The Secretary of State for Tourism, Commerce and Services, Rita Marques, said Thursday that it is necessary to repair the damage caused by the fires in the Serra da Estrela and create “new conditions for more investments” in the territory.
I think we have two things to do now. First of all, supporting these companies, somehow repairing the damage caused by these fires, but, at the same time, creating an agenda for the future, creating new conditions for more investment, better investment, always guaranteeing the perpetuation of creation of value,” said Rita Marqués.
The official spoke with journalists in Manteigas, in the district of Guarda, at the end of a meeting with mayors, regional development entities and economic agents of the Serra da Estrela Natural Park (PNSE) region, to assess the impact of recent forest fires, identify the main limitations and outline future prevention measures.
The meeting was also attended by, among others, the president of Tourism of Portugal, Luís Araújo, and the president of Turismo do Centro, Pedro Machado.
According to Rita Marques, the meeting served to listen to businessmen, business associations and municipalities, to assess the damage caused by the fires and “outline a future strategy that prevents situations like these from happening again”, and ensure that tourism “it is a net contributor to the good dynamism of the territories”.
The businessmen present “suggested several lines of attack”, such as financial and fiscal support to “in some way pay off the damage, the damage” that the fires brought to the region “after such an acute pandemic.”
And, at the same time, also, lines of action to support new investments that can structure new tourism products, more sustainable, also more innovative”, he said.
Rita Marques assured that the Government “is always willing to dialogue, first and then, to work with those who create wealth”, which are businessmen, and to “create conditions so that wealth can be perpetuated, especially in these regions so affected ”. .
He recalled that the Resolution of the Council of Ministers defines the response plan to the situation and that the report with the damage will be presented within the framework of the survey that is being carried out.
In a short space of time, naturally, we will have answers to all the concerns raised here”, he assumed.
The Secretary of State admitted that the line of support to be created for tourism in the Serra da Estrela region will support the treasury of companies and also new investments, ensuring the creation of new tourism products “that can create more value in the territory”.
Serra da Estrela was affected by a fire that broke out on August 6 in Garrocho, in the municipality of Covilhã (Castelo Branco district), and was ruled out on the 13th.
The fire was reactivated on the 15th and was considered controlled again on the 17th of the same month, at night.
The flames spread to the district of Guarda, in the municipalities of Manteigas, Gouveia, Guarda and Celorico da Beira, and also reached the municipality of Belmonte, in the district of Castelo Branco.
On the 25th, the Government approved the declaration of a calamity situation for the PNSE, which has been affected by fires since July, as requested by the mayors of the affected territories.
The calamity situation has already been published in the Diário da República and will be in force for a period of one year, with the “objective of restoring normality in the respective geographical area.”
Source: Observadora
