Portugal is the host of the GWTO 2026 III World Wine Tourism Summit

The Portuguese region of Alentejo, renowned for its slow tourism philosophy and the quality of its wines, has announced that it will host the III GWTO Global Summit on Responsible, Sustainable and Satisfactory Wine Tourism.

Wine Tourism that is Responsible towards the environment, Sustainable over time and Satisfactory for both visitors and residents.

The major gathering will bring together institutional leaders, experts and industry professionals from around the world in Portugal, participating in the conference, the B2B sessions and the exhibition area.

Punta del Este (Maldonado, Uruguay) and Yantai (Shandong, China) hosted the GWTO Global Summits in 2024 and 2025, respectively.

Beja (Alentejo, Portugal) will host this year’s Summit from 31st May to 3rd June, and it will be the first Global Summit organised in Europe by the Global Wine Tourism Organisation (GWTO).

Querétaro (Mexico) and Ningxia (China) have submitted their credentials to host the 2027 Summit; and candidate destinations have also been proposed to host the 2028 GWTO Global Summit.

The selection of Alentejo as the venue for the III GWTO Global Summit reinforces its strategic positioning, based on low-impact tourism capable of connecting travellers with the Alentejo community.

Alentejo is an extensive and predominantly rural region. The beauty of its landscape and the quality of its archaeological, monumental and architectural heritage, together with its excellent gastronomy and wines, undoubtedly invite visitors to discover the region.

The International Tourism Trade Fair FITUR has been chosen as the setting to showcase Alentejo, host of the GWTO Global Summit, as a model RSS wine tourism destination, based on the region’s authenticity, respect for the environment and local winemaking traditions.

The event was attended by the President of Turismo do Alentejo, José Manuel Santos, the President of the Global Wine Tourism Organisation (GWTO), José Antonio Vidal, the Mayor of Beja, Nuno Palma Ferro, the Director of GWTO LatAm, Pablo Singerman, the GWTO Portugal delegate —and President of Enoturismo Portugal APENO—, Maria João de Almeida, alongside other national and international authorities.

«We are extremely proud to take another step forward in the recognition of Alentejo as a wine tourism destination committed to a conscious strategy that is deeply respectful of our region. In Alentejo, wine is the most representative product: it is history, it is tradition and it is identity,» stated José Manuel Santos, President of Turismo do Alentejo.

The Founder and CEO President of GWTO, José Antonio Vidal, reported that «the GWTO Global Summits are one of the lines of action within the five pillars of the strategic plan, aimed at contributing to the positioning and strengthening of destinations on the international RSS Wine Tourism map, both for emerging destinations and those already well established:

Promotion through the organisation of events in the GWTO MICE area,
Recognition through GWTO Biosphere International Certification as an RSS wine tourism destination,
Training in Comprehensive RSS Wine Tourism Management, by GWTO Academy in collaboration with local academic institutions,
Commercialisation, through the inclusion of wine tourism activities on GWTO’s global RSS Wine Tourism booking platform ‘EWC EnoWineClub: More than Wines’, and
Monitoring of destinations and their resources, providing data to the ‘GWTO Economic Monitor/Observatory of Global Enotourism’.

Set amongst vineyards, centuries-old olive groves and vast plains, in Alentejo the wineries open their doors to visitors, offering experiences that combine visits, tastings, accommodation and gastronomy, creating a carefully curated offer.