The inclusion of Portugal in the United Kingdom's list of safe countries to travel to was deserved "for some time" and will open a window of opportunity that the Algarve region "should make the most of", João Fernandes, president of Turismo do Algarve stated this week.
This comes as a response to the British Government's decision, announced yesterday by the United Kingdom's Secretary of State for Transport on Twitter
“We have September and October still with good weather for beachgoing, but we have, above all, new motivations for visiting, which find their peak season in this period, namely golf, which is a major reason for visiting the region”, he told the Sul Informação newspaper.
It should also be kept in mind that “September will be marked by the Portugal Masters”, in the the world of golf, and in October there will be Formula 1 and Moto GP races held in Portimão. “At this moment, for the next four months of the year we still have opportunities. We have to guarantee that we have used all its potential”, added a satisfied Fernandes.
“There is a feeling here that, finally, the safety that exists in Portugal is recognized, specifically here in the Algarve, the main tourist destination of the British”, he illustrated. This is good news in double dose for Turismo do Algarve, taking into account that it means, not only, that British tourists will be able to travel to our country without having to go through a 14 day isolation period on their way home, but also that the board’s recent campaign on UK television was set up at the ideal time.
“We have campaigns underway for the United Kingdom, with airlines, with online operators, with travel agencies and even with Channel 5”, recalled Fernandes.
"The timing was perfect, so that our communications also came at a time when the air corridor opens, lifting restrictions," he added.
The president of Turismo do Algarve stressed that the moment chosen to move forward with this investment “will serve to raise awareness of the region and place the opportunity to travel to the Algarve in the front of the mind of tourists - many still travelled with the conditions in force”.
Although promotion campaigns targeting the United Kingdom are already underway, the tourism board does not intend to stop there. “We are planning to reinforce our campaigns in the United Kingdom.” “The message to be conveyed is a positive one: that we are a safe destination and that we maintain the attributes that are recognized in the Algarve, as the best beach destination in Europe and the best golf destination in the world, where nature tourism is practiced during winter, with good weather conditions”, concluded Fernandes.
Comments
Agree with the comment about the UK!!!
In PT economic growth was 2.0% in 2019 and projected to be ~1.7% this year before the pandemic, now (EU economic forecast) at -9.8%! With public debt at ~120% of GDP and public spending at around -1.2% of GDP. Whatever growth was achieved has been on the back of the tourist industry since 2008 and the impact of no tourists is shown in the current forecasts. Any economy that relies so heavily on cheap booze and food is not a real economy that can be sustained in the long term. Too many references in the media to address the “begging” comment, but go back a few issues of the ADN to see the “cap in hand” approach from the government for the past months.
And the comment on "failing economy" Portugal's economy has grown by 3.0 percent in the past 2 years, but if you really want to see a failing economy, just take a look at Britain, unfortunately it's already in recession, and it hasn't even left the EU yet, it's worrying to think what will happen after 31st December!
No sight of any reforms or changes. So much for the “pause” caused by COVID to assess current economies and plan for the new normal! Just the same old, worn, tired begging for tourists to help take the load off a failed economy, never mind the multiple bail outs and the the gross tax abuses (23% on electricity to name one!) employed on its own population with the lowest minimum wage in the EU outside of the Eastern Bloc.