Speaking to the Lusa agency, the president of the Association of Hotels and Tourist Enterprises of the Algarve (AHETA), Hélder Martins, said that hoteliers “will continue to work to reduce consumption as if this bonus did not exist”.

The Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, announced last Wednesday in Faro the easing of restrictions imposed since February on water consumption, updating the reduction, which goes from 15 percent to 10 percent in the urban and tourism sector and 25 percent to 13 percent in agriculture, for a total of 20 cubic hectometres.

“We will continue our work because we are aware that if this year there is this bonus, next year we could be in trouble again”, noted the president of AHETA, the largest association in the sector in the region.

For Hélder Martins, the relief will have no effect on tourism in the region, especially because, he says, “the sector is exceeding” what was the previous objective of 15%.

“Everything we have done, and will continue to do, with the reduction of lawns, the focus on native species that need less water, will certainly help us reach a 20%, 25% reduction”, he concluded.

For his part, the president of the Association of Hotel and Similar Industries of the Algarve (AHISA), Daniel do Adro, shares the same opinion, that is, that the relief announced by the Government, “does not alter in any way the efforts of hoteliers foreseen in the water pact”.

“Obviously, it gives more time for adaptation, but it does not change the measures that we recommended for this pact and commitment to the destination, nor is there a plan to review these measures, as a result of this relief”, he highlighted.

For Daniel do Adro, the reduction from 15% to 10%, “allows a little more time to work, knowing that there is not such strong pressure, but the course of work developed to save water will be maintained”.