The country's campsites and service areas for motorhomes should be operational and reopen within a week, announced today the federation and association representing these activities, which are in the process of adaptation.
According to a statement from FCMP – Federation of Camping and Mountaineering of Portugal and APCAA – Association of Camping Parks of Alentejo and Algarve, “a physical and training adaptation is taking place in the places”, so “it should not be possible to immediate reopening”.
Camping and caravan parks, as well as campervan service areas, may reopen on Monday, with a maximum capacity of two-thirds of their total capacity, as announced by the Government on Friday.
The measure was approved by the Council of Ministers, as part of the new phase of deconfinement that begins on Monday, in the context of the covid-19 pandemic.
However, both the FCMP and the APCAA indicate today that the opening should only take place in a week, "due to the different realities existing in the national territory and the constraints now imposed", for the "requalification of common use spaces, adopting the necessary new entry control mechanisms and the application of all security rules”.
In the statement, the two entities indicate that they have drawn up a guide to good practices for campsites, based on the recommendations of the General Directorate of Health, “which is awaiting approval from this entity, with a view to clarifying and standardizing safety procedures to be observed during this new phase of deconfinement”.
They further advance that, as a way of “reinforcing confidence in the use of campsites and service areas for motorhomes”, Turismo de Portugal will offer the attribution of the “Clean & Safe” seal, through the National Register of Tourism Enterprises, for campsites, or via the FCMP platform for service areas for motorhomes.
This certification “requires the implementation of an internal protocol that ensures hygiene and social distancing measures to combat the risks of contagion from Covid-19, thus ensuring the best safety conditions for the operation” of these services.
The FCMP and APCAA call on users to wait for the information given by each entity, as to the date of its reopening, "so that it occurs in the best possible way, ensuring that there will be no reason for a retreat in the fight against the pandemic that must be done for all and for all”.
On Friday, in a statement, the Ministry of Economy said that the “Clean & Safe” seal had already joined more than 4.000 companies in the tourism sector.
The seal, which is 100% digital, free and valid until April 30, 2021, requires the implementation of an internal protocol that, in accordance with the recommendations of the General Directorate of Health, must ensure social distance and the necessary hygiene for avoid contagion risks and guarantee safe procedures for the functioning of tourist activities.
As part of the declaration of a state of emergency in Portugal, to combat the covid-19 pandemic, the Government had set until March 27 the deadline for users to leave campsites and caravan parks, while permanent residents of these establishments tourists were able to remain in them to ensure the response to the housing need.
At the time, Secretary of State Rita Marques told Lusa that the closure of the camping and caravan parks was taking place “in an orderly and calm manner”, underlining the return of foreign tourists to their countries of origin.
The second phase of deconfinement starts on Monday, maintaining the civic duty of collection and with an extension of the state of public calamity.
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