Tourism in Portugal may not be as thriving this year as it has been in previous years, but the Algarve, with its long sandy beaches and charming seaside resorts, will never fail to attract visitors, many of whom return year after year.
It is hardly surprising therefore that the Algarve tourism chief Nuno Aires criticized the city of Guimaraes, in the north of Portugal, for using images of empty beaches in the Algarve as part of its campaign to become European Capital of Culture in 2012. The campaign’s billboards show a picture of empty sun loungers with the words “Algarve Coast, 11.30am, August 2, 2010”.