World’s Best Tourism Films of the Year Celebrated in Guimarães
Guimarães, Portugal, took center stage in the global tourism and creative industries on 6 December 2025, hosting the 37th World Tourism Film Awards, the culminating event of the prestigious CIFFT Circuit — the world’s leading competition for tourism audiovisual productions.
Held at the historic Teatro Jordão, the ceremony celebrated 32 outstanding tourism films from 17 countries, recognizing the most impactful, creative, and strategically effective destination campaigns of the year. The event reinforced Guimarães’ growing reputation as a cultural and creative hub within Portugal and Europe.
A Global Benchmark for Tourism Storytelling
Winners were determined based on performance across nine international tourism film festivals throughout the year, as well as their position in the official CIFFT Rankings. Awards were presented across five core categories:
- City Promotion
- Region Promotion
- Country Promotion
- Tourism Products
- Tourism Services
Two additional honors were also presented:
- Tourism Press Award – recognizing editorial and narrative excellence
- GreenWorking Awards – highlighting sustainability-driven productions
Top Winners of 2025
Among the most celebrated achievements:
- Switzerland Tourism secured first place in Country Promotion for the third consecutive year with Falling for Autumn, featuring tennis legend Roger Federer and actor Mads Mikkelsen.
- La Guajira, Colombia won Region Promotion for Discover La Guajira.
- Conil, Spain took City Promotion with Conil, where land and sea embrace.
- Turismo de Portugal earned first place in Tourism Products for Portugal’s Unwritten Recipe.
- In Tourism Services, first place was shared between:
- NURI – The Secret of Nuri (Portugal)
- Centro Danza Matadero by Madrid Destino (Spain)
Strong International Presence
Other highly recognized contributors included:
Slovenia, Sweden, Montenegro, Austria, Croatia, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Spain, Denmark, Poland, Japan, Ecuador, and Switzerland — illustrating the truly global reach of the awards.
Portugal, as host nation, achieved remarkable visibility with multiple recognitions, including awards for Turismo de Portugal, as well as distinctions for Lobby Films & Advertising in collaboration with municipalities such as Manteigas, Fundão, Oleiros, and CIM Beiras e Serra da Estrela.
Spotlight on Sustainability
The GreenWorking Awards, developed in partnership with UN Tourism, highlighted best practices in environmentally responsible filmmaking. French production company Zéké Film received both the Message Award and Production Award, while Mashpi Lodge (Ecuador) won the Global Award for the most impactful sustainable tourism production of the year.
Voices from the Industry
Alexander V. Kammel, Director of CIFFT, emphasized the significance of Guimarães as host:
“These productions represent the very best of modern audiovisual tourism promotion. Guimarães and Northern Portugal provided an exemplary setting, reinforcing the vital role of creativity and innovation in tourism.”
Ricardo Araújo, Mayor of Guimarães, framed the event as a strategic milestone for the city:
“Hosting the 2025 World Tourism Film Awards marks the beginning of a broader strategy to strengthen our destination’s appeal, extend visitor stays, and stimulate our local economy.”
Luís Pedro Martins, President of Tourism Porto & North of Portugal, added:
“Choosing Guimarães was the right decision — this event has significantly boosted the international visibility of the Porto and North Region.”
Looking Ahead to 2026
With more than 4,000 tourism videos evaluated annually, the CIFFT Circuit remains the gold standard in destination storytelling. Submissions for the 2026 edition are already open, promising another year of innovation in tourism media.
For the complete list of winners, visit: www.cifft.com
