Month: May 2019

Trabalhar em conjunto para que o Algarve se mantenha um Destino de Férias Seguro

Escola de Hotelaria e Turismo do Algarve – Faro

10 de maio de 2019, das 09h30 às 17h30

Contexto

Garantir a segurança dos turistas é fundamental e um dos principais critérios que os viajantes levam em conta quando selecionam um destino de férias.

A maioria dos países do mundo enfrenta vários desafios a este respeito, provocados pelas alterações climáticas e por outros fatores. Entre estes, contam-se o aumento das temperaturas, que resulta em incêndios rurais e cheias provocadas por chuvas fortes, bem como outras condições meteorológicas extremas. Além disso, muitos países estão em risco de sofrer terramotos e tsunamis. Por conseguinte, é importante que existam medidas em vigor para antecipar estas condições e mitigar os seus efeitos através da avaliação e diminuição dos riscos, a fim de proteger tanto os residentes como os visitantes em caso de tais catástrofes.

Portugal tem desenvolvido grandes esforços neste domínio. Face a um número cada vez maior de visitantes estrangeiros no Algarve, que no verão ultrapassa bastante o número de residentes, é essencial que todos os agentes do setor do turismo tenham conhecimento do que está a ser feito e do papel que podem desempenhar na garantia da segurança dos seus clientes.

 

Objetivos

Os objetivos desta conferência, a primeira do género em Portugal, são os seguintes:

• Criar uma maior sensibilização no setor do turismo para o risco de eventos de alto impacto e as medidas de prevenção e proteção atualmente em vigor;
• Em caso de catástrofe, conhecer os canais de comunicação existentes para divulgar informações que possam ser comunicadas aos turistas;
• Adquirir uma melhor compreensão do trabalho dos serviços de emergência;
• Ajudar o setor do turismo (empreendimentos turísticos, alojamento local, agências de viagens e turismo e agentes de animação turística, entre outros) a desempenhar um papel adequado na proteção dos seus clientes;
• Partilhar melhores práticas no setor, em termos de medidas de prevenção e proteção já em vigor;
• Promover as medidas que Portugal/o Algarve já tomou para proteger a segurança dos turistas enquanto meio de atrair visitantes para um dos destinos mais seguros da Europa;
• Identificar quaisquer áreas onde seja necessário fazer mais.

 

Destinatários

Todos os agentes do setor do turismo, bem como ONG interessadas e responsáveis governamentais, além do público em geral.

A conferência será realizada em português, com apoio oferecido em inglês.

Reservations are required by 8^th May by contacting Regional Tourism Algarve at marta.alexandre@turismodoalgarve.pt

On 1^st May in the morning, more than 100 Judiciary inspectors searched several accounting and law firms in Oporto. More than two million euros diverted

The Judicial Police (PJ) have detained 11 businessmen in Porto as part of a mega operation aimed at mainly suspects of tax evasion and social security fraud. The operation involved more than a hundred PJ inspectors. The detainees are between 25 and 55 years old and were working in the north of the country.

There are several and serious crimes in this investigation of the Northern Board: criminal association, tax fraud, social security fraud, money laundering and falsification of documents. A first estimate points to more than two million euros that was diverted from public funds with leaks to the IRC and VAT.

In a statement, the PJ said that about 40 home and non-domiciliary searches have been conducted in the municipalities of Paços de Ferreira, Paredes, Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia, Santo Tirso, Guimarães, Maia, Marco de Canaveses and Felgueiras.

According to what has been verified so far by the investigation, which was held between 2016 and 2018 by the Tax Authority – Porto Finance Department, the alleged leader of this criminal association, owner of accounting offices, with the support of third parties, has carried out processes aimed at obtaining undue tax benefits for customers, namely in VAT refunds and in the artificial reduction of the taxable income for the purpose of IRC, thus reaping the benefits to which they knew they were not entitled “.

For this purpose, false data were declared to the Tax Authority, issuing invoices for purchases and services rendered, by computer means, on behalf of taxable persons whose accounts were in their charge.

According to the PJ, these suspects falsified documents, such as employment contracts, income declarations, payroll receipts, inscription or maintenance of workers in companies, tax and social security declarations and others, in order to obtain benefits for third parties attributed by the State and the approval of loans to financial institutions, as well as providing support under the financing programs, namely Portugal 2020.

In the police operation several cars, computer equipment and mobile phones, and extensive accounting and tax documentation was seized.

This conference, the first of its kind, is being organised by Safe Communities Portugal, Regional Tourism Algarve and the ANEPC CDOS Faro. It will be held on 10^th May from 0930 to 1730 hrs in Faro at the Hotel and Tourism School Algarve. The overall aim is to ensure that the Algarve remains one of the safest destinations in the world, reflecting the importance travellers attach to this in selecting a holiday destination.

Those speaking at the conference will be the Secretary of State for Tourism, President of the Agency for the Integrated Management of Rural Fires (AGIF), ABTA the British tour operators association from the UK; President of the Algarve hoteliers association AHETA, the Director Faro Airport, the President of IPMA (Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere), the Comandante CDOS Faro (ANEPC), British Consul, the Mayor of Faro and President Regional Tourism algarve among others.

Most countries throughout the world face various challenges brought about by climate change and other factors. These can include rising temperatures resulting in rural fires and flooding resulting from heavy rain as well as other extreme weather conditions. In addition many countries are at risk of earthquakes and tsunamis. It is important therefore to be aware of the measures in place to anticipate these conditions and understand the effects by assessing and mitigating the risks, in order to protect both residents and visitors in case of such catastrophes.

David Thomas, stated that: “everyone in the tourism industry has a role to play in ensuring the safety of their clients; for instance by understanding weather patterns and how these influence tourists activities; knowing the threats caused by extreme weather conditions such as rural fire risks; how the emergency services respond in crisis situations and the part the tourism industry plays in communication and coordinating with the authorities”.

Some of the objectives of the conference are: to create greater awareness within the tourism industry of the risk of high impact events and the preventive and protective measure that are currently in place; in the event of a catastrophe, outline the communication channels that are in place to disseminate information which can be communicated to tourists; to help the tourism industry (hotels, local lodging, and travel activity businesses) play an optimal role in protecting their clients, in particular front line staff who have direct contact with tourists and to promote the measures that Portugal/Algarve already has taken to protect the safety of tourists, as a means of attracting visitors as one of the safest destination in Europe.

The conference is aimed at those in the tourism industry, namely:  hotel operators, local lodging agencies and managers; tourist activity operators, air travel operators, car hire businesses as well as government officials and interested NGOs, plus the general public.  The conference will be mainly in Portuguese with some presentations in English and English summaries.

David Thomas stated “that this will be the first conference of its type in Portugal aimed solely at the tourism industry, so whether you a hotel employee, letting or managing properties, arranging or leading tours or conducing off road or sea activities for tourists, I would encourage people to attend this unique event”.

Program in English 

Program in Portuguese  

Poster in Portuguese

Reservations are required by 8^th May by contacting Regional Tourism Algarve at marta.alexandre@turismodoalgarve.pt