The Medals of Tourist Merit 2022, in Silver and Gold grades, were awarded by the Government during the VI Portuguese Tourism Summit. The event, which took place this Tuesday, September 27, in Lisbon, intended to mark the World Tourism Day.
In a ceremony attended by the Minister of Economy and Sea, António Costa Silva, and the Secretary of State for Tourism, Trade and Services, Rita Marques, the Government awarded the Tourism Merit Medals to distinguish "several personalities who, through their commitment and performance, have greatly contributed to the rehabilitation of the sector in a context strongly marked by the Covid-19 pandemic situation.
At the ceremony, five Silver Medals of Merit for Tourism were awarded, four to personalities from the sector and one to a tourism teaching entity. A single Gold Medal of Merit was also awarded to the president of the Portuguese Tourism Confederation, Francisco Calheiros.
The Silver Medals of Tourist Merit were awarded to the following personalities and institutions:
- Ambassador of the United Kingdom in Portugal, Christopher Sainty;
- Manuel Pinto, now a consultant, but well known to the tourist trade for having been, for decades, the general manager of Hotel Mundial, in Lisbon;
- Nazir Din, businessman, Chairman of the Board of Directors and of the Executive Committee of the Sana Hotels Group;
- Pedro Costa Ferreira, president of the Portuguese Association of Travel Agencies and Tourism and entrepreneur;
- Tourism Schools of Portugal, for the decisive role it has played in the training and placement of highly qualified professionals in the job market since its foundation in 1958.