By: CHRIS GRAEME
WHAT IS claimed to be the largest and most comprehensive internet guide to the best places to eat in Portugal has been launched in Lisbon.
PI Media, a German company, says that the new portal in German, English and Portuguese is just the first of an “all-embracing, constantly updated” what’s on and lifestyle guide to Portugal, Madeira and the Azores.
Founded by German entrepreneur Alexander Coenen, CEO of PI Portugal Immobilien AG, a holding of PI Media, the Portugal-Portal already boasts details on 1,000 eateries the length and breadth of the country.
The guide also includes diners’ comments and tips, menu and wine list recommendations, restaurant reviews and information about the establishment’s cleanliness, customer service and whether it is disabled friendly and has a smoking area.
“We are planning to launch a lot of pages to give a complete lifestyle overview to the country, including a comprehensive What’s On listing so that tourists can get clued up to events, concerts, shows and exhibitions before they even touch down at the airport,” said Alexander Coenen.
Soon to be added is a Free Time Guide and Hotel Guide, with handy tips and off-the-beaten-track places to visit with overall information to suit all pockets. “This restaurant guide is just the first part of the portal and we intend to be the Number One Portugal site ‘Googled’,” said Coenen.
“Our objective is by the end of 2008 to be Portugal’s largest internet promoter in three languages,” said the CEO, who has also enlisted the cooperation of Olimar, the largest German tour operator in Portugal in the German, Swiss and Austrian markets. Together, this partnership is also planning to publish a tri-lingual gastronomic guide in book form in the summer which will be distributed for free.
Markus Zahn, managing director of Olimar, said that he was convinced that the portal and guide together would be extremely efficient at promoting the country as a tourist destination par excellence. It is expected that the portal will get around 300,000 hits a month.
For more information, please visit www.portugal-portal.com
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