TURIHAB PROFILE

Solares de Portugal, a concept of life

TURIHAB – Guarantee of Quality since 1983 You arrive as a guest and leave as a friend.
Anyone with a sense of history and a desire to discover the real Portugal cannot fail to be captivated by the treasury of experiences offered by the Solares de Portugal, 100 manor houses, stately homes, country and farmhouses, certified with the ERS 3001, guarantee of quality.
Their charm and ambiance takes hold of the imagination in many different ways.
From the moment you walk through the entrance there is a magic in the air and a tranquillity that will make the stress of everyday life seem a million miles away.
A timeless muse whispers from every corner and blends the nostalgia of the past with the beauty and colour of the present.
It would be difficult to wake up in the morning and not look forward eagerly to the day ahead.
The freedom to while away your leisure hours with a rich variety of creative pursuits.
Relax with a good book under the shade of a magnolia tree in bloom, the silence broken only by the sound of a distant church bell or the song of a bird.
Wander in solitude through sun-dappled vineyards or along a deserted sandy beach. Or bathe in the mountain spa waters.
Such simple, carefree pleasures make you feel that this is the place where you belong: a home from home.
A place where you will always want to return.

MARKET’S DEMAND

Major Markets - The majority of Solares de Portugal customers are English, followed by Portuguese, Dutch, Germans, French, Canadians, Americans, Spanish and Scandinavians,- roughly in that order. These are largely families or couples of approx. 40-60 years old; the Portuguese and Spanish markets tending to be younger, of about 30-40 years. All the external markets are growing, with Dutch and Overseas Markets (E.U.A., Brazil, Australia and Italy), being the most rapid. Additionally, new contacts have been initiated with Belgium and Austria. The network of Europe of Traditions under the internet website is responsible for a important marketing development as an example all the sites of www.europetraditions.com; www.europe-traditions.com; www.europe-traditions.org; www.europetraditions.eu.

National Central Booking for rural tourism - CENTER

TURIHAB and ATA joined formally to develop a central booking CENTER. The Center has as it’s first objective the marketing and promotion of the brands. Solares de Portugal and Aldeias de Portugal. The high technology is used for the administration of reservations with the CENTERnet system and the advertising both brands at www.center.pt. This system was developed for the following reasons:
- It was more feasible for the houses to negotiate with tour operators, as Solares de Portugal can offer a total of over 1500 beds, whereas a single house can only offer 4/5 rooms; tour operators cannot risk dealing with so few bed spaces.
- The elected working committees have the necessary knowledge of the tourism industry, in order to carry out these negotiations successfully to the greatest advantage of the TURIHAB members.

- It is simply far more convenient for all concerned to have a central point of contact, for reservations and promotional objectives with an online system “Centernet”.
Reservations are made directly on the webstite www.solaresdeportugal.pt or to CENTER, by e-mail info@center.pt, fax: +351 258 931 320 or Tel: +351 258 931 750. CENTER will then do its utmost to confirm each reservation or to offer alternatives. Clients have to stay for a minimum of 2 nights in each house. Reservations can be distributed throughout the different regions, within the houses mentioned previously.

Internationalization of Solares de Portugal

Solares de Portugal and four other associations in the EU formed EUROPA TRADITIONAE CONSORTIUM (in 1996), under the management of TURIHAB. The other consortium members are: Château Accueil, France; Wolsey Lodges, United Kingdom; Hidden Ireland, Ireland; and Erfgoed Logies, Holland; and in 2004 the Slovenian association Hises of Tradicijo became also member. ETC is a non-profit organization. The common objectives of its members are: to promote a unique product - quality accommodation in private homes; to promote tourism to Europe, particularly from Japan, America and Australia; to work towards the conservation and development of the culture and heritage of member countries and regions. The objectives of the Consortium are supported by the European Parliament and a presentation of ETC to the Parliament was made in February 1998. In this year was developed a new project to enlarge the consortium towards east countries under the Ecus Overture Project. The overall objective of the project is to contribute to the development of rural soft tourism in Slovenia, Western Hungary and Northern Bavaria, though the creation of regional/national networks of castles, farm and country houses, and offering private accommodation. We look further and the association between partners of Europe of Traditions and Mercosul started. It was agreed to implement the same concept of family homes and presented a partnership in Brazil with the creation of the consortium “Fazendas do Brasil” - www.fazendasdobrasil.com.
Following the concept of Solares of Portugal, five new associations had been created in 2006 to be integrated in the Europe of Traditions, under the project ETC – a bridge between Euro regions.
In Spain the association of Casas Grandes de Espania, in Italy, the association of Casa Della Tradizione, in Austria, the association of Tradition Österreich, in Slovenia, the association Hise s Tradicijo and in Hungary, the association Magyar Vendégváró Ódon Házak Egyesület - Houses of Tradition.
Theses associations provide special places to stay and help to preserve important patrimony and architectural heritage and to enrich the local economy.
As a result of this project the number of houses available through Europe of Traditions will increase from 422 to nearly 500.
The main task of the new members will be to work in harmony to promote the philosophy of Europe of Traditions that represents Centuries of European history and Culture - www.europetraditions.eu.

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