The Algarve Tourism Region is committed to creating a direct route to attract more US tourists and stimulate foreign investment.
The Algarve Tourism Region (RTA) is working on creating the first direct route between Faro Airport and the United States to attract more American tourists and investors to the region.
As pressure grows on Lisbon’s Portela Airport – resulting in delays in connections between the capital and Faro – and TAP has been limiting its investment in the Algarve, the RTA has been encouraged to look for other airlines to launch the new route with.
In an interview with the Dinheiro Vivo website, the president of the RTA, André Gomes, confirmed negotiations are ongoing with different companies and that the main focus is to establish a direct link between the Algarve and the North American market.
With a significant growth of US tourists in the region, creating a direct route is becoming an increasingly urgent matter, insists André Gomes.
Noting that the US market grew 40% in the Algarve in August compared to 2019, the RTA believes that a direct link will significantly further increase demand from North American tourists.
In addition to tourism, the Algarve is also attracting North American investors, with several million euros already being invested in the region’s tourism projects. The objective is to attract even more investment to strengthen the local economy.
With TAP currently representing just 2% of traffic at Faro Airport – below the region’s expectations – the RTA is committed to encouraging TAP to strengthen its operations in the Algarve. By investing in the domestic market and connections to Portuguese Speaking African Countries (PALOPs), the company would play a more significant role in Faro, facilitating air connections to domestic and international destinations.
André Gomes revealed he will meet with TAP’s new administration in the coming weeks to reinforce the airline’s need for a greater presence in the Algarve. The RTA president is optimistic about the changes made under the leadership of Luís Rodrigues, CEO of TAP, and the company’s upcoming privatisation process.
The RTA also sees potential in Faro Airport as an alternative to the saturation of Portela Airport in Lisbon, until a new airport is built in the capital region.
