Tourists will be required to hire the services of a duly accredited guide to access certain routes.
I really can’t see this working, as it’s going to take away a person’s freedom. There are others ways to control this .
The set of new measures that the Regional Government is preparing to implement on the Region’s classified walking routes, as soon as conditions exist for this, namely after the approval of the Budget, includes the imposition of a limit on the daily load of some routes, namely those where demand is highest.
As Rafaela Fernandes pointed out to journalists on Friday morning, the measure involves installing equipment to control entry to trails such as Ponta de São Lourenço, the path from Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo, as well as from Achada do Teixeira to Pico Ruivo, but also throughout the perimeter of Rabaçal, which includes the much sought-after 25 Fontes and Risco.
The aim is to limit the number of people entering during a given period, in order to improve the conditions for enjoying the landscape and the route, as well as the safety of users. It has not yet been decided whether this control will be carried out every 20 or 30 minutes, but this is a strong possibility. “This should be something that naturally should happen, but if it does not happen, the aim is to count the number of people entering”, pointed out the minister, highlighting the use of automated solutions, although the physical presence of ‘security guards’ is also considered, giving access to car parks as an example.
The Regional Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment confirmed that the diplomas that embody these changes are already being finalized, and their publication in the Official Journal is expected very soon.
These documents will, among other aspects, also determine the obligation for tourists visiting us to be accompanied by a duly accredited guide (or duly qualified person) in order to access certain routes. All legal procedures for this measure are already being finalized.
Rafaela Fernandes gave Ponta de São Lourenço or Pico do Areeiro – Pico Ruivo as examples of routes where this measure should be implemented. The regional secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment argues that this same measure should be implemented on the Caldeirão Verde route. This is a measure that, in her opinion, “will significantly improve the experience of those who visit us”. Residents’ independent access to all these spaces is always safeguarded, although they are required to respect access restrictions. “Ultimately, with this measure, we are viewing Madeira as a large natural museum”, she maintained.
These measures are in addition to others already announced in recent days, such as the implementation of a waste fee on access to certain routes, traffic regulations on access
On the occasion, Rafaela Fernandes stressed that the implementation of these solutions implies the contracting of services outside the public administration sphere, so the non-approval of the Regional Budget will, inevitably, jeopardize the Executive’s intention to resolve the problem of tourist overload in tourist spots, namely on pedestrian routes.