Green Destinations

Vila Verde has been awarded the prestigious international Green Destinations Silver Award (Green Destinations | GREEN DESTINATIONS AWARDS PROGRAM). This distinction is granted by Green Destinations, a global non-profit organisation that supports tourism destinations in pursuing sustainable and responsible development. Through its Green Destinations Standard, which is formally recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), the organisation assesses, rewards and promotes destinations that demonstrate a genuine commitment to environmental protection, cultural preservation and social well-being.

Throughout the evaluation process, the municipality was assessed against a set of global criteria organised into six key areas: destination management, nature conservation, environment and climate, social well-being, business and communication, and culture and tradition. In the final assessment, Vila Verde achieved an outstanding average score of 7.3 out of 10, earning the highest possible score of 9 out of 9 in the Culture and Tradition category.

This recognition is fully aligned with the Vila Verde Tourism Strategy 2035, which identifies sustainable destination certification as a top priority for the coming years. By promoting and preserving our culture and traditions, encouraging circular economy practices, and investing in soft mobility solutions, we are working every day to strengthen the positioning of “Vila Verde 100% Green” as a destination of excellence to visit, invest in and live in.