Parques de Sintra nominated for ‘World’s Leading Conservation Company’ at the World Travel Awards 2026

Parques de Sintra is among the nominees for the World Travel Awards 2026 in the ‘World’s Leading Conservation Company’ category, once again joining the organisations internationally recognised for their work in this field. Voting is open until 30 October.

The nomination marks further recognition of the Portuguese company’s work to conserve, restore and enhance the cultural and natural heritage in its care. Parques de Sintra manages landmark monuments and parks, including the National Palaces of Pena, Sintra and Queluz, the Palace of Monserrate, the Convent of the Capuchos and the Moorish Castle.

The company won the World Travel Award for ‘World’s Leading Conservation Company’ for thirteen consecutive years, from 2013 to 2025, and is now once again nominated for the global accolade in 2026.

‘This nomination is, in itself, significant international recognition of the work carried out every day by the teams at Parques de Sintra and of the way we have sought to fulfil our responsibility to conserve and enhance truly exceptional heritage,’ says João Sousa Rego, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Parques de Sintra.

‘We have a duty to preserve this heritage for the future, and excellence must therefore be our benchmark. Every conservation and restoration project combines technical rigour, scientific knowledge and sensitivity to heritage. This work often goes unseen, yet it is absolutely vital to ensuring that this legacy is passed on to future generations,’ he adds.

The major projects currently under way include the complete restoration of the Royal Chapel at the National Palace of Sintra and the restoration of the roofs of the Palace of Monserrate. Both projects reflect the scale and continuity of Parques de Sintra’s investment in heritage conservation.

Since November 2025, the company has been working to conserve and secure the structural stability of the roofs of the Palace of Monserrate and their associated structural elements, as well as to preserve the exterior wall surfaces. The project will continue until the end of the first quarter of 2027 and represents an investment of around €3 million.

April this year saw the start of work on the full conservation and restoration of the Royal Chapel at the National Palace of Sintra. With an investment of around 2.7 million euros, it is the most extensive intervention undertaken in this space in the past hundred years. The chapel’s multiple historical layers, varied materials and complex techniques make this a particularly demanding project, scheduled for completion in the second half of 2027.

Another major project is already on the horizon: the restoration of the Sanctuary of Peninha, which Parques de Sintra aims to enhance and open to the public. The first phase, involving an initial investment of around €1 million, will focus on restoring the Chapel of Our Lady of Penha, with the aim of halting the building’s deterioration, ensuring its stability and preserving its heritage features.

Established in 1993, the World Travel Awards recognise organisations and projects that demonstrate excellence in tourism internationally and are among the global tourism industry’s most prestigious accolades.

Voting for the 33rd edition of the World Travel Awards is open until the end of 30 October on the organisation’s official website. Both tourism professionals and members of the public can vote.

How to vote for Parques de Sintra:

- Register or log in at https://www.worldtravelawards.com/vote

- In the ‘SELECT A REGION’ box, choose ‘WORLD’

- In the ‘OUTSTANDING VOTES’ box, select ‘WORLD’S LEADING CONSERVATION COMPANY’ (no. 84; this number may change during the voting period)

- Select ‘PARQUES DE SINTRA - MONTE DA LUA, PORTUGAL’

- Log out

The winners of the World Travel Awards 2026 will be announced on 12 December in Tanzania, during the official awards ceremony.