The Monte Gordo Sand Experience sports event was “a success” and brought together more than 20,000 people in Vila Real de Santo António on November 18 and 19, the municipality said today. For Mayor Álvaro Araújo, the event was a “success” and proved to be a “winning bet”. The event attracted a large audience and had a positive impact on the local economy, especially in hotels and restaurants.
“We had hotels and restaurants with high occupancy, we had our commerce working and, above all, we guaranteed the goal of bringing a lot of people to our municipality at this time, which is already low season for tourism. I think we can all congratulate ourselves on our success, it was a very well contested race,” said the mayor, Álvaro Araújo.
Preliminary data provided to the municipality by various local economic agents point to a high number of overnight stays in the municipality’s hotels and a very significant turnover in the restaurant sector.
VRSA Câmara recalls that, according to data from the Algarve Hotels and Tourist Resorts Association (AHETA), in September and October, the tourist areas of Monte Gordo and Vila Real de Santo António had already recorded the biggest increases compared to the same period last year, with growth of +9.9% and +13%, respectively.
Carlos Barbosa, president of the Automóvel Club de Portugal (ACP), also highlighted the success of the event at sporting level. “We challenged the municipality of Vila de Real de Santo António, which has embraced this project of holding sand races in Portugal, and we thank them for the fantastic work they have done and for providing this great spectacle in Monte Gordo.”
The competition, promoted by the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM), which brought together more than a hundred motorcycle and quad riders, consecrated Belgian rider Todd Kellett as the winner of the Sand Racing World Championship. The race had two more stages at the emblematic Enduropale du Touquet in France and the Enduro del Verano in Argentina.
Yentel Martens, the winner of the third and final round in Monte Gordo, praised the conditions of the track: “The circuit is good, with good sand, I really liked the more technical part, because even as the race went on it wasn’t getting bumpy.
I’m glad there are more sand races in Europe and I hope this competition continues. It’s a good place to stay.
As Sul Informação had already reported, this was a race that raised several questions in terms of environmental impact.
The local authority stresses that “the Environmental Enhancement Plan has been fully complied with”.
“At the moment, the profile of the sand is already regularized and clean, and there was no negative impact during the race, nor was there any trampling of the primary dunes. It should be noted, moreover, that the area of these primary dunes was completely fenced off.”
In order to guarantee a reduction in the carbon footprint associated with the event, this Thursday, Autochthonous Forest Day, the municipality carried out an action to reforest the National Forest of the Coastal Dunes of Vila Real de Santo António, through the Forestry Technical Office, the Environment Division and the Municipal Civil Protection Service.
The Monte Gordo Sand Experience was promoted by the Vila Real de Santo António Town Council and organized by the Automóvel Club de Portugal (ACP), under the auspices of the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) and the Portuguese Motorcycling Federation (FMP). “This event not only promoted the practice of sport, but also brought a renewed vitality to Monte Gordo, becoming a catalyst for growth and recognition of the tourist and economic potential of this town, even in low season,” concluded Álvaro Leal, the VRSA councillor responsible for sport and the environment.
In this way, the Monte Gordo Sand Experience demonstrated that it is possible to make a sporting event compatible with safeguarding environmental heritage, with a high return for the municipality’s economic agents.
For more details on the success of the Monte Gordo Sand Experience and its impact on the region, visit the original article:
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By: CMVRSA
