The Ireland Portugal Business Network (IPBN) is delighted to announce the fifth edition of its annual Tourism Conference, taking place on Thursday, October 22nd at WELL Vale do Lobo, from 9h to 13h, followed by a light lunch and networking.
This year’s conference will focus on “Innovation (New Trends) in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry”, bringing together industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and experts from Ireland and Portugal to explore some of the most significant opportunities and challenges facing the sector.
The conference will examine how innovation is changing tourism across three key areas: technology and AI; local experiences, gastronomy, and the preservation of agriculture and land; and sustainability across sport and leisure.
With tourism continuing to evolve rapidly, the conference will provide a platform for participants to share practical experience, exchange ideas, and explore opportunities for greater collaboration between Ireland and Portugal.
Three conversations shaping the future of tourism
The conference programme will feature three panel discussions exploring the changing tourism landscape from different perspectives.
Tourism & Gastronomy – Preserving local agriculture, land, and products
The first panel will look at the growing importance of local food, gastronomy, and the preservation of agricultural land in creating authentic and sustainable tourism experiences. The conversation will explore how quality-assured local products can reach consumers while supporting the producers, communities, and landscapes behind them, with perspectives from both Ireland and Portugal and a contribution from Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board.
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the tourism industry, from personalised travel planning and intelligent conversational assistants to back-end hospitality operations, predictive maintenance and data-driven resource management.
The second panel will explore the increasingly accessible nature of AI and its potential to democratise innovation, allowing businesses of all sizes to develop and implement new ideas. Speakers will consider practical applications of AI across tourism and hospitality, supported by real-world case studies from the sector. The session will be moderated by Carlos Justino of WitFlow and Algarve TEC Campus.
The third panel will examine the relationship between sustainability, sport and leisure, exploring how businesses and destinations can balance environmental protection, social inclusion and economic viability.
The discussion will consider areas including sustainable facilities and operations, responsible events and tourism activities, and how the sector can respond to changing consumer expectations while continuing to deliver compelling experiences.
The conference will open with keynote perspectives from two leading voices in the Algarve.
André Gomes, Presidente do Turismo do Algarve, will deliver the opening keynote on innovation and the new challenges facing the tourism industry, setting the scene for the discussions that follow.
He will be joined by Dr Elizabeth Silva, Executive Coordinator of the newly designated Algarvensis UNESCO Global Geopark, who will bring a perspective on the importance of place, landscape and sustainable development within the region’s tourism ecosystem.
Together, the keynote sessions will provide an important context for the day's discussions and highlight the opportunities for the Algarve as tourism continues to evolve.
A key objective of the IPBN Tourism Conference is to highlight work and innovation taking place in both Ireland and Portugal, creating opportunities for knowledge-sharing, partnership and cooperation between the two countries.
The conference will bring together IPBN members, Executive Partners, tourism and hospitality professionals, entrepreneurs and key industry stakeholders for a morning of discussion, followed by networking over a light lunch.
The event is hosted at WELL Vale do Lobo, with the support of Essential Business, TNews, and the IPBN Executive Partners, alongside the conference's wider partners and sponsors.
Geoffrey Graham, Chair of the IPBN Board, will welcome guests at the opening of the conference.
Further details on speakers, panellists, and registration will be announced shortly.
Date: Thursday, 22 October 2026
Time: 09:00–13:00, followed by light lunch and networking
Location: WELL Vale do Lobo, Algarve
Stay tuned for further announcements and registration details.
| The IPBN is supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland under the ESP Grant programme |
