Contacted by Lusa agency, the mayor of Melgaço, Manoel Batista, said that the blanket of snow that covers the parishes Castro Laboreiro and Lamas de Mouro and Branda da Aveleira, in the Peneda-Gerês National Park (PNPG), "allows us to speed up visitation, which has been happening in recent days".

“In Castro Laboreiro, demand increased between 40 and 50%. This is during the week. We imagine that at the weekend demand will still be very high, due to the snow”, explained the socialist mayor.

Manoel Batista said that “the mountain accommodation, regardless of the snow, was already sold out”.

“Now with the snow, we anticipate that accommodation in the lower part of the territory will be sold out over the weekend”.

According to the mayor, in recent days, the mountain areas have received Spanish and national tourists, especially from the north of the country.

“People from other destinations in Europe are also already in the territory. We are pleased with the results of tourism at this time of year, regardless of the snow”, said Manoel Batista, guaranteeing that road traffic on municipal and rural roads is “duly assured”.

From the Minho Valley to the Lima Valley, the snow has also transformed the landscape of the mountainous areas of the municipality of Arcos de Valdevez.

Speaking to the Lusa agency, the mayor of Arcos de Valdevez, João Manuel Esteves, also pointed to an “increase, in the order of 10 to 20%, in accommodation”, estimating that demand will grow in view of the proximity of the end of week.

“The entire mountain area, much of it within the PNPG, is covered in snow. From the county seat, a very beautiful snow scene is visible”, said the mayor.

“Since the snow started to fall, we have received more visitors. They are people from the Metropolitan Area of Porto and Vigo, in Galicia”, he said.

According to João Manuel Esteves, the choice for Arcos de Valdevez is due to the “easy access” to areas with more snow.

“For example, Branda de São Bento do Cando, in the parish of Gavieira, is not very far and people can enjoy these special moments”, he said, guaranteeing that “the municipal means are on the ground to guarantee circulation on the county’s roads ”.