Designer Outlet Algarve Expands its Tourism Outreach
Over the last two months Designer Outlet Algarve had expanded its tourism outreach by inviting press guests and travel agents from specific markets, showing off the Algarve’s touristic and cultural appeal.
Amidst the holiday season, which has just begun, Designer Outlet Algarve has been working hard to bring their centre to the forefront of travellers shopping itinerary. With three press trips, showing off the Algarve’s touristic appeal and cultural heritage, we spoke to Beatriz Português, Tourism Marketing Executive at Designer Outlet Algarve to find out more about their latest press trips and their tourism strategy.
Over the last two months, you hosted various fam and press trips to Designer Outlet Algarve, collaborating with the Algarve Tourism Association. How did this collaboration come about?
Designer Outlet Algarve has been a member of the Algarve Tourism Association (ATA) since 2024. The ATA's mission is to promote the Algarve and its affiliated companies internationally. Our goal is to establish the Algarve and Designer Outlet Algarve as a premier shopping destination.
Since joining, we have actively nurtured this partnership by participating in key ATA events and leading tourism trade fairs. Our presence at major fairs this year showcased our shopping destination offering, strengthening our relationship with ATA and opening new opportunities, including press trips.
So far, your press guests have come from Iceland, Poland, and the United States. Are these the markets you want to expand into and why invite press guests from them?
The press trips were organised by the ATA, including Designer Outlet Algarve as a key shopping destination. Though chosen by ATA, these markets are important to us and we’re always happy to showcase the outlet as part of the region's premium offerings to international visitors.
The United States and Iceland have gained new relevance with the introduction of direct flights to Faro Airport, opening access between Europe and North America and boosting inbound traffic potential from the US and Canada. Iceland is a new market for Algarve tourism promotion, but indicators show strong growth potential.
As the US already is the region's seventh-largest international market, United Airlines’ new direct route from New York will further increase the Algarve's visibility in the promising long-haul market - an important step for Designer Outlet Algarve given American tourists' strong interest in shopping and eligibility for tax free shopping.
Poland was included due to ATA's proposal. Although the Polish market is more mature and growing more slowly, we believe it remains important to maintain and strengthen our presence in closer European markets, which also help boost visitor numbers during the off-season. This fits with our strategy to promote the outlet as a year-round shopping destination.
Other than raising awareness of Designer Outlet Algarve and the region as great travel destinations, what are your goals for the centre when organising these events?
By participating in familiarisation and press trips, we aim to remain at the forefront of tour operators' minds, encouraging them to recommend Designer Outlet Algarve as a premium shopping stop in the Algarve. We also expect visiting journalists to feature the outlet in their media coverage.
Our broader objectives include increasing international brand awareness, attracting more group visits and events, and reinforcing our position as the Algarve's leading shopping destination. Above all, our objective is to mitigate seasonality and increase footfall from high-spending international visitors, supporting our strategy to position ourselves as a year round prime outlet shopping destination.
Having organised these trips, what are your hopes for this summer? Do you expect to see changes in visitor demographics already, or would this be too soon?
Faro Airport recently added new routes from emerging markets, yet lost others to more mature markets. Recent press trips may not have much impact yet, but some shifts in markets and visitor demographics are expected this summer.
Currently, approximately 60% of our visitors are international tourists and 40% are domestic. Although construction work has affected overall traffic somewhat, visitor numbers have steadily increased. The proportion of international visitors continues to grow, and we are optimistic about this summer's results. Our ambition is to further establish Designer Outlet Algarve as the premier shopping destination for tourists, particularly during the off-peak seasons.
Are there other markets in which you are interested in targeting for the Designer Outlet Algarve? Can we expect to see more press and fam trips in the future?
Currently, we are focused on maintaining and deepening our collaboration with the Algarve Tourism Association. We continuously assess opportunities to ensure alignment with our strategic goals. These are countries where we see potential for future outreach, especially through ATA-led initiatives involving press teams and other promotional activities.
As part of Designer Outlet Algarve's expansion, you have been preparing to launch a tourism lounge supported by IKEA. Could you tell me more about this project?
This win-win partnership strengthens both IKEA, who gains visibility in a high-traffic area and Designer Outlet Algarve, who energises the space with personalised services.
This welcoming point will enhance the shopping experience and support our strategy to position the outlet as a premium destination for international tourists.
The concept is to create a multipurpose space that enhances the visitor experience. It will feature comfortable seating, a personal shopping and fitting area, a small kitchenette and other features designed to accommodate individual guests and groups seeking a tailored experience. Our goal is to reinforce Designer Outlet Algarve’s identity as more than just an outlet, establishing it as the open-air shopping destination in the Algarve.
What are Designer Outlet Algarve’s and IKEA’s goals with this new project?
The key objective is to strengthen the strategic partnership between Designer Outlet Algarve and IKEA stores, as part of the MAR Shopping Algarve complex. Together they create a unique retail and lifestyle destination, and we are continuously working to strengthen the synergies between them.
The launch of the tourism lounge is a strategic step in promoting the complex as a vibrant hub of experiences, services and entertainment. By uniting our strengths, we can position MAR Shopping Algarve, IKEA and Designer Outlet Algarve as a must-visit destination. This collaborative spirit also underpins our latest joint marketing campaign, "The Place to Be", reflecting our shared vision of offering an unparalleled customer experience.
This project not only enhances brand experiences, but also reinforces the region’s value, diversifies the Algarve's tourism offer, and contributes to its year-round appeal.