For the first time, the World Tourism Film Awards will take place in Portugal, with the city of Guimarães chosen to host the 37th edition of this prestigious international event, scheduled for 4 and 5 December. The initiative is organized by the International Committee of Tourism Film Festivals (CIFFT) and the Guimarães Municipality, with the support of Tourism Porto & North of Portugal, and recognizes the best audiovisual productions while highlighting the role of video as a strategic tool for promoting destinations, products, and tourism services.
The official awards ceremony will be held at Teatro Jordão, in Guimarães, on 5th December, bringing together tourism professionals, creative agencies, production companies, media from across the world, as well as national and international guests from countries such as Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Poland, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Greece, Morocco, among others.
Every year, more than 4.000 promotional videos from nearly 50 countries take part in the CIFFT Circuit, the leading international competition dedicated to tourism audiovisual content. The Guimarães gala marks the culmination of this circuit, where the World’s Best Tourism Films will be awarded in five major categories: City Promotion, Region Promotion, Country Promotion, Tourism Products, and Tourism Services. Special distinctions will also be presented, including the Tourism Press Award and, for the first time, the GreenWorking Awards, created in partnership with the Spanish agency Normmal and with the participation of the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), recognizing audiovisual productions that convey messages and practices aligned with the principles of responsible tourism.
Ricardo Araújo, Mayor of Guimarães, notes that “hosting the World Tourism Film Awards for the first time in Guimarães represents a highly relevant cultural, economic, and strategic opportunity for the municipality. Guimarães, recognized as the birthplace of Portugal and owner of a unique historical and symbolic heritage, offers a prestigious setting for this international event, strengthening the projection of the city, the region, and Portugal as outstanding tourism and cultural destinations.”
Luís Pedro Martins, President of Tourism Porto & North, emphasizes that the festival is being held in Portugal for the first time and that “there could be no better place than Porto and North, and the city of Guimarães. This was a joint effort between the organizers, the Guimarães Municipality, and Tourism Porto & North to secure and host the event, once again showing our Region’s ability to attract prestigious international events.”
“The World Tourism Film Awards represent the pinnacle of a year entirely dedicated to excellence in tourism audiovisual communication. Northern Portugal is recognized for its rich heritage, natural diversity, and capacity for innovation, and it was in Guimarães that we found the ideal stage to celebrate the year’s best productions,” says Alexander V. Kammel, CIFFT Director.
Over the two-day event, participants will have access to networking sessions, expert panels, and cultural experiences that encourage exchange between leaders in destination marketing, the creative industries, and communication. The initiative has the institutional support of UN Tourism and the European Travel Commission, among other international organizations linked to the sector.
After previous editions in Vienna, Austria, and Valencia, Spain, this year’s ceremony also reinforces Portugal’s role in the tourism and creative industries. Guimarães, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the “cradle of Portugal”, hosts the ceremony as it prepares to become the 2026 European Green Capital, a title that recognizes its leadership in urban sustainability.
