Algarve Situation Report, Wednesday 17^th March 2021
Covid-19: Withdrawal of Portugal from the “British” red list “is welcome” – Turismo do Algarve.
The President of the Algarve Tourism Region (RTA) today considered that the removal of Portugal from the “red list” of countries whose travellers are required to be quarantined in the United Kingdom is “welcome” and reflects “the positive epidemiological situation” in Portugal.
“For the Algarve it is good news, because being the British one of the main outbound tourism markets, it allows British citizens to plan their summer holidays, namely, to start taking out their travel insurance, which was not possible with Portugal included in the list ”, João Fernandes told Lusa.
The British Ministry of Transport announced today in a statement that it will authorize direct flights from Friday and remove Portugal from the list that requires a quarantine upon arrival in the United Kingdom for Portuguese travellers.
The decision was taken “following indications that the risk of importing a worrying variant from these destinations has been reduced,” he explains in a statement, noting that “Portugal has taken measures to mitigate the risk of its links with countries where the variants have become a concern and now has genomic surveillance in place “.
For João Fernandes, the British position “gives a clear signal that the destination [Algarve] is prepared to receive tourists from that country, but it is not yet the final signal that is desired”.
“The signal we want is for British citizens to be able to travel abroad, a reality that will only become clear from May 17th, because at this moment they can only go on essential trips,” he recalled.
https://www.algarveprimeiro.com/d/covid-19-retirada-de-portugal-da-lista-vermelha-britanica-e-bem-vinda-turismo-do-algarve/37258-4

Covid-19: Algarve hoteliers cautious about removing Portugal from the British “red list”.
Algarve hoteliers have today shown themselves to be cautious about the consequences for the Algarve of the British Government’s decision to remove Portugal from the “red list” of countries whose travellers are subject to quarantine in hotels in the United Kingdom.
“It is still too early, let’s wait and see. This red list only concerns people who return to the United Kingdom, where the lack of definition only happens on the 17th of May, ”the President of the Association of Hotels and Tourist Enterprises of the Algarve (AHETA) told Lusa.
For Elidérico Viegas the decision will benefit above all “those who work in England and want to return to their country” and, eventually, those who have “a second residence” in the Algarve, remembering that Portugal “still does not receive flights from the United Kingdom”.
“We are speculating a lot, our forecasts for this year are essentially of internal demand, with some external demand, which will eventually exist, but let’s take it easy, because air transport is not completely assured”, he stressed.
The United Kingdom announced today that it will authorize direct flights and remove Portugal from the “red list” of countries whose travellers are subject to quarantine in hotels in the United Kingdom as of Friday.
However, air connections are not expected to resume immediately, as the Portuguese Government has extended the suspension of flights, commercial or private, with origin or destination in the United Kingdom and Brazil until March 31st.
Despite this easing of restrictions, the confinement regime due to the Covid-19 pandemic remains in England, so it remains prohibited to travel without valid justification, such as holidays, and circulation is essentially limited to nationals and residents of both countries.
For Elidérico Viegas there are still “many factors of uncertainty on the table” and despite the desire for tourism to reopen, he warned that “this will not happen from one moment to the next”.
“These things require some patience because this situation will not be resolved with the snap of a finger, nor with declarations of goodwill,” he said.
https://www.algarveprimeiro.com/d/covid-19-hoteleiros-algarvios-cautelosos-com-retirada-de-portugal-da-lista-vermelha-britanica/37257-4

Covid-19: Câmara de Loulé reopens public spaces.
The Mayor of Loulé, Vítor Aleixo, issued this Monday an order approving the lifting of the restrictive measures in force in the public spaces of the municipality, allowing their reopening.
In a statement the Municipality mentions that the Passeio das Dunas, the pedestrian part of Avenida Infante de Sagres and Calçadão de Quarteira, the footbridge of Forte Novo in Quarteira, the footbridges of Garrão, Ancão and Ludo, the bridge of Quinta do Lago, Queda do Vigário in Alte, the Local Protected Landscapes of Fonte Benémola and Rocha da Pena are the spaces that will be able to be visited again by the citizens and by all those who visit the municipality.
Also the car parks next to the bathing areas, in the parishes of Almancil (Garrão Nascente, Vale do Lobo, Quinta do Lago, Dunas Douradas, Ancão) and Quarteira (Passeio das Dunas) can be used again.
The Louletano mayor also approved in this order the lifting of the ban on the use of benches in all public spaces in the municipality, whether in streets, playgrounds or gardens.
It should be noted that the de-confinement plan presented by the Prime Minister last week leaves the municipalities to reopen public spaces. Despite this easing of measures, the Mayor of Loulé considers it essential that citizens maintain all the rules of protection, such as wearing a mask and social distance, “because these are very attractive spaces and, as such, capable of promoting gatherings of people”, he stresses.