João Fernandes will not run for a new term as president of the Algarve Tourism Board, he announced this Friday, March 3, at the Lisbon Tourism Board (BTL).
Speaking to journalists, João Fernandes confirmed the news already advanced by Agência Lusa.
According to the official, what leads him not to run for re-election is a doubt in relation to the limitation of mandates.
«Three days ago, a General Assembly of the Algarve Tourism Region was held, in which the only point was the interpretation of the organic law of regional tourism entities, which is dubious in relation to the limitation of mandates», he explained.
João Fernandes has been president of the RTA since May 2018, but in the previous term he was vice-president of Desidério Silva, which raises uncertainties about the limitation of two terms.
Having this doubt, the still leader of the RTA said that he chose not to run for a new mandate, «preserving the good name of the institution, being as transparent as possible».
Before the decision, João Fernandes said that he made a request to the Attorney General's Office, who informed him that he only responds to certain entities, such as the Government, and also informed both the former Secretary of State for Tourism (Rita Marques), and the current portfolio holder (Nuno Fazenda).
In this impasse – and with the elections approaching (in June) – «I thought the most transparent thing is to make it clear that there will be no problems for the institution, giving the region time to choose the best ones», said João Fernandes.
On balance, the still president of the RTA said that it was «an honor to work» for an entity that «represents all those who work for tourism in the Algarve.
«The balance I make is very positive», he considered, despite having faced, during his term, Brexit, the bankruptcy of Monarch and Thomas Cook, the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and inflation».
«There's nothing that hasn't happened and we continued to grow in the designs we want: indoors, in the low season and in a sustainable way. It is overwhelming to see the dynamics of nature tourism. I am very proud of 365Algarve too », he concluded.
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