According to the Regional Government, Madeira is the first tourism region to have a destination certification process underway by an internationally recognized multinational.
“Madeira was the first region in Portugal to have a manual of good referencing practices for the sector, participated by the sector, and it is the first tourism region that we know, until now, with an ongoing certification process”, said Eduardo Jesus, Secretary for Tourism, in an interview with the Portuguese news agency, Lusa.
The Secretary for Tourism pointed out that the epidemiological situation of this autonomous region in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, with 90 cases, 60% of which were recovered, and the absence of deaths caused by the new coronavirus, make Madeira “a very unique and quite differentiated ”, placing this destination“ on a completely different level from the markets with which it regularly works”.
A Handbook of Good Practices, which was prepared with “contributions and ideas from stakeholders“, being a document“ that does is not closed, it has a daily version, is available on the ‘website ‘from the Regional Directorate for Tourism’ and is in permanent update.
This handbook “served as a basis for thinking ahead, given the enthusiasm of the sector and the quality that has been achieved in the document”, showing that “it could be a good basis for certifying Madeira” as a “COVID19 travel safe destination”, he stressed.
The Secretary of Tourism announced that the Regional Government invited the multinational Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS), for being “one of the most credible entities with regard to these certification processes”, referring that, through this project, Madeira is “on the crest” the wave in the four corners of the world quickly ”.
“What we are doing is differentiating Madeira through its credibility, as “ no one will leave the house to enter an adventure of danger to health ”. The government official mentioned that this investment also involves the Madeira Promotion Association, with members being exempt from any costs of this certification this year.
“We want to have the first certifications in July”, he pointed out, explaining that this process “is distinct” from the seal (Covid Safe Tourism) which has “a more immediate logic”, a “short reach”, just filling out a survey, while “Certification requires the implementation of practices”, depending on the verification of the proper implementation “.
Eduardo Jesus emphasized that certification “is a different commitment and one does not invalidate the other”.
“Here the key is that what you do, you do it well. And to do well is not being able to create a false expectation for the traveller ”, based on three prevention criteria, which“ must always be verified in any circumstance: social distance, use of personal protective equipment and health security ”.
“If we apply these three directories at any point during the trip, we have the process safeguarded. That is, before getting on the plane, on the plane, when leaving the plane, when making the first ground transportation, when going to the accommodation, when circulating inside and outside the accommodation, at all these moments there are three major lines to check orientation ”, he stressed.
The Madeiran government official also maintained that everything that is done must “attend to these three universes: whoever visits, who works and who resides”.
abridged from LUSA – full text in Portuguese available here.
Miguel Pinto-Correia holds a Master Degree in International Economics and European Studies from ISEG – Lisbon School of Economics & Management and a Bachelor Degree in Economics from Nova School of Business and Economics. He is a permanent member of the Order of the Economists (Ordem dos Economistas)… Read more
