Algarve turns to British television to promote itself as a safe destination

The Algarve has been determined to prove to the UK that it is Covid-safe. In order to do so, the tourism board has partnered with British television channel Channel 5 which has started airing a commercial promoting the region as a safe destination for travellers.

The 50-second advertising spot, says the Algarve Resident newspaper, was aired “around 38 times a week” from Thursday, August 20 and the end of October and is expected to reach a weekly viewing audience of 175,000.
The commercial will also feature a draw to award two lucky viewers a seven-night
stay at one of the Algarve’s five-star hotels.
While the pandemic has led the Algarve tourism board to invest even more in other markets such as France, Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany, it has certainly not given up on its goal of regaining the trust of the country’s ‘oldest ally’.
“We are strongly committed to reversing the negative effects of the UK’s decision (to keep Portugal off its travel corridor — on Friday it was finally announced that the UK was now a safe destination and the corridor was created) and this means we have to strengthen and repeat our message that the Algarve is a safe destination and is totally prepared to once
again welcome UK tourists with all the quality they are used to,” said Algarve tourism chief João Fernandes.
“We have always been transparent in the way we presented the facts and we believe we will benefit from this in the future. We hope this partnership with Channel 5 will have a positive impact on our objective,” he concluded no doubt relieved that the UK had changed its decision on Friday.
The British market accounts for roughly one-third — 33% of the Algarve’s overnight stays — around six million — and nearly half (49%) of all arriving passengers at Faro Airport. M.B.