Renaissance Porto Lapa Hotel Hosts Wine Conversations During Wine & Travel Week 2026

Source: Magazine Imobiliário

Porto City Council is promoting, on February 23, the talk “Wine Power – A Diplomatic Terroir,” hosted at the Renaissance Porto Lapa Hotel, dedicated to the role of wine as an instrument of soft power and a strategic asset for the international affirmation of territories, as part of Wine & Travel Week 2026.

Renaissance Porto Lapa Hotel will give the stage to Wine & Travel Week 2026 with a session that takes place at 7 p.m., followed by a dinner reserved for event guests. Confirmed participants include George Sandeman (EX AMPULLA), Paul Symington (Symington Family Estates), and Gustavo Tutuca, Secretary of State for Tourism of Rio de Janeiro. The Mayor, Pedro Duarte, and the Councillor for Tourism and Internationalization, Hugo Beirão, will also be in attendance.

According to the Municipality, the objective is to reflect on wine as a “strategic asset of economic and cultural diplomacy,” capable of “opening doors, building trust, and projecting internationally” a country or a region, positioning itself as an ambassador of the territory, the landscape, the culture, and the lifestyle.

Quoted in a municipal note, Hugo Beirão highlights the commitment to wine and gastronomy as an axis of international positioning: “Porto is not visited. It is felt. And if there is a place where you discover the essence of the city and its people, it is at the table.” The Councillor also argues for a “concerted” strategy with the Douro and Vinho Verde regions to transform “recognized excellence” into a “strong global brand.”

The initiative is part of the Wine & Travel Week program, which runs from February 19 to March 1 and brings together tour operators, buyers, specialized journalists, and leaders from the wine and wine tourism sector from more than 20 nationalities. Over eight days, business meetings, guided tastings, immersive experiences, and technical visits are planned.