Algarve golf bookings doing well despite uncertainty

The president of the Algarve tourist board, João Fernandes, said on Wednesday that bookings for the coming golf high season are running “at a good pace” despite the “great uncertainty” about the future due to the conflict in Eastern Europe.

According to Fernandes, the golf high season, which runs from March to May and between September and November, has been “heavily” affected in the last two years by restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, but is experiencing “very significant” demand despite some “uncertainty” about the future.

“Fortunately, we are in a phase of recovery of air connections which, simultaneously with the fall of the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, means that we are with excellent booking results for the coming months, namely for the golf season,” he said.

According to Fernandes, during the pandemic, isolation and restrictions always coincided with periods that normally see high golf demand: “With the exception of the last four months of last year, all other periods of high golf season in 2020 and 2021 were heavily impacted.”

Asked by Lusa about a possible impact of the conflict in Ukraine on Algarve tourism, he said that there is a “very positive” recovery in the golf sector, and that no such impact has been seen so far.

“We are not yet feeling it, but .. in the future there may be a retraction in demand from markets in countries bordering or close to the conflict zone, namely Sweden, Poland and Finland,” he stressed.

He said that he was unaware, for the time being, of “the behaviour of the German market, whose consumers normally anticipate economic and social crises, which may result in a drop in demand.”

Fernandes noted that as Portugal is on the western edge of Europe “there may be diversions of flows to the region, as the Algarve is further away from the conflict zone,” although uncertainty remains as to the length of the conflict and what its effects will be on the consumer economy.

“If the conflict continues, the impact that is already being felt on energy and fuel will be felt on all goods and could lead to a shortage of some goods, as has already been mentioned,” he said.

The tourist board president added that Portugal, and specifically the Algarve, “came out of the pandemic with a reinforced reputation from the point of view of the safety they offer, which continues to be a determining factor for the choice” of destination.

“Portugal and the Algarve continued to garner international recognition in the various awards that are given by different segments of activity, which is a very strong factor to impact those who, after being constrained by Covid-19, now have the opportunity to travel,” he concluded.