The World of Wine (WOW) is an expansive cultural district that welcomes all visitors, offering an enriching experience that adds significant value to the region, but that's only one part of the Fladgate Partnership. It also includes The Vintage House boutique hotel, the Quinta do Panascal and Quinta da Roêda vineyards and the luxury of The Yeatman Hotel in Porto. The IPBN sat down with the Managing Director of Tourism for the Fladgate Partnership, Bernardo Marquez to find out more.

WOW celebrates Portuguese culture, history, values, and its key industries. Born from renovated old port warehouses, WOW creates a vibrant cultural district that houses six permanent museums, a museum for temporary exhibitions of international significance, twelve restaurants and bars, shops, and a wine school. At the core of the district lies a spacious open-air square, offering panoramic views of the River Douro and Porto’s historic skyline—an ideal spot to savor the beauty of the city.

Bernardo Marquez became involved with the WOW project after Mr. Adrian Bridge, the CEO of The Fladgate Partnership and host and speaker at the IPBN's recent Tourism Conference, introduced it to him. He was truly amazed by the vision, and immediately felt a strong desire to be part of the exceptional and impactful initiative for the North of Portugal.

Bernardo told the IPBN, "Taking on the role of General Manager at WOW was both a challenge and an exciting opportunity for me. My background has always been in the world of distribution, so this new venture was a significant shift. However, after my first conversation with Mr. Bridge and particularly after seeing the project firsthand—encompassing not only the WOW cultural district but also the Taylor’s and Fonseca Port wine cellars—I realized that this would indeed be a challenge. I am someone who thrives on challenges, and this one, both personally and professionally, was one I eagerly embraced."

WOW offers a comprehensive 360º experience, featuring up to seven museums, twelve gastronomic spaces, and an array of ongoing events. Managing such a dynamic project requires constant innovation and adaptability, yet it also offers ample opportunities for professional growth across various domains. For instance, the Atkinson Museum, which is dedicated to art exhibitions, is currently negotiating upcoming shows with internationally renowned artists, further enhancing the project's cultural impact.

"Leveraging my experience in management and team building, as well as my background in sales and marketing, I have focused on creating high-performance teams," according to Bernardo. He continued, "The strategy has been to target key markets and strengthen the presence of WOW, along with the group’s other brands, in these markets by unifying the tourism segments within the group."

The team is actively enhancing its communication strategy in select markets, while simultaneously establishing strategic agreements with distribution groups, DMCs and travel agencies/tour operators in key regions. They aim to position WOW as a cultural reference in those markets to bring visitors to enjoy its 360 experiences. Ireland, for example, serves as an excellent illustration of this approach.

But what is the 360 experience and what's the best way to access it? The perfect plan is to dedicate an entire day to exploring WOW. Visitors can choose the museums they wish to explore, select from a variety of restaurants, and enhance their experience with a wine or chocolate workshop. Those who stay into the evening are rewarded with the daily video mapping show in the central square. Additionally, WOW serves as a cultural catalyst, with a constantly evolving agenda offering compelling reasons to return.

Aligned with this concept, our goal is to contribute to sustainable tourism in the region. Rather than focusing solely on increasing the number of tourists, the team aims to encourage longer stays. By inviting visitors to spend an entire day at WOW—and with so much to experience—it’s possible to nearly double the average stay.

According to Bernardo, "We officially opened on July 31st, 2020, during the challenging pandemic period. In the early years, our primary market was domestic. However, by 2023, we had a fully operational year, welcoming both international and domestic visitors. The business continues to grow steadily, year after year, in line with the evolving tourism trends in the Northern Portugal region. We are experiencing growth across all our diverse business segments, including WOW and the Cellars. We already have the capacity to accommodate more visitors and we are forecasting double-digit growth in the coming year."

Bernardo and the WOW team are extending a warm invitation to all readers and IPBN members to discover the Porto region, and hope those who attended the recent Tourism Conference and got to know this space already will return. 

Bernardo told the IPBN, "In the Douro region, we offer The Vintage House, a charming boutique hotel, along with Quinta do Panascal and Quinta da Roêda, where guests can experience the region's rich heritage and exceptional vineyards. In Porto, we invite you to indulge in the luxury of The Yeatman Hotel, a prestigious wine hotel and spa, offering an unparalleled experience in the heart of the city. This combination of destinations provides the perfect opportunity to learn more about the unique culture of the region and its renowned wine traditions."

And of course, if you're visiting Porto, it’s mandatory to reserve an entire day to enjoy WOW, the cultural district!