VERY SOON, visitors will be able to walk into any tourism information office in the Algarve and book a hotel room, buy tickets for theme parks or passes for museums. This will be made possible through the introduction of the Cartão Algarve (Algarve Card), which is due to be launched later this summer.
Details of the new project were recently unveiled by Hélder Martins, president of the Algarve Tourism Board (RTA), at the inauguration of the new tourism information point in Alcoutim.
Hélder Martins was clearly very excited about the new service. “This is one of the ways we can make this tourism region more profitable. In practical terms, a tourist who is, for example, in Alcoutim can come to this tourism information point and book a night at a hotel in Aljezur, or buy a ticket for a theme park anywhere in the Algarve. The tourist pays, the information is stored on their Cartão Algarve, and they then present the card at their destination,” he explained.
The new card system will be supported by the resources already in place for the Algarve Digital Project, such as the fibre optics network. A small monetary percentage of the transactions will go to the RTA, thereby raising funds to support further investments.
Another new addition to the services provided by tourism information offices in the region is the sale of traditional Algarvean produce. Products now being offered include regional wines, honey, sardine paté and items made with cork.
For more information about the new Cartão Algarve, call the RTA on 289 800 400.
