"Not forgetting what has been lost so far, there is a very optimistic outlook at this point, with a 35 to 50 percent recovery expected in August, compared to last year, but without reaching 2019 levels", Daniel Alexandre do Adro said to Lusa News Agency.
For him, the reopening of connections with the United Kingdom, the main market in the Algarve, is "excellent news" reinforced by the "non-opening of competing markets", such as Spain - including the Balearic and Canary Islands -, Greece, Turkey and Italy, which puts the country in an "extraordinary position".
"At this moment, we start ahead. We are well positioned to have an excellent summer, in the current context and on our part we will do everything for that, so that the customer is well received, with compliance with the standards and carrying out tests in hotels for safety and comfort ", he said.
Daniel Alexandre do Adro revealed that there has already been a "significant increase in bookings", but pointed out that the main focus of tourists remains "in the short term", revealing "people's satisfaction with being able to take vacations" and wanting to take them "already".
The fact that several countries are considering placing Portugal in the "green zone" for tourism could represent "an oxygen balloon" for the region in the "typical European holiday months", he pointed out.
As a way of "anticipating" the needs of tourists, they are preparing partnerships with laboratories in order to do tests in hotels, giving "comfort and safety to the customer", he concluded.
I’ve been trying to return to the UK since March I’m booked to travel on the 19th May but have found it incredibly difficult to find a Covid test to travel provider, something needs to be done to increase the provision of these tests or it will be chaos once holiday makers start arriving in the Algarve later this month. I have finally found a provider at a cost of €100 per test, plus the €115 for a test package once back in the UK and there’s two of us, total extra cost €430 for only a family of 2!
By Steve from Algarve on 13 May 2021, 09:39