The Autocaravanism Reception Network in the Algarve Region was born (with infographics)

The Network for the Hosting of Motorhomes in the Algarve Region (RAARA) was born and includes 22 structures, including campsites (11), campervan service areas (6) and rural campsites (2).

The presentation of the Network took place this Friday at Camping Turiscampo, in Espiche (Lagos), one of the units that integrate RAARA and ended with the delivery of plaques of adherents to the founding structures.

But this Network is not closed, and it may even come to integrate other structures. Alexandre Domingues, from the Algarve Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDRA), one of the four entities that promote the Network (along with RTA, AMAL and ATA), said that «the network is still open», with «other areas of service working to integrate it'.

In all, revealed that technician, there were 25 initial candidacies, but three were excluded, due to manifest lack of compliance with the minimum requirements. Of the 22 approvals, 15 were without any constraints and seven with conditions, small problems that should be resolved "within a year".

Nuno Marques, vice-president of the CCDRA, highlighted the meetings held between that body and the various parks “to refine details”, as well as with the security forces, responsible for inspection and enforcement of the law: “this meeting was the certainty of that we are able to collaborate more closely”.

However, he warned, “a lot of work remains to be done in the future. From the outset, with regard to legislation”, a “new proposal for framing the activity” is currently being prepared, which will then be sent to the tutelage, to give rise to significant changes in the legal framework involving motorhomes.

Then, there is a lot of work to be done with the IMT, since «the current signage is very varied and confusing».

But the bottom line, as highlighted during the session by some owners of participating campsites, is that the creation of the Network does not end with the «informal» or «illegal» areas that exist all over the Algarve, especially close to to the coast. To end this, there needs to be changes in the law and more effective supervision.

Agnès Isern, host of the session while owner of Camping Turiscampo, expressed her commitment to being part of RAARA, but stressed that there is still a lot of work to be done: «60% of the motorhomes that come to the Algarve do so because they know that they authorize it here. parking even without rules».

Therefore, the businesswoman, who is also part of the Algarve Camping Parks Association, defended the need for the authorities to “inspect illegal service areas”. “We are legalized and received the visit of the ASAE, but these illegal areas are not. Why does a campsite have to pay for everything, have all the rules up to date and pay their taxes, but not a service area?”

“There are illegal service areas that are taking business away from legal areas and campsites. Who can help us? The GNR? The Chambers? No one is able to help us…», said Agnès Isern.

Fernando Inácio, from Camping de Armação de Pêra, stressed: «we have been meeting for so many years with meetings and more meetings and I hear that there will still be complications with motorhomes…»

In response, Nuno Marques, vice president of CCDRA, recalled that "informality and illegality are the cause of the work we have been doing so far" and that "there is still a lot of work to be done."

For his part, Desidério Silva, president of the Algarve Tourism Region (RTA), publicly made a commitment to the Camping Parks Association: «Give me a document with your questions, with everything you think is still necessary. to do, that I assume the commitment to hand it over to the appropriate entities, to the members of the Government, to the legislators».

David Santos, president of CCDRA, highlighted all the work done “over six or seven years” to reach the formalization of the Network. The goal, he said, is to end "the scenario of beaches where motorhomes are savagely installed on top of the dunes, even causing environmental problems."

Valentina Calixto, director of ICNF/Algarve, stressed that this organization "contacts directly with these problems" in protected areas. "We have a huge number of notices and administrative offenses raised by our services and by the SEPNA of the GNR." But, apparently, this is not enough to change the situation.

To learn how to deal with the problem, AMAL (another of the four entities that are part of the working group) will promote, on January 28th, a training for Municipal technicians, given by Ana Cláudia Guedes, professor at the University of Coimbra and a great specialist in Administrative Law.

The Network, as can be seen from the infographics, is still concentrated mainly on the coast. Alexandre Domingues, from CCDRA, admitted that "there is still some work to be done, especially in barrocal and Serra, where we want to put more dots to balance this more formal network."

For RAARA to be successful, in addition to its implementation and the still necessary changes to the rules that regulate the activity of Motorcaravans in Portugal, the Network must be publicized.

This task is the responsibility of the Algarve Tourism Region, which created the corporate image and produced a leaflet about RAARA, with all the data on the units that comprise it, a map and other useful information and contacts. The leaflet can be obtained from the Tourist Offices, but it is also available, in PDF, on the website VisitAlgarve.pt.

Susana Miguel, from RTA, said that the leaflet has already been published in Portuguese, English and Spanish, but that it will also be published "soon" in French, Dutch and German, in a task carried out by the Algarve Tourism Association (ATA ).

And now we can only hope that Motorcaravanismo is very successful in the Algarve, in a more regulated way. Hugo Pereira, deputy president of the Chamber of Lagos, expressed the hope that the Network “brings a very positive impact on the region's economy, especially in tourism”.

David Santos, president of CCDRA, stressed the importance of motorhomes to combat seasonality: «these shelter units work in counter-cycle, with greater occupation in the low and medium seasons».

For Desidério Silva, president of RTA, Autocaravanismo is «a factor of economic development, because there are people who come to the Algarve for the climate, for safety. And these people consume culture, gastronomy, crafts, wines, contributing a lot to the local economy, especially in autumn, winter and spring».

«The Network is created, now it's up to each one of us to do our work!», urged Desidério Silva.