Guimarães Leads the Way in Cultural Tourism with the World Tourism Film Awards

Published on November 21, 2025

The World Tourism Film Awards is celebrating its 37th anniversary, and Guimar, Portugal, is hosting it for the first time from December 4th.

The Importance of Audiovisual Productions in the Promotion of Tourism

The growing popularity of audiovisual productions in the field of marketing and advertising has increased the ability of the film industry to promote and market tourism globally. With the help of advertising produced in the form of a film, tourism boards, and other relevant actors in the field of tourism can graphically and narratively present a specific location, giving potential tourists access to its natural beauty, historical and social characteristics as well as other tourism products of a destination. The World Tourism Film Awards are given to and recognise the outstanding works of films in tourism that motivate potential and actual tourists, and for not letting the works of film and marketing in tourism go unnoticed. These films motivate tourism activities in a destination and promote the diverse tourism products around the world.

The historical points of interest, rich culture, and picturesque landscapes of Guimarães make it a perfect backdrop for the Awards. As the first capital of Portugal, the Guimarães UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and particularly Guimarães Castle, and the Palace of the Dukes of Braganza, have been appreciated and showcased in many cultural films and documentaries. The awards event is an outstanding opportunity for the City of Guimarães to portray and celebrate its historical significance and cultural heritage, as well as promote Portugal as a tourism destination.

A Centre for Hospitality and Tourism Global Professionals

Among those in the tourism industry are the World Tourism Film Awards and industry stakeholders in the tourism industry such as marketing organisations for destinations, filmmakers, media professionals, and advertising agencies. Guimarães will gain international visibility and become a center for conversations on the marketing of tourism by advertising through videos.

The awards will give the participants an opportunity to meet, learn, and teach each other on the current practices in the marketing of tourism, marketing of destinations, and the use of videos in marketing. Other awards also celebrate short tourism promotional films, innovative tourism advertising videos, and documentaries on cultural tourism, recognising the numerous ways video can be used for tourism promotion.

Guimarães as a Tourism Destination

Guimarães, the city, is becoming an increasingly desirable award destination. Guimarães is recognised for its medieval architectural buildings that are in excellent condition and its lively cultural scene. It is also the historical and the “birth of Portugal” as the city, is also the birthplace of Durães as an important and historical city. Because of its charming streets, museums, festivals, and also to the city’s UNESCO World Heritage status, it is an appealing location for backpackers and tourists who have a desire to learn Portuguese history and culture.

Alongside its past, Guimarães is home to a wealth of cultural activities, such as the Guimarães Craft Biennial, the Guimarães Jazz Festival, and the Festa de Nossa Senhora da Oliveira which happen throughout the year. The city is rich in its history and culture, and is home to many modern amenities, making the city a center of attraction from leisure travellers and cultural tourists alike.

As the city is current gaining and in the future will definitely continue to gain, prominence in the world, the World Tourism Film Awards will also further position Guimarães in the world as a focal point for culture and for tourism. The event is bound to draw in many people, including industry tourists and professionals, who will capitalize on the city’s many heritage sites, local gastronomy, and lovely neighborhoods.

Sustainable Tourism and Future Growth

The World Tourism Film Awards also extend the framework within which the world of tourism is viewed as a sustainable industry, focusing on the need to protect and cherish the destinations, and the peoples and cultures, for future generations. As more people travel, the need for sustainable tourism increases and the need for tourism films on sustainable tourism within a destination increases in order to educate people on the need to protect heritage and cultural sites.

Guimarães and the awards event offer the opportunity to discuss the future of sustainable tourism and the role of audiovisuals in creating more responsible travel behaviours. In illustrating the stunning beauty of Guimarães and other sustainable destinations, the tourism industry can help develop appreciation for the values of cultural activism and responsible travel practices.

Conclusion

2025 World Tourism Film Awards in Guimarães will be an event in the calendar to demonstrate the impact of film on the promotion of tourism. Guimarães rich in history, culture, and architecture, is an ideal location for this event. The collaboration among Guimarães, European tourism stakeholders, and filmmakers around the world will spotlight the importance of audiovisual tourism marketing and foster collaborations for sustainable tourism. Guimarães is the address for responsible tourism and the travel industry. For many, it is the gateway to the world’s cultural destinations.