A series of events will be held in April in the Algarve to promote “safe tourism”.
As part of Safe Communities Portugal’s protocol with the Ministry of Internal Administration under the Local Security Contract (CLS Programme), and in association with the Regional Tourism Algarve (RTA) and other public and private entities, the first of these events will be a seminar entitled “Algarve, a Safe Destination” taking place on April 10 in the auditorium of Portimão Museum from 3pm to 6pm.
With a key focus on communication, the aim is to promote “a joint reflection on the policies, measures and actions that continue to make the region one of the safest tourist destinations in the world”.
This event, which will be in Portuguese, will be attended by the secretary of state for internal administration Isabel Oneto, RTA president João Fernandes, the president of the Safe Communities Portugal association David Thomas, Portimão mayoress Isilda Gomes, and representatives of police forces PSP and GNR, and the Portuguese Association for Victim Support (APAV).
Two awareness-raising events will then take place in two of the Algarve’s main tourist locations: Faro airport arrival area on April 15, from 9.30am to 1pm, and Mar Shopping Loulé on April 17, from 11am to 8pm. Through direct contact with the public, the aim is to share, “in a positive and relaxed way”, tourist information and security advice in the Algarve.
Next month, the Conference on Tourism – Responding to the Effects of Climate Change and High Impact Events will be held on May 10 at Faro’s school of hospitality and tourism (Escola de Hotelaria e Turismo do Algarve), from 9.30am to 3.30pm.
This will be the first national conference to discuss security and safety issues and will be jointly organised by Safe Communities Portugal, the RTA and the National Civil Protection Authority (Faro), with participation of various government authorities and national organisations.
David Thomas of Safe Communities Portugal stated that it is essential that “we find new innovative ways of delivering safety and security awareness messages and these events reflect this”.
“Various studies undertaken have found that safety and security are key factors for people deciding a holiday destination. It is vitally important, therefore, that the region is prepared and that all those in the tourism industry are fully aware and engaged in helping keep the region safe,” he said.
He added that the fires in Central Portugal in 2017 and in Monchique in 2018 are key reminders of the effects of climate change and these, together with the experience gained overseas from high-impact events such as earthquakes and tsunamis, illustrate the importance of being well prepared. “We will therefore be gathering together various experts on May 10 to share their experiences, so that we learn from best practices that will benefit the Algarve region,” concluded David Thomas.
More details about these events can be found at www.safecommunitiesalgarve.com and through Facebook page: Safe Communities Portugal
