To reassure tourists and convince them to come, Portugal is increasing its initiatives. Are they paying?
Indeed, we have just launched a kit distributed to tourists on their arrival in Portugal, and containing masks, advice, QR code to access the site www.portugalcleanandsafe.com ... From the start of this health crisis, we understood that above all, we must reassure visitors and provide proof of our efforts in terms of health security.
With this new operation, we want to capitalize on our Clean & Safe approach.
Launched just before the reopening of European borders on June 15, this label has mobilized to date nearly 20,000 tourism stakeholders in Portugal (restaurants, hotels, museums, car rental companies, etc.), who certify their hygiene measures.
On the form, it is visible and identified.
Basically, it has become a digital platform that centralizes a large part of our services: listing the labeled establishments, receiving information to be guided in the pandemic context, offering the form necessary to arrive in the country ...
Read also: Portugal: the formalities to travel there this autumn
The results have been positive since the launch of the process.
Reservations have been released and we remain in the top 3 to top 5 of foreign destinations visited by the French.
This saved part of the summer.
But only a part.
Last year, 3.2 million tourists from France traveled to Portugal.
This summer, despite the last-minute craze, the number of visitors was 75% lower in July and 60% lower in August, compared to last year.
It's disappointing and we hoped for more, sure, but it still makes us proud when we look at the summer tourism figures in Europe.
We're waiting for the final September results, but we should still be in the top 3 for foreign destinations based on online search trends.
We will continue our efforts.
Read also: Where can the French travel?
Our map, country by country
“230 weekly flights are currently operated between France and Portugal,” says Jean-Pierre Pinheiro.
Alexandre Nestora
Where are the air links?
The efforts I am telling you about also focus on maintaining a significant volume of flights between France and Portugal.
As of October 21, 35% of the previous air capacity - before the coronavirus epidemic - is operational.
Concretely, this means that 230 weekly flights depart from the ten largest French airports.
Compare to the 600 flights from 22 platforms before the crisis.
Small airports like Dole or Tours are no longer served today.
Read also: Covid-19 and antigenic tests: everything you need to know before traveling
To travel to Portugal, a French tourist does not currently need to present a negative PCR test, outside Madeira and the Azores. Are travelers aware?
It is not easy to make yourself heard in the ambient cacophony on foreign travel restrictions, negative PCR tests of less than 48 hours to be presented on arrival… In Portugal, presenting a negative test is not not necessary, except in Madeira and the Azores, and this should be made known.
I don't think it's more dangerous today to visit the country than to go to the supermarket.
Planes are secure, in hotels they even disinfect your suitcase ... We therefore maintain communication campaigns, especially with online tourism operators.
Portugal can already be visited all year round.
The difference is that tourists want to be away from crowded places.
With the health crisis worsening, including in Portugal, which destinations do you highlight?
The good weather, the diversity of tourist sites… Portugal can already be visited almost all year round.
The difference, in this pandemic context, is that tourists generally want to meet up with their family far from crowded places.
We therefore focus on discovery in the broad sense: the hinterland, wine tourism, cycle tourism… Regions such as the non-coastal Algarve, Porto and its area, the Serra da Estrela, Madeira… the country does not not just a coast and the sun.
This is what we recall and it is also, in my opinion, important to set these milestones for tourism according to: tourists will seek more different "products".
How do you see the situation evolving?
It is difficult to be optimistic in the face of the deterioration of the health situation, which this time also concerns Portugal, even if the country has so far escaped generalized measures such as the curfew.
Nevertheless, I note that, finally, Europe is trying to bring order and rationality to travel restrictions, with the ECDC card.
On the other hand, so-called “rapid” antigenic tests arrive in French airports at the end of October.
That's at least two good news.
