en 
In a statement, AMAL states that the proposal was made known
to municipal deputies at the second and last meeting of the Intermunicipal
Assembly of the year, which took place in Loulé, on Monday, and brought
together 47 deputies from the various political forces represented in the 16
municipal assemblies from the Algarve.
The implementation of a tourist tax of two euros across all municipalities
of the district of Faro is the objective of the proposal that AMAL is considering.
The same source recalled that the proposal had already been
presented at a meeting of the Intermunicipal Council of AMAL, in November, and
is currently being analysed by representatives of the main organisations in the
tourism sector in the Algarve.
“The model to be implemented will be decided by a commission
made up of representatives from AMAL, RTA (Algarve Tourism Region), ATA (Algarve Tourism Association), AIHSA (Association of Hotel and Similar
Industries of the Algarve), and AHETA (Association of Hotels and Tourist Resorts
in the Algarve)”, he clarified.
The proposal under analysis “provides for the implementation
of the [tourist] tax in all municipalities in the region and for all
typologies, as well as a positive discrimination in the low season”, when it is
expected that half of the proposed value will be charged.
“In addition, it foresees that a part of the revenues will
be applied in each municipality and the other part reverts to the creation of a
regional fund for the promotion of tourism (air connections in low season) and
for tourist entertainment (major international events)”.
Speaking to the Lusa agency, in October, the president of
the Intermunicipal Community of the Algarve (AMAL), António Pina, defended the
application, from 2023, of a municipal tourist tax “with a common value” to the
entire region.
António Pina, who presides over the Olhão Chamber,
highlighted at the time that the municipalities of the Algarve had already
decided in 2019 “to proceed with the application of the tourist tax”, but
recalled that the intention was “suspended because of the pandemic [of covid-19]”.
The mayor then argued that, after the critical pandemic
period, it was “time to return to its application”, but stressed that the
tourist tax would only be applied after “conversations with all partners” in
the tourism sector.
“The decision does not belong to AMAL, it belongs to each of
the municipalities. AMAL is only trying to agree on the criteria for its application,
but if there are municipalities that decide not to apply the fee, they do not
apply it”, said the official.
Currently, in the Algarve, the tourist tax is only applied in the municipalities of Faro and Vila Real de Santo António, the first municipality in the region to introduce the tax, in 2019.
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Pure greed, and it will deter large families at 14e per person per week. Folks are good enough to want to come to portugal to spend their hard earned cash and portugal want to penalise them as soon as they get here, disgusting.
By Karl blore from Algarve on 22 Dec 2022, 13:06
This is fine if the money could go to a good use such as the fire service, water preservation, homeless etc. and not disappear into pockets.
By JG from Algarve on 23 Dec 2022, 05:07
So happy that a tourist tax will be implemented, finally! Tourists leave trash behind, trample nature, camp illegally, uss the local roads, etc,,,, tourism needs to be sustainable, not a complete invasion, putting a lot of pressure on infrastructure and the Algarves most precious natural resource- water
By cyn flanigan from Algarve on 23 Dec 2022, 19:12
Cyn Flannigan (old Portuguese name) typifies the ignorance of many associated with these schemes - the littering, wildcamping, nature trampling community will be unaffected since payment is levied on formal accomodation. I could agree with Cyn but then we'd both be wrong.
By Tom Booth from UK on 24 Dec 2022, 11:54