Rural tourism and housing associations considered that this type of accommodation could be a solution for the Portuguese holiday, and already notice an increase in demand for the summer.
Country holidays could be a solution for the Portuguese this year in the face of the covid-19 pandemic, told the Lusa agency the president of the Housing Tourism Association (TURIHAB).
Francisco de Calheiros considers that housing and rural tourism will be a product of exception and excellence, so to speak. There is already interest, there are already those who are making these appointments and will probably be the most sought after accommodations.
To Francisco de Calheiros, the reasons are obvious: rural houses are more isolated, which can also attract those who live in the city, it's not mass tourism, the capacity to receive tourists is relatively smaller and the spaces are larger, making them suitable for family vacations. Our operators are already beginning to feel that there is a great interest.
Entretanto, despite recognizing that the condition of rurality can be favorable, the president of the Portuguese Rural Tourism Federation (FPTR), Candido Mendes, fears that the internal market will not be sufficient to guarantee the necessary revenues.
– Seasonality in rural tourism is very great. Generally speaking, companies gather in the summer, to then make ends meet in winter. The tourist regions of the country are all betting on the domestic market, because there is no other, but the domestic market is not elastic and will decrease, because many families have lost income and, portanto, the internal market is not enough, warned the responsible, also in statements to the agency Lusa.
Second to FPTR, virtually all rural hotel companies have adhered to the seal “Clean & Safe” do Turismo de Portugal, are currently making major investments to increase the safety of customers and employees and reopen in June.
A Associação de Hotéis Rurais de Portugal (AHRP), of which Cândido Mendes is also part, has already sent a letter to Turismo de Portugal and the guardianship to address their concerns and ask for the application of specific measures for the sector, like the widening of the ‘lay-off’ to the winter months, a measure that almost all businessmen in the industry joined, and improving support conditions for maintaining jobs.
Also Francisco de Calheiros, and TURIHAB, considered that due attention has not been given to this segment of tourism, by official and supervisory bodies.
