Luis, I think you are a man who knows and understands the Algarve better than any of us. Today I see in the Algarve Resident newspaper that the budget has been cut for advertising the Algarve. But 40% of what is left of the budget is being spent on internal advertising.
I hope you understand I mean no direspect to our Portuguese hosts, but the internal tourists spend very little money here, they do their shopping in their own town, bring it here, and spend as little as possible while they are in the Algarve. This is something my Portuguese friends also know, and yet the tourist authorities still do it.
I think that the people in charge are happy to have their executive dinners at the five star resorts paid for, on corperate functions, and have a good time themselves, while the rest of us, like yourself, see the bigger picture. It is the same in Britain, I cannot pretend otherwise, but it is not right.
If Albufeira had no tourists, it would have nothing. The tiny fishing fleet which is left depends entirely on selling their catch to restaurants, which in turn are dependent on foreign visitors, if they had to depend on internal tourists, they would not survive, as internal touists do not go out for dinner, they stay home and cook their own food, which they have puchased in Coimbra, or Lisboa etc and brought with them. Everything else depends on tourists, or those that are here to serve them. The man who changes tires in his workshop would have nothing if the tourists were not here, because the waiters, barmen, shopworkers, Police etc would not be here either, but the authorities just do not want to accept this.
In England we have an expression for this " I am alright Jack", which just about sums up the attitude of those in charge of Algarve tourism. as long as they earn good wages, and get their free dinners, they really do not care about the long term future of the Algarve, where as I, as an "estrangiero" actually do care, because I love this country enough to have invested everything I have in it, but we are being let down by the people in positions of authority who have their own agenda.
End of rant...
Hi Algarveaddict. I couldn't agree more with you,im sick of all this internal advertisement it is a waste of money and resources,as everyone in Portugal know the Algarve and we all know that people from Lisbon etc keep talking badly about the region but when they have a extended weekend or their holidays there they come again and like you said they spend little money here and most of them moan about it one day i was so fed up in Vilamoura that i turn to a group of them and told them people like you are the cancer of this place if you not happy why keep coming here? I think the RTA money should be spent elsewhere they should try to increse the quote in the scandinavian countries the US Canada and obvious should make a bit more effort in Britain Ireland Germany and the Netherlands.Don't know if you agree with my ideas,but thats what i think,i know it sounds bad slagging off my own contrymen but thats the way i see it.
Just to add my tuppenceworth. I think it's a real shame that the Algarve is not promoted as a holiday destination in the UK. There is a huge diversity of resorts and accommodation styles, and the duration time of the flight should be a huge selling point. Beachs are beautiful and temperatures great.
On TV we get adverts promoting Turkey, Greece, Spain, Malta & Cyprus (which presumably are main competitors with the Portugal) and there are loads of adverts for the Red Sea Resorts and Florida.
The Portugese Tourist board is missing out on some of the tourist Euro's
Is the Algarve promoted in other countrys such as Germany and Scandinavia?
On TV we get adverts promoting Turkey, Greece, Spain, Malta & Cyprus (which presumably are main competitors with the Portugal) and there are loads of adverts for the Red Sea Resorts and Florida.
The Portugese Tourist board is missing out on some of the tourist Euro's
Is the Algarve promoted in other countrys such as Germany and Scandinavia?
Dont know how much is promoted on those places can only talk about the UK and yes couldn't agree more the advertisement here compared with those countries you just mentioned is 0.
This article in the current edition of The Resident is relevant to our discussion here :-http://portugalresident.com/portugalresident/showstory.asp?ID=17075
In the same edition it is reported that planned road improvements near the new 6* hotel complex have been shelved because the money is needed for the new complex to which Lisbon has granted PIN status -a project of national importance.What sort of beaurocracy decrees that improvements to the infrastructure must take second place to a project which will,by its very nature, place extra pressure on that infrastructure ?
The new project is,of course part of the Hilton group and,as with everything else,it appears,"money talks"
In the same edition it is reported that planned road improvements near the new 6* hotel complex have been shelved because the money is needed for the new complex to which Lisbon has granted PIN status -a project of national importance.What sort of beaurocracy decrees that improvements to the infrastructure must take second place to a project which will,by its very nature, place extra pressure on that infrastructure ?
