Helder Martins, former president of the Algarve Tourism Region (RTA), will be a candidate for chairman of the board of AHETA – Association of Hotels and Touristic Enterprises of the Algarve.
The businessman, with a degree in Tourism Management and owner of the Hotel Rural Quinta do Marco, in Tavira, assumes that «the unprecedented situation of great vulnerability and unpredictability in which the tourism sector finds itself, and especially hotel and restaurant businessmen, motivated him to proceed with this application”. Elections are scheduled for next January.
Together with «a large number of associates» and given the enormous challenges that hotels and tourism enterprises are facing today, Helder Martins understood that «this is the moment for AHETA to strive for more in the development of the sector», highlights a press release sent by your application.
“Preparing companies for the post-pandemic challenge, namely the impact of the end of moratoria and the lay off, for the Brexit situation and for the unpredictability that affects the entire sector» are conditions considered fundamental by the candidate. And, in that sense, he argues that "AHETA can and should make a relevant contribution".
For Helder Martins, this is a challenge that he faces with enthusiasm and dedication, as «the experience acquired over a lifetime dedicated to tourism can be an important asset for AHETA».
The candidate also hopes that “this association, one of the most important in our country, will regain the relevance it once had. It is also essential for AHETA to be an active agent in supporting its members, seeking to be close to problems and looking for effective solutions».
After announcing his candidacy, the candidate will consult the associates in order to consolidate an action program and a team, with the objective of responding to the main problems that affect businessmen in the region.
With a career linked to tourism, from an entrepreneur in the catering sector to manager of hotel groups (CS Hotéis and Quinta da Ombria), Helder Martins has dedicated the last years of his professional life to the successful rehabilitation of a rural tourism unit in Tavira .
In his life path, he also held several public positions, namely in the area of tourism. He was president of RTA between 2003 and 2007, president of the Algarve Tourism Association and was also president of the National Association of Tourism Regions. Before that, he worked at the Municipality of Loulé, where he held the position of vice-president.
Soon, actions to be carried out within the scope of the electoral process will be announced.
Elidérico Viegas, president of AHETA since August 1995, had fired last March 29, after the other members of the association's governing bodies had strongly criticized his statements to a newspaper. At the time, Elidérico accused the other members of the board of "lack of solidarity".
However, despite resigning, the still president will remain in office until the end of his term and the holding of new elections, next January.
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