In statements to the Lusa agency, the president of the Algarve Hotel and Tourism Enterprises Association (AHETA), Hélder Martins, said that hoteliers "will continue to work to reduce consumption as if this bonus did not exist".

Last Wednesday in Faro, Prime Minister Luís Montenegro announced the easing of restrictions imposed on water consumption since February, updating the reduction, which goes from 15 percent to 10 percent in the urban and tourism sector and from 25 percent to 13 percent in agriculture, in a total of 20 cubic hectometres.

"We will continue our work, because we are aware that if this year there is this bonus, next year we may have problems again", noted the president of AHETA, the largest association in the sector in the region.

For Hélder Martins, the relief will have no effect on tourism in the region, also because, he says, "the sector is exceeding" what was the previous target of 15%.

"Everything we have done, and will continue to do, with the reduction of lawns, the use of native species that need less water, will certainly contribute to us being able to reach 20%, 25% reduction", he concluded.

In turn, the president of the Association of Hotel and Similar Industries of the Algarve (AHISA), Daniel do Adro, shares the same opinion, namely, that the relief announced by the Government, "does not change in any way the efforts of hoteliers provided for in the water pact".

"Obviously, it gives more time for adaptation, but it does not change what are the measures that we have advocated for this pact and commitment to the destination, nor is there any forecast of revising these measures, as a result of this relief", he stressed.

For Daniel do Adro, the reduction from 15% to 10%, "allows a little more slack to work, knowing that there is not such strong pressure, but the course of work developed to save water will be maintained".

The Minister of the Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, assured today that, even with relief in the restrictions, the Algarve will have water for consumption, but the Government will be attentive to "if it is necessary to tighten here and there".

In statements to the Lusa agency, on the sidelines of the Concordia European Summit, in Porto, Maria da Graça Carvalho said that the new resolution will go to the Council of Ministers in the week of 10 June, with the previous one, from February, approved by the Government of António Costa, revoked when the new one comes into force.

"Yes, it is [possible to guarantee that the Algarve will have water]. We did the math. The accounts are very consolidated on the assumption that any relief must guarantee that there is water for consumption for a year, even if it does not rain at all. But this is a dynamic evaluation and, every two months, we will look at the measures and if it is necessary to tighten here and there, we will also do so", she said.

Read Also: Environment Minister assures that there will be no shortage of water in the Algarve (Portuguese version)