A reader wrote to algarvedailynews.com to express her opposition to the proposed 'Salgados - Ria Formosa Eco-Resort' project now owned by MillenniumBPC and being punted internationally by sales agency CBRE.
She writes to Dear Ed., "Thanks for being so pro-active regarding this issue of the Lagoa de Salgados and Praia Grande. it's given a lot of people the courage to join in and protest in various ways rather than allow those with money and power to do as they wish with impunity.
Here is the reader's open letter:
"There is no need for any more new build projects in the Algarve. It has already been acknowledged by the minister for tourism that although the number of tourists is up, the number of 'beds' available far exceeds demand thus causing the money brought in by tourism to be spread too thinly.
The Algarve is already saturated with existing businesses struggling to survive and jobs are still being lost because of this imbalance, regardless of the increase in tourists.
Investing in new build developments ignores these facts and indicates a lack of imagination with scant regard for anything other than short term profit. This in turn will lead to the continuation of an already insecure future for anybody involved in the tourism industry - and that is most people here!
There is a need to focus on renovation, refurbishment and the completion of all the failed and abandoned projects which stand as testaments to the failure of this short sighted approach to business.
This is something that needs to be avoided at Salgados. Please do not continue to repeat the mistakes that have been made so often. Learn from experience and stop thinking of the short term financial profit - there simply isn't one (apart from for a very few wealthy investors).
Instead please consider a slow and sustainable approach. The Salgados area already attracts huge numbers of tourists from around the world who are drawn to the lagoon to see the wildlife, not the golf courses, commercial centres or holiday villages that are being proposed in the plans.
If money needs to be created from this area, then focus on this aspect, consider the patrimony already lost, think of heritage, nature, ecology - after all, this is the direction in which tourism is going . Why not be at the start of something with a future instead of destroying that potential?
An alternative proposal which would protect rather than destroy this precious natural area...
Make the whole area from Salgados in the East to Armação de Pêra in the West and North to Pêra a Protected Nature Zone. Turn the abandoned farm buildings (on the way to Carlos' restaurant) into an information centre for the area. Include a car park here and the through road to Carlos' restaurant (with speed bumps, of course).
The information centre focusses on the flora and fauna of the area, with a musem dedicated to the traditions of the past and a look to the future for sustainable living.
This building would also be a learning centre for school visits off season, where children can learn some of the old handicrafts which are already almost lost as well as about the biology, geography etc of the area.
No dogs, no cars, no hunting, designated tracks for walking and maybe cycling and horse driven cart, careful and considered re-introduction of flora and fauna that has disappeared from the area due to degradation, abandonment, hunting and uncontrolled dogs. Walkways that link to Armação de Pêra modelled in the same way as the one from Praia Grande to Salgados maybe, to add further protection to the dunes and access to the town.
This would bring tourists to the area who would stay in the existing hotels, extending the season, wildlife is a year round attraction, and bringing in the business desperately needed in this area. All this without damaging or destroying any part of this rare and priceless open space.
Value is not necessarily about money."
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See also: 'Silves council slams MillenniumBCP's 'Praia Grande Eco-Resort''
To sign the 'Save Salgados' petition, CLICK HERE
