News Details

The award ceremony for the “Praia + Acessível” Award 2024 took place last Friday, 14 March 2025, at the Lisbon Tourism Exchange, bringing together representatives of various entities involved in promoting accessibility in bathing areas.

The opening was in charge of the President of the Board of Directors of the National Institute for Rehabilitation, Sónia Esperto, and the Coordinating Director of the Directorate of Resources and Supply of Tourism of Portugal, Leonor Picão, who highlighted the importance of accessibility and inclusion in bathing tourism.

This was followed by an intervention by Thaís Terranova, representing the company IACESS, sponsor of the Awards.

The winners of the award were:

• 1st Coastal Beach Award: Ribeira d’Ilhas beach, municipality of Mafra
• 1st Prize Praia Interior: Ribeira Beach – Albufeira do Azibo, municipality of Macedo de Cavaleiros
• Mention of Good Practice: Buarcos Beach, municipality of Figueira da Foz

The ceremony included the symbolic delivery of the awards, with the presence of the representatives of the awarded municipalities, namely the Mayor of Mafra Hugo Moreira Luis, the Mayor of Macedo de Cavaleiros Benjamin Rodrigues and the Councillor of the Municipality of Figueira da Foz Manuel Domingues.

The closing session was in charge of the President of the Regional Tourism Entity of Porto and North, Luis Pedro Martins.

The "Praia + Acessível" Awards - awarded by a jury composed of representatives of the National Institute for Rehabilitation, I.P., the Portuguese Environment Agency, I.P., Turismo de Portugal, I.P., Instituto de Socorros a Náufragos, Associação Bandeira Azul de Ambiente e Educação and the company IACESS - continue to consolidate themselves as an incentive to improve accessibility in beach tourism, promoting good practices and rewarding the efforts of municipalities that invest in inclusion.