AHETA also confirms that, at least in the Algarve, “all types of accommodation are in high demand, whether hotels, tourist resorts, local accommodation, or private accommodation, such as houses and apartments ”.
Waiting for summer customers, Airbnb has just approved a new program to promote the implementation of hygiene and cleaning measures on the platform. This program includes a tool that allows hosts identify an accommodation as “unavailable” for 72 hours after a guest leaves, allowing breaks for cleaning tasks.
Turismo de Portugal has also announced the creation of a quality seal for companies in the sector that comply with the “hygiene and cleaning requirements for the prevention and control of Covid-19 and other possible infections”. It’s called “Clean & Safe” – in Portuguese, “Clean and Safe” – and can be used by all companies in the tourism industry, from hotels and accommodation to travel agencies.
“This recognition is valid for one year, is free and optional, and requires the implementation of an internal protocol in companies that, according to the recommendations of the Directorate-General for Health, ensures the necessary hygiene to avoid risks of contagion and guarantees safe procedures for the operation of tourist activities ”, explained Turismo de Portugal in a statement.
These measures are in addition to the indications that the Directorate-General for Health has also published for this type of establishments. An guidance published in mid-March on the institution’s website it includes cleaning rules, worker protection measures, measures for handling objects, disinfection rules and a protocol on how to act if one of the customers is infected.
While preparing for a gradual return to normality (or, at least, normality possible in times of a pandemic), health authorities also outline how the summer will live in Portugal and in the world. But the perspectives on what comes next depend on whoever asks: António Costa prefers to keep the summer plans open, the European Commission is back on track.
In mid-April, in an interview with the German newspaper Bild, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, advised citizens not to make reservations for the summer because of the unpredictability that the Covid-19 pandemic unleashed for the future: “I recommend waiting before making plans. Right now, no one can make reliable forecasts for July and August ”.
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