Câmara will help fund the Lagos Hiking Festival

The Câmara de Lagos will financially support the realization of the first Walking Festival in the county, which will take place between the 1st and 4th of November. The Lacobrigense municipality will join the association Almargem in organizing the event, with the aim of encouraging the nature tourism sector in the municipality.

According to the Câmara de Lagos, the decision to join forces with Almargem in holding this festival, the only event of its kind in the Barlavento Algarvio, is linked to the «importance of the development and consolidation of the “Cycling&Walking” product in the affirmation of the region as a tourist destination in nature and in combating the seasonality of demand'.

This is, moreover, one of the main goals of the Algarve Walking Season, in which the Lagos Hiking Festival will be integrated. This project, financed by the Valorizar do Turismo de Portugal program, includes two more events, the Alcoutim and Ameixial walking festivals, which take place, respectively, in winter and spring. The lacobrigense festival closes the cycle in autumn.

The Câmara de Lagos will financially support Almargem and will also guarantee logistical support, «both justified by the existing characteristics and expectations regarding the event».

Funding is associated with specific objectives, namely the realization of “four days of activities and eight to ten walks per day”, as well as “two Environmental Education activities and two workshops/talks/lectures to be held daily”.

The expectation is to attract at least “300 people a day”, among “families, long-distance hikers and thematic audiences (photography, nature observation, archeology, heritage)”. The Lacobrigense municipality also wants the local community to be involved.

«For the Municipality of Lagos, this represents another stage on a path towards the enhancement of endogenous (cultural and natural) resources of the municipality, the economic and social cohesion of the territory and the qualification of the destination», concluded the Lacobrigense Chamber.