The Government will allocate 200 million euros to a specific support program for the tourist sector in the Algarve, «the only region in the country» that will be entitled to a differentiated financial package, under the plan “Reactivate Turismo | Build the Future", he advanced to the Sul Informação Rita Marques, the Secretary of State for Tourism who visited Castro Marim this Tuesday, May 17th.
«What we are doing, within the framework of the “Reactivate Tourism” plan, which is a 6 billion euros plan, is to create a specific measure for the Algarve, with a budget of 200 million euros, which will be called “+ Algarve”, he revealed.
«We are working with the competent authorities, namely within the framework of the Algarve Operational Programme, so that we can, as soon as possible, disclose all the details», added Rita Marques, who was in the Algarve this Monday and Tuesday to meet with sector agents and learn about new projects.
Despite not wanting to go forward, for now, what all the pillars of “+Algarve” will be – “we are now working on the details, they will be disclosed in due course” -, the minister revealed that it will be within her scope that will create «a substitute for “365Algarve”», as one of the components of the “+Algarve” plan will be «attracting and promoting international events».
The Algarve is, moreover, «the only region that deserves positive discrimination within the framework of “Reactivate Turismo”, given the importance of the tourism sector in this region and the net contribution it makes to Portugal’s international projection».
“Reactivar Turismo”, specified the Secretary of State, “is financed by three types of funds: it has tourism revenue from Turismo de Portugal, an important part guaranteed by the Operational Programs and, finally, another important component, which should not be neglected, guaranteed by the private sector'.
Rita Marques also took stock of her two-day visit to the Algarve, which took her to Lagos, Monchique, Castro Marim and Vila Real de Santo António.
«I had the opportunity to get to know some innovative projects that help to diversify the tourist product. I was also able to meet with entrepreneurs and understand what difficulties they are facing at this time of recovery», he added.
«This is a thriving recovery, it is true, much desired and also deserved, but that presents many difficulties, mainly in the parts of capital and talent», he stressed.
In the contacts she made, the Secretary of State felt “a great concern in terms of human resources. They lack in quality and quantity. That means we have to find new ways to capture that talent and retain it.”
«There has to be a big commitment here in terms of the instruments of the labor code, to try to speed up, as much as possible, the hiring, maintaining an interesting bond with the employer», defended Rita Marques.
The official also identified two other major constraints: “one is housing, the other public transport, because, in fact, all workers have to travel to their place of work and many do not have their own vehicle”.
«We are working on solutions, with the Secretary of State for Housing, with the Secretary of State for Mobility, for some territories, namely in the Algarve, knowing that, here, for tourism it is essential to have human capital, human resources in quantity and quality. To do so, we have to create the conditions to retain these people here”, he concluded.
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