Tourism services and coastal tourism operators – Recognition of nature tourism activities
Tourism activities offered in areas within Portugal’s National System of Classified Areas (Sistema Nacional de Áreas Classificadas, SNAC) are considered to be nature tourism if they have been recognised as such by the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e das Florestas, ICNF).
Applications for recognition of nature tourism activities must be submitted on the platform of the National Register of Tourism Services Agents (Registo Nacional de Agentes de Animação Turística, RNAAT). Applications require adherence to the code of conduct.
Service channels
Procedure and requirements
Documentos and requirements
To apply for recognition of nature tourism activities, you will need to attach the following documents:
- All tourism services agents or operators: declaration of adherence to the code of conduct for nature tourism operators, completed and signed.
The declaration template will be available on the platform when you fill in your application for recognition. - Operators certified as SMEs by IAPMEI – Portugal’s Competitiveness and Innovation Agency– do not need to attach any documents because information is already shared between IAPMEI and Turismo de Portugal.
- Operators that are not certified as SMEs by IAPMEI can also apply for recognition of nature tourism activities. To do so, they must:
- Adhere to the Code of Conduct, available on the platform when applying for recognition of nature tourism activities
- And, in addition, attach a nature conservation project
To complete the application and attach the documents, you will need to log in.
To complete the application and attach the documents, you will need to sign in using one of the following means of authentication:
- Digital Mobile Key (Chave Móvel Digital, CMD)
- Portuguese Citizen Card (Cartão de Cidadão)
- Tax Identification Number (NIF) and password to access the Tourism portal
- Access data to the Finance portal (NIF and access password)
If you do not yet have a Digital Mobile Key, find out how to activate one.
If you want to use your Citizen Card, find out how to log in using this method.
Procedure
To apply for recognition of nature tourism activity, log in to the National Tourism Register portal and follow these steps:
- Under ‘Novos registos/comunicações’ [New registrations/notifications], select the options ‘Agentes de animação turística’ [Tourism services agents] and then ‘Comunicação prévia’ [Prior notification] and ‘Novo registo’ [New registration].
- Fill in the details of the tourism services agency to be registered
- Click on ‘Iniciar formulário’ [Start form] and complete all the required fields
- In the field about the activities that the company is authorised to carry out, please indicate that you intend to carry out activities in areas within the National System of Classified Areas (SNAC) and select the intended activities
- Click on ‘Voltar para continuar’ [Go back to continue]
- The ‘Reconhecimento turismo de natureza’ [Nature tourism recognition] field will appear.
- After filling in all the required fields and attaching all the completed and signed documents, submit the application.
If you have not submitted all the documents, you will not be able to proceed with the application.
Reviewing the application for recognition
The company cannot begin its activities before the application has been approved, or before the 20 working day period has elapsed.
Once the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF) has notified that it has approved the application, and once the 20 working day period has passed, the tourism services agent may use the designation ‘Turismo de Natureza’ [Nature Tourism] and the corresponding logo in all their communication materials.
How much
The cost of applying for recognition of nature tourism activity varies according to the size of the operator and type of recognition:
- Tourism services companies and coastal tourism operators, with or without nature tourism recognition:
- Micro-enterprise: EUR 91.28
- Non-micro-enterprise: EUR 136.93
- Tourism services companies operating exclusively in urban areas, without nature tourism recognition:
- Micro-enterprise: EUR 20.28
- Non-micro-enterprise: EUR 91.28
Ways to pay
Payment must be made by bank transfer to:
Turismo de Portugal, I.P.
IBAN PT50 0781 0112 9112 0001 9126 8
SWIFT/BIC IGCPPTPL
In the comments, please indicate your tax identification number (TIN) and name of the agency.
Legislation, refusals, contests, claims
Legislation
Decree-Law No 186/2015 of 3 September– Latest version of the legal framework establishing the conditions for access to and exercise of the activity of tourism services companies and coastal tourism operators.
Decreto – Lei nº 108/2009, de 15 de maio – Estabelece as condições de acesso e de exercício da atividade das empresas de animação turística e dos operadores marítimo-turísticos, na sua redação atual
Decree-Law No 149/2014 of 10 October approving the regulations governing vessels used in coastal tourism activities (RAMT).
Ministerial Implementing Order No 651/2009 of 12 June establishing the Code of Conduct for tourism services companies and coastal tourism operators engaged in activities recognised as nature tourism, and the logo identifying them.