The best secrets of the Algarve, revealed by the people of the Algarve. This is the way the Algarve Tourism Board has found of renewing their approach to publicising tourism in the region, both domestically and abroad. “It is local people who will be giving tips to visitors about their favourite places” said Nuno Aires, president of the Algarve Tourism Board, and he asked: “When people go anywhere on holiday who gives them the best advice?”

The concept, presented by the companies Ativism and Flavour productions (the first is from Lisbon the second from the Algarve) is being unveiled at the moment at the Lisbon Tourism Fair, the Bolsa de Turismo de Lisboa, where the Algarve Tourism Board will be explaining its new approach to publicity, with a budget of some 300,000 euros, which has so far been kept secret. And the secret is much more than a ‘teaser’, it is the very basis of the communications strategy whose slogan will be “The Algarve, Europe’s most famous secret".

The campaign employs a number of "secret spreaders", the keepers and disseminators of the best secrets and places to visit in the region.

In addition, the campaign also includes the participation of the singer Viviane, responsible for the soundtrack of the promotional film. Eduardo Sousa of Flavour productions says that the serenity of the music, which is quite acoustic, is intended to affect people’s emotions and it contrasts with the normal rhythm of advertising; it appeals to the emotions and says that there are secrets that it is worth telling people about.

For his part, Nuno Jerónimo, the creative director of Ativism, an agency based in Lisbon, explained that that they had been asked to produce a surprising campaign which broke with the traditional way of promoting tourism and which would allow for an authentic and deeper experience. He added that he thought that the people of the Algarve were too proud of their region to keep it a secret and they would be the ones showcasing the Algarve.

The campaign will be making use of ordinary people – possibly some well-known ones – who will be the disseminators of secrets, revealing which hidden away places are just waiting to be visited.

Europe’s most famous secret will be appearing on television, on-line and in traditional media such as the press and the radio.

_{'tourism' 'media' 'algarve' 'secret'}