Presenter Fátima Lopes and businessman Joe Berardo were honored with the tourism merit medal in 2008. The distinction was awarded by the Secretariat of State for Tourism, then led by Bernardo Trindade.
The announcement was made on September 21, 2008, with the award ceremony taking place on the 27th of the same month. The tourism merit medals aim to reward individuals or entities, national or foreign, who have provided services of exceptional importance to national tourism.
In Fátima Lopes' case, her 19th appearance at Paris Fashion Week, where she owned a store, was a contributing factor, aligning with the view that "fashion is helping to change Portugal's image abroad." Joe Berardo was recognized for his diverse business ventures.
