Hiking, as a tourist product, can have a strong impact on communities, particularly in low-density areas. Realizing the importance that this tourist activity has and could have for the Algarve region is the main objective of the conference that will kick off the 2017 edition of the Algarve Walking Festival – Walking Festival Ameixial, on the 28th of April, from 15 pm, at the Engº Duarte Pacheco Building, in Loulé.
The conference "Hiking Tourism and the impact on communities" will serve to officially open the event that will liven up Serra do Caldeirão between the 28th of April and the 1st of May, but also intends to «raise awareness and inform those present about the importance of this tourist activity in the economies of the target destinations, the contribution to the valorization of natural and cultural resources and the contribution to the development of isolated regions», according to the Walking Festival organizers .
"At a time when there is a lot of talk about hiking, we wanted to emphasize that this activity brings a series of benefits for economic dynamism, especially in low-density territories, and for the promotion of cultural heritage", he stressed in statements to Sul Informação João Ministro, director of the company ProActiveTur, partner of the festival.
In Ameixial, the small village in the interior of the Algarve that hosts the event, the advantages that this type of tourism brings are becoming increasingly clear. «In recent years, the hiking festival has already led to more than 10 thousand euros being left in this territory, just for food and accommodation. And this only during the event, as there are many people who come back later», revealed the Algarve businessman.
O Walking Festival Plum (WFA), which is going to the 5th edition, has been growing and, after a record number of more than 500 participants in 2016, hopes to largely beat that number in 2017, taking into account that, about a week and a half before the start of the event, there have already been «800 to 900 registrations for the activities».
Everything indicates, therefore, that there will be more people to register in the days before and during the Hiking Festival itself. The organization hopes to be able to surpass the threshold of one thousand visitors and bet strong on the program to achieve it.
And if, at first glance and for a region that is used to being invaded, every year, by millions of tourists, in high season, these numbers may seem insignificant, at Ameixial, where little happens on a daily basis, this event is a breath of fresh air, as our newspaper noticed on a visit to the mountain village in the municipality of Loulé, about a year ago.
At the conference on the 28th of April, which has free entry and is open to all interested parties, those responsible for the Ameixial Walking Festival will reveal various data collected over the last few years.
At the same time, they will provide an international perspective on walking tourism through two case studies: the Gran Canaria Walking Festival and the Ramblers, "one of the UK's oldest organizations promoting walking".
In the latter case, an entity that “gives cards” will be made known in a country where there are millions of convinced hikers and which is the main source of tourists to the Algarve. And who will present it will be a travel agency associated with this group, which, «only hiking clubs, brings together more than a hundred».
The Gran Canaria festival, on the other hand, is an event similar to that of Ameixial and with the same age. «It's a festival very similar to ours and that was also created with the objective of energizing low-density areas. They work with rural tourism and small villages in the mountains of the Canaries», he revealed.
The organizers of the Gran Canaria Walking Festival will be in the Algarve not only to publicize the event, but also to formalize a twinning with the Algarve Walking Festival. «Their festival takes place in November and we will be there with a stand selling products and promoting the next edition of the Walking Festival Ameixial», revealed João Ministro
In addition to these international case studies, projects taking place in the Algarve will be made known during the conference, namely the Alcoutim Walking Festival, the “Cycling & Walking Algarve” project, led by the Algarve Tourism Region, the initiative “ Loulé a Walking, Running and Pedaling”, by the Municipality of Loulé, and the program “Efficient use of water and natural resources”, by Águas do Algarve.
“We thought it would be important to make known what is happening in the Algarve and what will be done in this area in the coming years”, concluded João Ministro.
Those interested in participating in the Algarve Hiking Festival you can still register on the event website., through which meals can also be booked. In 2017, registration costs 5 euros, entitlement to transport, insurance and a kit related to the WFA. The news that comes up can be followed on the festival's Facebook page.
Program of conference «Hiking Tourism and its impact on communities»:
- 15h: Official opening of the 5th Walking Festival Ameixial – Algarve Walking Festival (Loulé City Council, Algarve Tourism Region, Parish Council of Ameixial and QRER Cooperative for the Development of Low Density Territories)
- 15h: Gran Canaria Walking Festival (Monica Diaz, Manager of Gran Canaria Natural & Active and Gran Canaria Walking Festival and Saro Arencibia Tost, Gran Canaria Tourist Board)
- 15h: Walking in UK. Ramblers Walking Hollydays (Michael Starkey, Leaders Manager)
- 16h10: Walking Festival Ameixial (João Ministro, Proactivetur & Pedro Barros, Estela Project)
- 16h30: Alcoutim Hiking Festival (Júlio Cardoso, Alcoutim City Council)
Coffee break
- 17h00: “Cycling & Walking Algarve” Project (João Fernandes, Algarve Tourism Region)
- 17h20: “Loulé a Walking, Running and Pedaling” Initiative (Loulé City Council)
- 17h40: Efficient use of water and natural resources (Teresa Fernandes, Águas do Algarve)
- 18h30: Departure to Ameixial
Comments