Who We Are

APECATE - Associação Portuguesa de Empresas de Congressos, Animação Turística e Eventos (Portuguese Association of Congress, Events, Outdoor Leisure and Cultural Activity Companies), founded by public deed on 17 January 2007, is a non-profit civil association that results from the merge of three associations: APOPC - Associação Portuguesa de Organizadores Profissionais de Congressos (Portuguese Association of Professional Congress Organizers), PACTA - Associação Portuguesa de Empresas de Animação Cultural e de Turismo de Natureza e Aventura (Portuguese Association of Cultural Animation, Nature and Adventure Tourism Companies), and AOPE - Associação de Organizadores Profissionais de Eventos (Association of Professional Event Organizers).
 
The reasons that motivated this merge result not only from the natural complementarity and progressive inter-penetration between the three sectors but, also, from the fact that the three associations profoundly identify with each other in so far as their points of view as to the main problems in the sectors which they represent, with products that co-substantiate what is most innovative in Tourism within Portugal.
 
APECATE inherits, thus, the work, the projects, and the prestige of its three founding associations and assumes, now, with more strength, greater means, and new resources, the representation of these sectors and the responsibility to support their needs and serve their interests.

How APECATE operates

A merge between associations which represent the three and complementary distinct sectors of economic activity only makes complete sense when grounded on the recognition of the identity of each of them and has the aim of strengthening their natural synergies.

The core of this merge is expressed, very clearly, in APECATE´s statutes concerning the so-called Specialised Sections.

The Specialised Sections - from the onset three (Events, Congresses, and Outdoor Leisure and Cultural Activities) - have as duty to handle specific professional problems in its branch of activity.

The importance given to them is clear: they are part of the Association's board members, along with the Executive Board, of the General Assembly and Supervisory Board, each of which has a representative with a seat, by inherence, on the Association´s Executive Board.  Moreover, only the members of the Executive Board of Specialised Sections may compete with the position of Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Association.

These organics are considered the crucial instrument of the merge since:

• They guarantee the continuity of the work developed up until now by each founding associations and a transition of their assets into the new association;
• They represent a step forward relative to the work of the founding associations: by enabling a member to participate in the work of various sections, it creates the necessary conditions so that, within the scope of a sole association, all companies be supported with the aim which includes, simultaneously, the organisation of events, congresses and activities in tourist animation;
• Promote, as Executive Board, the "unity in diversity" which motivated this merge, contributing decisively towards the creation of new and advantageous relations between people and the three sectors;
• Finally, in admitting the possibility of creating other specialised sections, it asserts itself as a merge open to other sectors of activity which are complementary to congresses, events, and tourist animation.

These are the APECATE´s aims: to gather efforts, foment the professional union, deepen cooperation between members, and assert the strategic importance of these sectors towards the development of Tourism in Portugal.

The Activitiy Plan which APECATE proposes to develop includes, amongst other aspects, actions within the scope of Training, Company Certification, and Promoting internal and external markets.