«Inside, it has already been realized that the Algarve is a destination that, in addition to other qualities, is safe, and outside, this is being realized, with greater or lesser difficulty», said this Monday, in Lagos, the President of the Republic.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa came this evening to the Algarve for a working dinner, in a restaurant in the center of Lagos, with the Algarve's mayors, thus fulfilling the promise I had made days ago, in Monte Gordo. In this session, 12 of the 16 mayors were present.
Before the start of the dinner and talking to journalists about the list of countries considered unsafe released last week by the United Kingdom, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said that “sometimes, nationals of these countries explain for themselves what the situation is – despite the list, British are coming. There are those who, faced with the doubt raised by the country itself, knowing the Algarve, knowing the situation, come».
“It's a problem of clarification, it takes time to have that clarification. But a small snowball is formed: whoever comes, tells, whoever knows or resides, tells, and one realizes that reality is different».
As for the issue of Belgium, which today included the Algarve and Alentejo in the list of unsafe regions, the head of state said that this means that it is necessary to "continue the work" of clarification at an international level. “Just today, the Prime Minister was in Holland and there he also dealt with the matter of the Dutch position towards a favorable evolution”.
The President also referred to Ireland, a country that within days should also publish a list of destinations that he considers unsafe and where it is expected that Portugal, in general, and the Algarve, in particular, will not appear. "I hope that what was a concern a week ago, Ireland, which will release its list on the 20th, may translate into news that is different from what could be feared for its proximity to the British".
Because, he insisted, Portuguese diplomacy has been working, but there is still a need to clarify further. "This has to be day by day, week by week, to convince people of what reality is", said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, adding that he has friends "who call me from far away and who think I'm practically surrounded in Lisbon and that, even in Lisbon, I do not live a normal life».
And what is missing then? the journalists wanted to know.
«What is failing is the perception, the understanding on the part of these countries, which are at a distance, concerned with their situations and also with the European Council that is coming and that do not know the Portuguese reality. It is necessary to explain the Portuguese reality well. This is what has been done by the Government and the President of the Republic, as far as possible, has also supported”.
But the head of state made a point of also “giving good news”: “When passing by the airport of Faro, I was told that last Saturday, contrary to what I had been told a week ago, there was an appreciable number of movements, departures and arrivals, 120, which is something that did not exist for immemorial times. This is good news, even though we know that some of the arriving flights were partially full, namely those from England and Ireland.
Even so, the percentage, in the British case, was 30% of aircraft occupancy, which means that there are people who know Portugal, have a house here, have friends here, and challenge what is a judgment [of the Kingdom government United] which does not correspond to reality or common sense».
"It's a big difference in the airport's movements compared to a week ago and I hope this is an ascending process", although it is expected to be "difficult, slow and complicated".
Talking about this, which is his second working dinner with the Algarve's mayors – the first was on the 7th, in Monte Gordo, at the other end of the Algarve – Marcelo said that he was coming to talk about “the occupancy rate, prospects, reserves, advances and concerns”.
"We are all pulling in the same direction, and that is why I will be here, in another municipality, in a week, a week and a half, and I will come back consecutively, throughout the months of August and September", promised the President.
“I don't know if you remember, but it was a month ago, more or less, that much was said about the case of Odiáxere. And the image that was given was a distorted, distorted image that there had been a situation that would create stress on the national health service and that could have consequences in the Algarve, in Algarve tourism. A month later, we found that what seemed to be an acute, very serious problem was a reality that was quickly and naturally reabsorbed," he recalled.
Despite everything, said Marcelo, «Portuguese tourism in general has increased [in the Algarve] and I hope it will continue to increase in the coming weeks. Even foreigners…it is to look around».
«Fortunately, there are many Portuguese who are understanding this and there are now more Portuguese from other regions taking their holidays in the Algarve. The appeal is: much more needs to be done! We're waiting for them!», he launched.
«In the rest of the country, as is the case in the Algarve, the situation allows, with good sense, but naturally, to attract Portuguese and attract foreigners», he guaranteed.
But what about the difficult economic situation in the region, with restaurants on the fly and hotels with occupancy rates of 25%, on average, in the middle of high season, an increase in the number of registered unemployed of 200%?
The President of the Republic stressed that, as a result of the conversations he has with the Prime Minister, “the Government is seriously considering looking at the situation of tourism in general, hotels and restaurants in particular, in terms of employment in the future. , in addition to what has already been announced».
In addition, he guaranteed, the government "is very attentive to the situation in the Algarve".
And, given its situation, does the Algarve region need positive discrimination? “In general, hotels, restaurants, tourism-related sectors deserve positive discrimination, we have to see exactly how this is achieved. And the Algarve is one of the areas where this is very important», concluded President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
Unlike what had happened a week ago in Monte Gordo, this time there was no selfies during Marcelo's route on the street in the center of Lagos. Also because most tourists, despite being attracted by the presence of television cameras, microphones and cameras, were foreigners.
Photos: Elisabete Rodrigues | Sul Informação
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