UNESCO status brought 25 years of tourism growth to Douro

Marking 25 years since the Douro wine region was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001, tourism officials say the classification boosted international visibility, investment and visitor numbers. Luís Pedro Martins, head of Turismo do Porto e Norte de Portugal, said wine tourism now provides up to 30-50% of revenue for companies combining wine production with tourism, helping offset a difficult period for wine producers. He noted gaps in business tourism infrastructure, labour shortages, and incomplete official statistics that exclude overnight stays on hotel boats and in small guesthouses, which he estimates could add 30% to reported figures.

This appeared in the Pulse of 21 September 2026 — Read that edition →