources, combined with a high scenic and cultural value… provide a set of valuable tourism resources, dispersed throughout the TMAD region” (Quaternaire, 1996).aps
Olive tourism—as experienced in Trás-os-Montes, in the olive groves, on hikes, and in the flavours shared at the table—is also a bridge for emotional bonds and experiences that unite families, friends, and generations. In the words of a participant in local experiences:
“In the silence of the olive groves, one discovers the strength of roots, the value of care, and the sense of community — that is where tourism transforms, not just into a destination, but into an embrace.”.ipsos
Dia Mundial do Turismo 2025; Turismo Sustentável Portugal; Olivoturismo Trás-os-Montes; Azeite a Norte; Turismo Rural Portugal; Turismo Responsável; Turismo Cultural Portugal; Turismo Interior Portugal
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