The PSD/Algarve considers it «unthinkable that, unlike other regions, the Algarve does not yet have an internal promotion campaign», to attract national tourists and says it follows «business reviews», which, as Sul Informação advanced, consider the existence of this promotional action urgent.
The Algarve Social Democrats stress that “in recent weeks, the national market has been the object of a series of tourist promotion campaigns in different regions of the country. Everyone is taking a stand».
“However, it is perplexing that the entities responsible for tourism in our region have not yet done so, especially when many of the holiday decisions are already being taken. The Algarve is without a tourist campaign, without promotion at a decisive moment for the region», they argue.
A "strong domestic campaign" would be even more important in view of "the present framework", in which "foreign tourism will have considerable losses and, therefore, it remains to dispute the internal market, which cannot supply all the losses. vital for preserving businesses and employment'.
A week ago, João Fernandes, president of the Algarve Tourism Region, assured the Sul Informação that the entity he directs has not been at a standstill and that the campaign has already been thought out and is being drawn up, pointing out that its launch should take place «by the end of the month».
The deadline appointed by the head of Tourism of the Algarve does not convince the PSD/Algarve, which considers that «already with a very significant delay, to the detriment of the region and not keeping up with the brutal effort that businessmen and workers have put in to present the region as prepared to receive tourists in adequate safety and leisure conditions'.
João Fernandes guaranteed, for his part, that RTA is not “by any means neglecting those that are our markets of greatest opportunity”, the internal market, but also neighboring Spain.
"We, aware of the importance of the internal market, have a campaign to be finalized and that will be available at the end of this month", he said.
As for the fact that the campaign is not already out there, the president of the RTA says that “public contracting has its prerogatives and, therefore, we had to develop all this procedure. Audiovisual production, nowadays, also has its limitations and we have to respect rules».
“On the other hand, we do not have access to the same means of financing that other regions have, as we are in phasing out. However, this has not stopped us from moving forward with the process, from being in production and being available at the end of the month," he added.
“We are aware – and we have said this from the beginning and acted accordingly – that proximity markets are those that respond the most in times of crisis. For this reason, we carried out training actions, about two months ago, which involved close to 600 Portuguese and Spanish travel agents», assured João Fernandes to Sul Informação.
The PSD also says that "there has to be a greater sense of responsibility and decisions at the right time, as more than ever the effectiveness of public institutions is measured and the importance of their role in the objectives to be achieved is assessed".
Already João Fernandes, when faced with the demand for a campaign by several hoteliers in the Algarve, guaranteed that RTA and the tutelage never stopped working in favor of tourism in the region.
"Of course, no one is satisfied, because the current moment does not allow it, but not recognizing this enormous effort and the capacity to be pioneers in these connections is not fair for public entities linked to tourism," he said.
«I understand the anxiety of those who have to manage a business and want the demand to be great. This is understandable. We are not oblivious to this reality, we have concrete results, they are not just ideas or campaigns», he concluded.
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