MINERAL SPA


“We felt a great sense of social responsibility when we acquired the land, and so we undertook a huge project in order to rebuild these two 100-year-old parks” Paula Marques, Unicer representative and GM of Vidago


GOING TO THE SOURCE


Two mineral spa and leisure developments are making waves in Portugal – all thanks to investment from the country’s largest brewer. Julie Cramer finds out more


A


s one of Portugal’s biggest beverage companies, known for its Super Bock beer, Unicer might seem an unlikely business to be operating


two leisure, spa and nature parks in the country’s lesser developed northern region. Yet its opulently-restored Vidago Palace hotel, spa and park and eco-centred Pedras Salgadas nature park and thermal spa have been putting this corner of Portugal firmly on the tourist map since opening in 2010 and 2013 respectively. Despite this, the two sites – designed by


several acclaimed Portuguese architects – are still, according to Unicer, just a niche part of its €500m (US$622m, £396m) a year global drinks business (see p48).


46 spabusiness.com issue 1 2015 ©CYBERTREK 2015 So just how did the investments come


about and why did the company feel it would be a good move?


Social responsibility The development story of the parks, located 13km apart around two spa towns of the same name (Vidago and Pedras Salgadas), began when Unicer expanded into the bottled mineral water sector. In 2001 it purchased drinks company


Vidago Melgaço e Pedras Salgadas (VMPS) and automatically inherited 20 hectares (49 acres) containing two nature parks, which were the original source of the naturally carbonated mineral water. Paula Marques, Unicer representative and GM of Vidago, says: “With the acquisition of VMPS, Unicer achieved one of its strategic


goals – to become the main Portuguese beverage company, with its core business as a brewery and in bottled water – and to extend its activity to tourism.” “We felt a great sense of social


responsibility when we acquired the land, and so we undertook a huge project in order to rebuild these two 100-year-old parks. Unicer is well known as a company which cares about the preservation of national patrimony and identity.”


Renovation works The Vidago Palace Hotel, first built for royalty in 1910, reopened during its centenary anniversary year in 2010, with a rich and stylish new look created by interior architects José Pedro Vieira and Diogo Rosa Lã. In contrast to the ornate,


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