VMPS – Águas e Turismo, S.A., a Super Bock Group company headquartered in Vila Pouca de Aguiar, has established itself as one of the main drivers of economic and social development in Portugal’s interior, generating an impact of €190 million nationwide.

According to the study “Assessment of the Socioeconomic Impact of VMPS”, conducted by the Faculty of Economics of the University of Porto in April this year, the company plays a significant role in promoting territorial cohesion and economic growth in the Alto Tâmega and Barroso region, while also helping to combat depopulation in Portugal.

At the local level, the company’s turnover represents around 24% of the total business volume in the municipality of Vila Pouca de Aguiar, while the gross value added (GVA) it generates accounts for approximately 31% of local business GVA (contribution to GDP) in 2024.

In the Alto Tâmega and Barroso region, VMPS generated an economic impact of more than €91 million and approximately €32 million in gross value added. At the national level, the company’s total accumulated impact reached nearly €190 million in output, around €70 million in gross value added, and approximately €30 million in employee compensation.

In addition to its economic contribution, VMPS also plays an important social role, generating direct, indirect, and induced employment in territories facing demographic challenges. In total, the company supports 278 direct jobs, including 134 in its tourism operations and 144 in its production facilities.

Part of the Super Bock Group since 2002, VMPS maintains its headquarters in Vila Pouca de Aguiar and remains the Group’s only company located outside Matosinhos. Its activities include the extraction and bottling of natural mineral waters, notably the Água das Pedras brand, as well as tourism operations through Pedras Salgadas Spa & Nature Park and the Vidago Palace Hotel.

In recent years, VMPS has invested approximately €40 million in the Pedras Salgadas Production Centre, further strengthening and modernising its operations.