Portugal has committed to supporting São Tomé and Príncipe in the restoration of its colonial-era plantations (roças) and the professional training of its youth to bolster the archipelago’s tourism sector. The partnership was formalized today in the capital, São Tome, through a bilateral action plan spanning 2026–2028.
Signed by Portugal’s Secretary of State for Tourism, Commerce, and Services, Pedro Machado, and São Tomé’s Minister of Environment, Youth, and Sustainable Tourism, Nilda da Mata, the agreement centers on adapting Portugal’s successful “Revive” program. This model involves leveraging private investment to transform historic state-owned properties into tourism assets, specifically boutique hotels and cultural sites.
The primary goal of the heritage recovery is to increase the country’s lodging capacity and encourage longer stays. Pedro Machado highlighted that by creating more “tourist beds,” the initiative will drive consumption of local products, such as São Tomé’s world-renowned coffee and chocolate, as well as palm oil and traditional gastronomic experiences.
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Beyond infrastructure, a significant pillar of the agreement focuses on human capital. Portugal will provide specialized training for São-Tomean youth and professionals in hospitality, restoration, and customer service. According to Machado, the objective is to offer better-paying career paths and ensure that tourism becomes a stable source of national revenue.
Minister Nilda da Mata expressed optimism regarding the partnership, emphasizing that the time has come to transition from strategic documents to tangible action. To mark the beginning of this practical phase, a public tender to attract private investors was launched today during a ceremony at Roça Diogo Vaz, which is slated to be the first historic site transformed under this new public-private partnership.
