Tourism professionals warn of the growing practice of “wild camping” in iconic places on the island, compromising the quality of tourism and Madeira’s reputation.
The president of the Municipality of Santana, Dinarte Fernandes, told JM that this is clearly”undue occupation of public space and that the PSP is informed of the situation. According to the newspaper, the PSP should act on these cases.
Less than a week has passed since JM denounced the presence of vehicles adapted for camping at the Guindaste Viewpoint and new images are already circulating on social networks showing the worsening of the situation.
In the same place, a “room” for overnight stays and even a “backyard” where clothes are dried outdoors have now been improvised. This morning, a group of tourists was surprised to watch a scene that, unfortunately, has become recurrent at that viewpoint.
While dozens of visitors got off a bus to enjoy the view and the infrastructure of the viewpoint, a family woke up peacefully and started their routines as if they were in a campsite – cooking, washing, and hanging out washing.
The complaint came from professionals in the tourism sector, namely guide-interpreters, who express concern about the negative impact that this type of informal tourism is having on Madeira’s image.
These professionals warn of the growing trivialization of behaviours that disrespect public spaces and mischaracterise the tourist experience that the region has always sought to offer: organised, sustainable, and of good quality.
The images released are clear proof of what has been reported, when the transformations of emblematic places on the island become improvised campsites, without any control or respect for the basic rules of civility and hygiene.
Car hire companies are also at fault as they are renting ‘camper’ cars.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
