Although the UK remains the Algarve’s number one market, and its appeal to the British visitor is well established, the region has no plans to rest on its laurels.
Nuno Aires, president of the Algarve’s regional tourist board, explains: “The Algarve’s strategy is not only to promote its core markets of sun, sea and golf, but to highlight niche products, such as wellness, nature, sports and culture. This allows for further dispersion throughout the region while also aiming for a year-round appeal to visitors.”
To this end, Aires points to a number of key investments that have been made in the region, which ups the standard and options on offer. These include new hotels, infrastructure for nature tourism, and sports facilities, such as the new Motor Park, which includes a karting track, technology park, five-star hotel, sports complex and apartments.
Within the next couple of years there are plans for 20 new spas, 18 five-star and nine four-star hotels, and 18 golf courses.
New developments
The Algarve certainly has its fair share of new hotels. Due to open this summer in Vilamoura is the region’s first Crowne Plaza property. The hotel will have 327 guest rooms plus suites, and is conveniently located for the casino, marina, and top golf courses.
In Olhão, the Real Marina Hotel & Spa just opened its doors. Guests will have access to some of the Algarve’s best beaches, including deserted beaches on the barrier islands of Ria Formosa.
And coming this summer is the Eden Resort in Albufeira. It will have one, two and three-bedroom apartments all with their own entrance and a terrace or balcony. The resort includes five outdoor pools, a kids’ club, beach club, and shuttle service to beaches, golf or nightlife.
Meanwhile, down the coast in Sagres, the Quinta do Martinhal Resort just opened to guests. The five-star, beachfront resort, set within a national park, has 93 villas, 17 townhouses and 50 apartments, all with a sea view.
Properties set to open next year include the Quinta do Vale Golf resort, which has a river marina and lies adjacent to the Severiano Ballesteros-designed golf course, and the Six Senses Resort in Castro Marim.
The latter will have a golf course, villas, apartments and a 2,100-room hotel, 10 miles of beachfront, and of course, a deluxe spa. Last but not least, the Algarve will be getting its first six-star hotel next year in the shape of the Conrad Hilton, Quinta do Lago. The property will have 158 rooms and suites, and is close to Faro airport as well as world-class golfing options.
Elsewhere, the Algarve has really extended its health and wellness facilities, with a number of new openings. And the Via Algarviana, a 150-mile path from Alcoutim at the eastern end of the Algarve to Cape St Vincent at its western tip, is sure to be of interest to active clients, whether they like to walk, cycle or ride horses. The route passes through beautiful, rural landscapes and along rocky shores, as well as taking in the cultural centres of Tavira, Loulé, Monchique and Lagos.
The Algarve’s beaches recently got a clean bill of health when they were awarded no fewer than 69 Blue Flags. That’s the most the region has ever received, and 15 more than last year’s total. So wherever they choose to dip their toes, your clients can be sure of clean, pristine beaches, many with beach tents and water sports schools thrown in.
Market trends
Looking at sales trends, Thomas Cook reports that all-inclusive maintains its popularity in the Algarve. The region is popular with the family market and differentiated products such as the Sunstar property have sold well this summer.
Caron Simpson, senior product manager for Portugal for First Choice and Thomson, says: “There has been a definite move away from self-catering holidays in the Algarve with all-inclusive and half-board being much more popular this season. Our villa programme has also seen strong bookings for this summer.”
First Choice reports strong sales for its Holiday Village, especially all-inclusive packages. The resort combines entertainment with football, swimming and dance academies, a splash park and hands-on activities such as raft building. Thomson’s Platinum product also continues to be popular, in particular the Riu Palace and Riu Guarana in Olhos d’Agua.
“The resort option is very much in demand, especially with families,” reports Mary Anne Popoff of Destination Portugal. “The Western Algarve is also proving popular – Parque da Floresta, a resort complex of villas and townhouses, and Martinhal with its new boutique hotel.”
New products
A number of villa complexes that feature KidsWorld have been included in the Summer 2011 Thomas Cook Families brochure. New Cook properties for 2011 include the four-star self-catering Alagoamar in Albufeira, and the three-star Vitors Plaza, an all-inclusive property in Praia do Vau.
In summer 2010 the four-sun Alfagar II Apartments join the First Choice Kids Academy range, with accommodation on a half-board basis. For Thomson, Kidzone will be available at four-star Brisa Sol apartments in Albufeira. Look out for more new products in brochures in July.
Selling the Algarve
In terms of promotions, the successful Allgarve events programme continues, with a blend of popular and classical music, jazz, art, food and historic festivals, and sports events.
This year sees a new campaign: ‘Algarve: Europe’s most famous secret’. Look out for the campaign in cinemas from September, and of course, at London’s World Travel Market in November.
The Algarve Promotion Bureau’s trade and media website is a great, user-friendly resource for the travel trade. Launched earlier this year, the site offers a variety of downloads, including a monthly magazine and industry and event news updates.
There’s also access to promotional videos, brochures, maps and images, plus sections on Sun and Sea, Golf, Health and Wellness, Family Holidays, Nature Tourism and Sport.
Worth mentioning to clients, especially those who feel they know the Algarve already, is the wide variety of holidays and destinations available in the region. The coastline itself changes from east to west, moving from the cosy coves and brash nightlife of Albufeira, through the glitzy marina at Vilamoura to the rugged, Atlantic beaches of Sagres and Cape St Vincent.
Clients who are familiar with Albufeira, say, might want to try a golfing option, or maybe a walking break or a wellness retreat in the hills of Monchique. Mentioning some of the niche products available in the Algarve will persuade clients to give the region a second look.
Moreover, operators such as Thomson and First Choice have a wide range of differentiated product in the Algarve – in their case, Holiday Villages, Thomson Gold/Platinum, Premier, Kids Academy and Kidzone.
These can be easily cross-sold to clients who’ve enjoyed a Thomson and First Choice holiday elsewhere in the world. From a sales point of view, the plus point here is that you’re offering a new location while at the same time providing clients with the reassurance that comes from a familiar product.