The new project is,of course part of the Hilton group and,as with everything else,it appears,"money talks"
hi Sagres.Yes money talks im afraid but i think this will be a good complex to the area creating more well nedded jobs,i hope that the impact in the Natural Reserva will be little that is my main concern as for the roads couldn't agree more with your point of view.
Heard last night that the new owners of Vale de Lobo are planning to build an offshore island linked to the main resort. Whether this was just taxi-driver talk I don't know as I cannot find out an more about it.
Anyone have more?
By the way the same driver commented in much the same way as we are here about the Portuguese v foreign tourists. He also said he took a Brit couple to their mansion in Vale de Lobo for their two week stint last summer and when he asked them later where they had been they said 'nowhere'- they had not set foot outside the house and garden!
Anyone have more?
By the way the same driver commented in much the same way as we are here about the Portuguese v foreign tourists. He also said he took a Brit couple to their mansion in Vale de Lobo for their two week stint last summer and when he asked them later where they had been they said 'nowhere'- they had not set foot outside the house and garden!
Hi Cubsur,yes i know about that plan to built an island just off the Vale do Lobo area,dont know how they will reach it but it could be like you siad trough a water taxi or perhaps they will built some kind of Port there bor boat owners,all i know is they planning to built a underwater resturant in that complex,they been thinking about it for at least 2-3 years now and that project is responsability of Sander Van Gelder the previous boss of Vale do Lobo. As for what the taxi driver told you about the english couple maybe it was because they spent all the money booking the accomodation in a luxury resort just to tell their friends they been in a luxury complex hence no money to spend.
Once again Luis, I think you are spot on. Snobbery is alive and well mate! 
There's going to be a tunnel connecting the island to the mainland so that the poorer golfers who don't have their own helicopters can get their buggies onto the island but there will be a helipad for the 'A' listers' flying machines.There are also plans for a monorail (presumably for those without helicopters who are too proud to use a tunnel.)
Oh,yes, how could I almost forget - there'll be a hotel and between 750 and 1000 houses (now that's surprised even the most cynical of you,hasn't it ?)
For our Portuguese friends who use this forum - just in case you have any input into the future of your beautiful country when the fat wallets and bulging brown envelopes appear - please,please do what you can to oppose these fools and their idiotic plans.
Oh,yes, how could I almost forget - there'll be a hotel and between 750 and 1000 houses (now that's surprised even the most cynical of you,hasn't it ?)
For our Portuguese friends who use this forum - just in case you have any input into the future of your beautiful country when the fat wallets and bulging brown envelopes appear - please,please do what you can to oppose these fools and their idiotic plans.
Not to mention the effect this island will have on the ocean currents and the remaining fish!
Tunnels!
Monorails!!
Time to move.
Tunnels!
Monorails!!
Time to move.
That's the one ray of hope,cubsur.Reportedly the President of Faro camara has expressed concerns as to the effects of the new island on ocean currents and sand erosion, and has called for full investigation of the possible effects.I suppose a lot will depend on whom the independent expert is working for !!! 
At last !!-a bit of common sense.
The Portugal Resident is today reporting that the Portuguese minister for the Environment has objected to the plans for Nautilus Island on the grounds that it would be harmful to the existing coastline.Let's hope that this will put an end to the madness and that the developers will take their insane ideas elsewhere (Mars,Saturn perhaps
)
The Portugal Resident is today reporting that the Portuguese minister for the Environment has objected to the plans for Nautilus Island on the grounds that it would be harmful to the existing coastline.Let's hope that this will put an end to the madness and that the developers will take their insane ideas elsewhere (Mars,Saturn perhaps
)
Dave,
According to the Resident,there's a suggestion that they may look to building their island off the Spanish coast now.If the tee is remaining in Vale de Lobo that's going to be one hell of a fairway !! We're talking a par 650 hole at the very least,I should think !!!
According to the Resident,there's a suggestion that they may look to building their island off the Spanish coast now.If the tee is remaining in Vale de Lobo that's going to be one hell of a fairway !! We're talking a par 650 hole at the very least,I should think !!!
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