Regional Government welcomes Region’s nominations for 2026 Wanderlust Awards - Communication

Secretaria Regional do Turismo, Mobilidade e Infraestruturas

The Regional Government, through the Regional Secretariat for Tourism, Mobility, and Infrastructures, has welcomed the Region’s nominations for the prestigious awards hosted by the British travel magazine Wanderlust, with the awards ceremony scheduled to take place on November 4.

The Azores are nominated in the “Most Desirable Region in Europe” category alongside Algarve, while the island of São Miguel has been shortlisted for “Most Desirable Island in Europe.” In parallel, Lisbon and Porto are nominated for “Most Desirable City in Europe.”

These distinctions confirm the Azores’ international reputation as a sustainable, high-quality and unique travel destination capable of competing alongside Europe's top tourist destinations. 
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The Regional Secretary for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures, Berta Cabral, considered that these nominations represent “an important international recognition of the authenticity, sustainability and quality of the Azores’ tourism offer. They reflect the work carried out over recent years by public entities, economic stakeholders and local communities to promote the destination.”

“These distinctions strengthen the Azores’ position as a European and global benchmark in nature tourism, environmental conservation, and unique experiences—key drivers in our growing recognition in international markets,” she added.

Berta Cabral also extended her congratulations to other nominated national destinations—including Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve, and Madeira—as well as the tourism sector professionals who work daily to position Portugal as a safe, sustainable, and competitive destination.

The government official also expressed hope that these nominations will rally travellers and Wanderlust readers, leading to a high participation rate in the voting and securing the respective awards, which would be another source of pride for the Azores and Portugal.

Now in its 25th edition, the Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards stand as the UK’s largest consumer-voted travel awards, with over 200,000 voters expected to participate this year. 

Public voting is currently open and runs until October 27.