The city of Guimarães, in northern Portugal, hosted the World Tourism Film Awards this year, the international institution that highlights the most influential audiovisual productions in global tourism.
At the 37th edition of the event, 32 tourism videos from 17 countries were recognized as the best of the year, as part of the final of the CIFFT Circuit, the largest international tourism film and video competition.
The ceremony took place at the historic Teatro Jordão and the awards were given based on the performances of the works at nine international festivals throughout the year, combined with their position in the overall CIFFT ranking. The awards were in five main categories: city promotion, regional promotion, national promotion, tourism products and services, and special awards were given for tourism journalism and sustainability.
In the Country Promotion category, Switzerland took first place for the third consecutive year with the “Falling for Autumn” campaign by Switzerland Tourism, starring Roger Federer and Mads Mikkelsen. In the regional category, La Guajira, Colombia, took first place, while in the City Promotion category, the Spanish municipality of Conil won with “Conil, where land and sea embrace”.
Portugal had a strong presence at the event. Turismo de Portugal took first place in the Tourism Products category with the production “Portugal’s Unwritten Recipe”, which was also awarded the Tourism Press Award for its narrative power and editorial character. In the Tourism Services category, first place was shared by “NURI – The Secret of Nuri” from Portugal and “Centro Danza Matadero” from Madrid.
The list of distinguished organizations and brands also includes those from Slovenia, Sweden, Montenegro, Austria, Croatia, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, Poland, Spain, Japan, and Switzerland, confirming the international character of the institution. Portugal stood out overall with multiple awards for both national productions and works in collaboration with municipalities and regional entities.
Particular emphasis was also placed on sustainability through the GreenWorking Awards. The French production company Zéké Film was honored with the Message and Production awards, while the Mashpi Lodge from Ecuador won the Global Award for the most influential sustainable project of the year.
The director of CIFFT, Alexander V. Kammel, noted that this year’s productions are among the most effective examples of international tourism promotion, highlighting the role of creativity and innovation in modern tourism. On his part, the mayor of Guimarães, Ricardo Araújo, spoke of an event that enhances the city’s tourism dynamics and contributes to extending the stay of visitors. Similarly, the president of the Tourism Organization of Porto and Northern Portugal, Luís Pedro Martins, emphasized that the area’s selection to host the event enhanced its international exposure.
The World Tourism Film Awards is the final event of the CIFFT Circuit, which annually evaluates more than 4,000 tourism productions from around the world through festivals in Europe, America, and Asia, with the process for the 2026 event already underway.
