A total of 113,000 euros was distributed equally to Acreditar (children cancer charity), Novo Futuro (charity for underprivileged children and youth), Existir (charity serving disabled people), Casa dos Rapazes (boys’ home), Unir (association supporting mentally disabled people and their families), Refúgio Aboim Ascensão (children’s home), Associação Portuguesa de Paralisia Cerebral – Faro (cerebral palsy association), Casa de Protecção à Rapariga (charity for the protection of teenage girls), Associação para o Planeamento da Família (family planning association) and Apatris (association supporting Down Syndrome sufferers).

Allgarve’s fundraising initiative is the Algarve Tourism Board’s way of contributing to the community, ensuring that this Christmas will be even brighter for the people under the care of the selected charities benefitting this year.

The secretary of state for tourism, Bernardo Trindade, along with the president of the Algarve Tourism Board, Nuno Aires, and vice-president of Tourism of Portugal, Frederico Costa, attended the ceremony held at the Algarve Tourism Board’s auditorium and welcomed representatives of the charities as well as hoteliers, mayors and sponsors of Allgarve.

The Allgarve Music events took place during the summer, representing a partnership between Tourism of Portugal and the Algarve Tourism Board, with the support of several câmaras and hotels in the region.

Joss Stone, Seal, Maria Rita, Roger Hodgson and Mariza were some of the internationally renowned artists who attracted thousands of people to the Algarve, thus contributing to the charitable face of Allgarve as well as raising the profile of the region as a cultural destination.

2010 allgarve

Meanwhile, the Algarve Resident reported earlier this month that the decision making process for the next Allgarve programme will be held in Faro instead of Lisbon, as has been the case in previous years.

For 2010, the Algarve Tourism Board is expected to have a team dedicated to the organisation of the fourth edition of Allgarve.

All 16 regional Câmaras will also be more involved in the programme next year, which will include existing annual events as well as new ones.

“We want to go beyond just summer events and increase the number of shows at other times of the year,” said Nuno Aires.

For 2010, Allgarve will have a three million euro budget supplied by the national tourist board, as well as a further 800,000 euros from the Algarve Tourism Board budget, private funds and funds from sporting events.