As part of the REVIVE program, the Hoti Hotéis Group signed, last Thursday, the concession contract for the rehabilitation and tourist exploration of the Palace of Condes Dias Garcia, in São João da Madeira, in an investment that amounts to 7 million euros. The exploration contract will run for 50 years.
[dropcap]B[/dropcap]uilt at the turn of the 19th century to the 20th century, this Palace is one of the most beautiful architectural examples of the so-called “houses of Brazilians”, built by António Dias Garcia, born in São João da Madeira, who made his fortune in Brazil.
The Palace has been owned by the City Council since September 1964 and will now take on a new life as a superior 4-star hotel, by the hands of Hoti Hotéis. The hotel is scheduled to open in late 2022.
“Despite the difficult conditions at the moment, which cause many unexpected obstacles, we believe that it will be possible to start exploration in 2022-2023. With this unit, the Group will be present and ensure a qualified hotel offer in one of the most important business and industrial centers in the country, rehabilitating a building of great historical value, leveraging our response in the Corporate market as well as the strengths of our Industrial Tourism program” declares Manuel Proença, President of the Hoti Hotéis Group. “Our Group has already proved its experience in boosting business tourism in the north of the country. In São João da Madeira, we intend to play a leading role for the region’s industry”.
The contract signing session took place on October 29 and was attended by the Secretary of State for Tourism, Rita Marques; the Assistant Secretary of State for Cultural Heritage, Ângela Ferreira; the Mayor of São João da Madeira, Jorge Sequeira; the Vice President of Turismo de Portugal, Teresa Monteiro and the President of Tourism of Porto and North of Portugal, Luís Pedro Martins (represented by Susana Ribeiro).
During the session, Ângela Ferreira, Deputy Secretary of State for Cultural Heritage, highlighted the importance of valuing historical heritage through its careful use in tourist developments, while Secretary of State for Tourism, Rita Marques, praised the courage and affirmation of the Hoti Hotéis Group at national level and their participation in the Revive program, highlighting the role of the entire team in the construction of the Group.
The REVIVE program invests in the recovery of public properties of high patrimonial value that are not being enjoyed by communities and their visitors, through private investments that make them suitable for allocation to a profitable economic activity, preserving architectural values, cultural, social and environmental aspects of the built heritage.
