It was with the objective of promoting this image that the entity partnered with the Financial Times newspaper at the FTWeekend Festival, an event where writers, scientists, politicians, cooks, artists and journalists give lectures and debate topics such as the climate, the environment or culture.

"Following the pandemic, what we realised is that people wanted different things, original, alternative, that have a great connection with the component of the planet, of the people, with sustainability as a hat", said Araújo to Lusa News Agency.

The event, aimed at an “exclusive” market is "an opportunity to leave the tourism or travel bubble, associated with the Portuguese brand (...) to arts, architecture, finance, technology".

The FTWeekend Festival has been running since 2016 at Hampstead Heath Park in north London and attracts more than 3,000 people every year, with the normal access ticket price being £119 (€138).

Speakers and participants included Russian businessman and opponent Mikhail Khodorkovsky, former health minister Matt Hancock, chef Nadiya Hussain and interior designer Lulu Lytle.

The program included three panels especially dedicated to Portugal, which included a Portuguese wine tasting led by critics Jancis Robinson and Julia Harding, a workshop where chef Nuno Mendes, (who opened the Lisbon restaurant in London this year) cooked Portuguese codfish brás style (Bacalhau à Brás) and seafood rice as well as an interview between Luís Araújo and Portuguese professional surfer Nic Von Rupp about the waves at Nazaré.

"We want to show a different Portugal, which has prepared itself during these two years, and which is more than ready to receive tourists looking for alternative destinations. The Douro, Porto and North were among the regions that have grown most in recent years, along with the Centre region, the Alentejo and the Azores," stressed the president of Portugal Tourism.