Cascais Tourism Board

Found on the Portuguese Riviera, the municipality of Cascais is an elegant blend of 19th-century architecture with culture, sun and sand. Historically a refuge for Portuguese nobility during the Second World War, much of its royal past can still be seen through its grand mansions and villas, dotted in between boutique hotels and trendy eateries.

Throughout the year, Cascais a range of events which gather visitors from all over the globe. The Ageas CoolJazz Festival takes place every July, and in previous years has seen the likes of Van Morrison, Lionel Richie and John Legend take the stage. In October, the classic car show Estoril Classics and the IRONMAN triathlon transform Cascais into the ideal destination for sport lovers. And for foodies, the annual Chefs on Fire gastronomy festival happens every September, with renowned national and international chefs cooking exclusively over a fire pit.

Earlier this year, Cascais was awarded the Green Destinations Platinum Award, signifying the region’s dedication to a sustainable approach to tourism and their continued commitment to protecting the environment and wellbeing of their community.

• In 2024, Cascais was awarded the Green Destinations Platinum Award, signifying the region’s dedication to a sustainable approach to tourism and their continued commitment to protecting the environment and wellbeing of their community.
• Being so close to Lisbon, Cascais utilises this proximity to the Portuguese capital by encouraging travellers to take a train to Cascais from Lisbon, even if it’s just for the day, to encourage slower travel and allowing visitors to tick even more destinations off of their travel bucket lists.

Lemongrass Marketing, a B Corp-certified travel communications agency, has delivered UK communications support for the Cascais Tourism Board for over a decade.

Client relationship length: 10 years.

Visit Cascais wanted to increase UK awareness of its key annual events - the Ageas CoolJazz Festival in July and the Chefs on Fire festival in September.

We treated the festivals as the news hook, not the destination

Rather than pitching Cascais as a place, we pitched CoolJazz and Chefs on Fire as events - drafting and distributing detailed press releases in the lead-up to each, targeted at media covering arts, culture and gastronomy rather than travel desks alone.

A travel editor receives fifty destination pitches a week. A music or food editor receives considerably fewer, and a festival gives them something their section actually needs.

We got journalists there, repeatedly

We've organised three group press trips since 2023, inviting key media to experience the events first-hand in exchange for dedicated coverage. Consistency matters here: one trip produces a burst, three across successive years produces a set of writers who know the destination and return to it unprompted.

200 pieces of coverage, 1,700+ brand mentions and a combined reach exceeding 1 billion.

How do you build UK awareness for a lesser-known destination? Anchoring outreach to dated events gives media a concrete news hook and gives travellers a reason to book. Visit Cascais's campaign focused on the Ageas CoolJazz Festival and Chefs on Fire, generating over 1 billion in reach.