Who We Are
The Sintra Tourism Association, ATSintra is a private association of companies and entities linked to tourism that develop their activity in the region of Sintra.
It was founded by a group of six hoteliers, who were drawn together by the same concerns and whose aim was to boost the current tourist reality in the region, giving value to what is local, with the clear objective of national and international promotion of the brand Sintra.
Currently the Members of ATSintra are related to the areas of hotel and local accommodation, tourist animation, catering and commerce.
Mission
"Empowering the Sintra Brand"Encourage and facilitate the dialogue and debate of ideas amongst the various entities related to the sector, contributing to the establishment of partnerships both at the private level and with public entities, so that the experience of the tourist and those who visit Sintra is the most pleasurable possible. Contribute to the adoption of good practices in various areas, aiming at the recognition of Sintra as a destination of superior quality.
Board of Members Profile
Board of Members for the triennium 2021/2024, elected on august 9, 2021 at the Electoral General Assembly.
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Chairman - Joana Pascoal
Joana Justino Pascoal, a native of Sintra, studied at the S. José College, Quinta do Ramalhão, and graduated in Law from the University of Coimbra. She joined a family project to reconstruct urban heritage into hotels. She is the managing director of a company that oversees the Sintra Bliss Hotel ***, Sintra Boutique Hotel **** and several tourist apartments, a business that incorporates about 100 beds in the historical centre of Sintra.
Vice – Chairman - Ana Vidal
Ana Vidal (Lisbon, 1957) studied Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations. Her professional activity has been always developed in areas linked to Communication: journalism, copywriting, press relations and creative writing. She has collaborated with several publications as a columnist. In recent years she dedicated her work to cultural projects in the context of Lusophony. She is also a lyricist.As a writer, she has seven books published (poetry, short story and anthology).
She is a member of SPA - Portuguese Authors Society, and P.E.N. - Poets, Essayists and Novelists International Club.
Secretary - Sónia Costa
Sónia Costa, experienced professional with a demonstrated history of working in the Marketing and Advertising, has been a Partner in the company LAS Tours Sintra Animação Turística since 2014.She developed her professional activity from 1996 to 2019 in the Commercial area of Marketing and Advertising in Impala, one of the major portuguese media groups. Currently, she's the Head of Public Relations, Customer Support and Management of Communication Channels at LAS Tours Sintra.
She accepted the challenge to join ATS with great enthusiasm, motivated by the mission and values that this Association stands for. She believes that joining people with different academic and professional backgrounds will take Turismo in Sintra to another level.
Treasurer - Virpi Oliveira
Virpi is the owner and manager of Casa do Valle B&B. She has a BA in Communication Consultancy, MA in HRD and International Marketing, and an EdD in Adult Education. Before starting in the tourism industry, she was a management/organizational consultant and a trainer; a lecturer in various universities in the fields of management and communication; and she still continues free-lance training and coaching. Born in Finland, she is an active hiker and mountain biker.