Dear Editor,
Tony and Cristina (Beck) are right about the Algarve orchestra – quality and poor marketing – but the other general problems about a lot of local events are:
1) Too many events are published, especially in the events’ column, only on the week they happen. As our papers are weeklies and published on a Friday, what is the point of advertising an event on that weekend or not making it clear where it is? (Algarve is a large area).
2) Often, in a public event, the council’s cultural section handles the bookings; in the case of CM Lagoa/CM Silves, although they are areas built on tourism, staff do not speak English on the phone or office. Communication to visitors? (agendas are normally only in Portuguese.)
Briefly, as to the Algarve Nature Week (taking place until April 19), good idea but it will not work. The trouble is the Algarve tourism board. Infrastructure is poor in rural areas, the population is dropping due to no jobs and new reservoirs (barragens) for example have no tourist structure (hotels, leisure etc).
All events, like nature events, need publicising properly and put together in sections of magazines, agendas etc., so they are publicised correctly, to the right markets.
D. Taylor-Smith, by email
