Seven months later, groups of guided tourists return to the Olhão Markets

More than seven months later, organized groups of tourists, guided by interpreter-guides, will be able to return to the Olhão Markets. The visits had been suspended in March, due to the pandemic, but will take place again after Agigarve – Association of Guides-Interpreters of the Algarve and Mercados de Olhão signed, last Wednesday, a cooperation protocol .

A protocol that, highlighted Eduardo Cruz, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Olhão Markets, in statements to the Sul Informação, is important “not only for the activity of the interpreter-guides themselves, but also for the life of the market”.

According to the official, "there was, for our operators and traders, this need to return to having visits in an organized, integrated, framed and respecting all the rules in force regarding issues of hygiene and distancing, according to the guidance of the DGS . This was achieved».

“It is important that the presence of groups of tourists in the Olhão market occurs”, emphasizes Eduardo Cruz. “Our operators take advantage of visitors. They are consumers in the horticultural market and also of regional and traditional food products. The fish area also raises a lot of curiosity. They are consumers that the guides themselves help to bring and there is a reciprocal advantage».

«This is 50/50, we are the two winners», guarantees the person in charge.

However, this agreement does not only provide for the return of guided tours. The document also foresees, according to Eduardo Cruz, «creating a climate of future recovery, both in terms of market activities and in the activity of guides. It is also planned, for example, to carry out workshops for the guides. Those workshops they can be of our own, or common initiative, and will serve to better publicize what Olhão and its markets are», he adds.

The approximation between the Olhão Markets and Agigarve was born, curiously, from a problem. Eduardo Cruz revealed to our newspaper that «there was a visit here by a tourist guide who was prevented from entering the market, for whatever reason. This generated a discussion, on social networks, where I also ended up intervening. Having known Armanda Leal [guide-interpreter] for many years, we took the initiative to start talking. The problem was identified and we started to work to find a solution».

The signing ceremony of the agreement was “sponsored” by António Pina, mayor of Olhão, who, on what was actually his birthday, highlighted the ability of Mercados and Agigarve to “turn a problem into a solution”.

The mayor believes that this agreement allows “to improve the way in which tourists are received and who brings tourists, in order to respect all safety rules. This creates a message of confidence, for those who work and for those who come shopping».

Cristina Marreiros, president of Agigarve, in turn, in a conversation with our newspaper, highlighted the importance of the protocol for a “relatively new association, which was founded in February. This protocol with the Olhão Markets is part of the path we are taking. The agreement shows an opening on the part of an institution, in this case, the Municipality of Olhão, represented by the markets, which gives us new tools to be able to perform our activity better».

The importance of visits to the market for tourists is highlighted by the responsible. “As João Leal [dean journalist who attended the ceremony] said, the market is not simply a space for commerce, it is a space made up of people. There is a lot of involvement and that's what tourists also want to know, how does it work. From the market, it is possible to understand how the common life of the Portuguese is, which in other places is not picked up so well».

As for the activity of the guides, which “has been at a standstill” due to the pandemic, the agreement is “important. We're going to have a more quiet winter, but let's take the time to prepare for the recovery, which we hope will start in March, which will slowly happen and we will all have more tools to be able to work more and better».

For Cristina Marreiros, this protocol also establishes a «difference between certified guides and those who “land” there without knowing exactly how they are proceeding».

The groups will return to the Olhão Markets, but with rules. The president of Agigarve stressed that it will be “mandatory to sanitize your hands, wear a mask, keep the rules of social distancing and we are limited to 10 people per group. In cases of larger groups, we will have to divide the group, to make the visits, keeping the distance. Then we will adapt as the rules change».

In addition, guides have to 'inform the markets in advance' that there will be a visit. «We must anticipate the arrival time, how many customers we will bring, etc. At the moment, this will not be possible on Saturday, because on Saturday there is already a lot of pressure on the markets, there are a lot of people, and visits are complicated. So, it will work during the week, which I think will be important for the city».

A city that, emphasizes Cristina Marreiros, is fashionable abroad. «Olhão has its own architecture, which has captivated people immensely. At the end of last month, we had a program on French television about the architecture of the city of Olhão. And this program was focused, exactly, on the architecture of the old neighborhoods, especially the Bairro da Barreta. This program, once again, highlighted these particularities that the cities and towns of the Algarve have and that we are here to show», he concluded.

Photos: Flavio Costa|Sul Informação