Campsites in the Algarve have started to open to the public this week, with the care required by safety rules to combat the covid-19 pandemic.

The three Orbitur parks in the region have been operating since May 20, but the 15 belonging to the Association of Camping Sites in the Alentejo and Algarve (APCAA) will only open doors next Monday.

“We have been contacted by many customers who want to understand what measures are being taken and, after the explanation, are confident and make the reservation effective ,” revealed the manager of the camping site Valverde (Orbitur) in Praia da Luz, in Lagos municipality.

The first customers after reopening “have arrived and are expected more until the weekend” , which leaves Teresa Neto optimistic about the summer, despite knowing that the occupation will be “far from last year’s values”.

Considering that “people are in need of leaving home”, the manager expects, therefore, “a greater demand” by the Portuguese, even though she can only offer two thirds of the park’s total occupation.

During the state of emergency, reservations were cancelled for May and June, but “many remain” for July and August, said Teresa Neto, adding that the new appointments she has received for the next month are from both foreigners and Portuguese.

The size of the park “allows spacing between people, which is a great advantage”, and the adhesion to the ‘Safe & Clean’ seal gives guarantees in terms of “cleaning and sanitizing the changing rooms, after each use”, he said.

Only the social room, the playground, the pool and the restaurant “are still closed”, waiting for the “outline of the measures to be adopted” in order to be opened safely.

Already the Association of Alentejo and Algarve Campsites (APCAA) points to May 25 the opening of the parks “with all the required security guarantees” and a reduction in available area, as it provides a confluence “below normal “in June.