Campsites and motorhome service areas in the country should be operational and reopen within a week, the federation and association representing these activities announced today, in the process of adapting.

According to a statement sent to the Lusa agency by the FCMP – Federation of Camping and Mountaineering of Portugal and APCAA – Association of Camping Sites in the Alentejo and Algarve, “a physical and formative adaptation is taking place in the places”, so “no immediate reopening should be possible “.

Camping and caravan sites, as well as motorhome service areas, may reopen on Monday, with a maximum capacity of two-thirds of their total capacity, as announced by the government on Friday.

The measure was approved by the Council of Ministers, within the scope of the new phase of deflation that begins on Monday, in the context of the 19-covid pandemic.

However, both the FCMP and the APCAA today indicate that the opening should only happen a week from now, “due to the different realities existing in the national territory and the constraints now imposed”, for the “requalification of spaces for common use, adopting the new mechanisms to control the necessary entries and the application of all security rules “.

In the statement, the two entities indicate that they have prepared a good practice guide for campsites, based on the recommendations of the Directorate-General for Health, “which is awaiting approval from this entity, with a view to clarifying and standardizing safety procedures. to observe during this new phase of deflation “.

They also state that, as a way of “reinforcing confidence in the use of camping sites and service areas for motorhomes”, Turismo de Portugal will make available the attribution of the “Clean & Safe” seal, through the National Register of Tourist Enterprises, to campsites, or via the FCMP platform to service areas for motorhomes.

This certification, “requires the implementation of an internal protocol that ensures the hygiene and social distance measures to combat the risks of contagion from Covid-19, thus guaranteeing the best safety conditions for the operation” of these services.

The FCMP and APCAA call on users to wait for the information given by each entity, regarding the date of its reopening, “so that it occurs in the best possible way, guaranteeing that there will be no reason for a setback in the fight against the pandemic that must be done for all and for all “.

On Friday, in a statement, the Ministry of Economy said that the “Clean & Safe” label has already joined more than 4,000 companies in the tourism sector.

The seal, which is 100% digital, free and valid until April 30, 2021, requires the implementation of an internal protocol that, according to the recommendations of the Directorate-General for Health, must ensure social distance and the necessary hygiene for avoid risks of contagion and ensure safe procedures for the operation of tourist activities.

Within the scope of the declaration of the state of emergency in Portugal, to combat the covid-19 pandemic, the Government had defined until March 27 the deadline for users to leave the campsites and caravan parks, while the permanent residents in these establishments tourists were able to stay in them to ensure the response to housing needs.

At the time, Secretary of State Rita Marques told Lusa that the closure of campsites and caravan sites was taking place “in an orderly and peaceful manner”, underlining the return of foreign tourists to their countries of origin.