Since then, the Pohl family and business have grown hand in hand. Shortly after the Vila Vita group's first hotel opened its doors in Dinklage, Germany, in 1990, Vila Vita Parc was born in Porches in 1992. "We're currently present in three countries - Germany, Portugal and Austria, but it's on our horizon to expand into other geographies," says the general manager of the brand which, in Portugal, also owns Herda- de dos Grous, in Beja.
With the death of Anneliese and Reinfried in 2008 and 2014, respectively, their children Reinfried Jr. and Andreas now lead the multimillion-dollar family empire, divided into multiple business segments, especially the financial area, but they make a point of keeping one foot and one heart on the Algarve coast. "Every member of the family has a home here and the main family vacations are still in the Algarve," says Kurt Gillig, saying that the passion has already spread to the younger generations. "The Pohl's have eight grandchildren and this third generation of the family also has investments in Portugal, especially in the Algarve."
The same desire to "continue investing in Portugal" also drives the Vila Vita group, which plans to start building a hotel next year that is expected to be ready in 2026, says Kurt Gillig.
From the cliff top where it has been looking out to sea for 31 years, Vila Vita Parc remains equally committed to expanding its horizons, confirms the general manager. "In these three decades, we've built up a very good reputation internationally and expanded beyond the traditional market. If in the beginning we were mainly sought after by Germans and Brits, traditionally the two main nationalities present in the Algarve in the summer months, this year the majority of our customers are Americans," he explains.
After all, "Portugal and the Algarve are increasingly top destinations, with growing demand" and Vila Vita Parc's figures reflect this, assures Kurt Gillig. According to the hotel's general manager, "2023 is going to be an absolute record year and, in 2024, we expect to surpass these results". For the times to come, the big challenge lies in "looking at tourism in the Algarve in a sustainable way", he warns. "More than quantity, we have to focus on quality tourism and ensure that future generations can continue to take advantage of this natural treasure," says Kurt Gillig.
With this goal in mind, it's important to guarantee "more efficient and more sustainable" transportation for the region, says the general manager of Vila Vita Parc, an advocate of using Beja airport. "Faro and Lisbon airports are at the limit of their capacity and we have the fully functional Beja airport, which is still not being used," he laments. For the head of this hotel, it is also "essential to invest in a connection between Seville, Faro and Lisbon, by train", without forgetting the importance of "developing the Algarve's infrastructures in an articulated way". "The different cities have to work together and realize that there is only one Algarve," he says.
With more than 30 years of history, but permanently "committed to the future", Vila Vita Parc also prides itself on "doing its part to promote a circle of sustainability", stresses Kurt Gillig, who gives some examples of this commitment. "We have won several distinctions in terms of sustainability. We were one of the first hotels in the region to have water treatment and we are committed to continuing to contribute to more efficient water management. We have invested in using photovoltaic energy, our fleet is mostly made up of electric or hybrid vehicles and we try to minimise our footprint, giving preference to local producers whenever possible. And we always work to make our customers aware of this issue, from which we get great feedback," he points out.
Anywhere in Vila Vita Parc's 22 hectares, connectivity is another "indispensable" factor for linking the resort and its guests to the future, the general manager also points out. "Nowadays, customers always wants to be connected and over the years MEO Empresas has been an excellent partner in guaranteeing an excellent telecommunications network," said Kurt Gillig.