“Hortas do Minho” winners of the Innovation Award

Plako was the big winner of the Minho Tourism innovation award, in the category of new ideas.

The idea, which consists in renting plots of land for the cultivation of organic gardens that will produce food to be sent anywhere in the world, combines information technology and the internet to shorten distances between the customer and his garden through web software and directional video cameras.

It also invests in tourism by attracting groups of friends or family for a closer experience with the rural life that is still very strong in the Minho region.

The initiative “Hortas do Minho” resulted from Plako’s concern with environmental and sustainability issues and complements other tourism activities that already exist in the space, such as guided tours to the Utopia Space, the  Amu.Bio greenhouses, existing brands in the group, and rental of the kitchen for showcookings and group lunches/dinners.

This contest, organized by CIMs of Cavado, Ave, and Alto Minho covers a region of 28 municipalities of Minho and is part of the project “PA10. Innovation, qualification, and entrepreneurship”, approved under the North 2020 – Provere – Program for Economic Enhancement of Endogenous Resources (collective efficiency strategies – Provere)” and comes to enhance tourism development of the Minho region and reward, annually, the best innovative projects related to tourism.