Tourists risk £1,500 fine for breaking new rules in major tourist destination
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Tourists visiting a popular resort town in Europe could face on-the-spot fines of up to £1,500 under tough new rules aimed at curbing antisocial behaviour.
Albufeira in southern Portugal, long known for its sun-soaked beaches and vibrant nightlife, has seen increasing scrutiny over the behaviour of some tourists - particularly during the summer high season
The city's new Code of Conduct targets a range of disruptive actions that have sparked concern among locals and authorities - banning everything from public nudity and sex acts to street drinking, loud noise, and urinating in public.
The harshest penalties - between €500 (£426) and €1,800 (£1,500) - will apply to those caught fully naked or engaging in sexual acts in public.
Partial nudity away from designated beach areas, public drinking, urinating or defecating in public, and creating excessive noise are also punishable by fines ranging from €300 (£255) to €1,500 (£1,277).
Other violations listed in the code include spitting, misuse of public furniture, and abandoning shopping trolleys, as Albufeira City Council seeks to restore order and cleanliness in high-traffic tourist zones.
The crackdown follows a series of incidents, including a viral video last year of eight British men dancing naked on a bar in broad daylight on Albufeira’s main party strip, Rua da Oura.
Albufeira, long known for its sun-soaked beaches and vibrant nightlife, has seen increasing scrutiny over the behaviour of some tourists - particularly during the summer high season
The city's new Code of Conduct targets a range of disruptive actions - banning everything from public nudity and sex acts to street drinking, loud noise, and urinating in public
The footage led to widespread outrage, prompting an emergency meeting between local authorities and business owners.
The UK Foreign Office issued a travel alert on Thursday, 26 June, warning British nationals of the new regulations, declaring: 'The municipality of Albufeira has introduced a code of conduct which bans inappropriate behaviour in public places.
'Check out the rules that are now in force. If you break the rules, you could be fined on the spot from between 150 and 1,800 euros.'
The city council for the Algarve city approved the new code of conduct in May 'to prevent abusive behaviour by tourists', as reported by Travel Weekly.
Partial nudity away from designated beach areas, public drinking, urinating or defecating in public, and creating excessive noise are punishable by fines ranging from €300 (£255) to €1,500 (£1,277)
The crackdown follows a series of incidents, including a viral video last year of eight British men dancing naked on a bar in broad daylight on Albufeira’s main party strip, Rua da Oura (pictured)
Speaking in May, Mayor José Carlos Rolo said the code was part of a broader strategy to repair Albufeira's image, adding that the rules hope to 'promote harmony' between the tourism sector and local population.
Meanwhile, Faro Airport in Portugal will start the rollout of e-gate access to UK arrivals this month ahead of the peak summer season in the Algarve, a minister revealed today.
The announcement comes after the Government said on May 19 that British passport holders will be able to use e-gates at more European airports as part of a UK-EU deal.
Since Brexit, Britons arriving at EU airports have generally been forced to queue for manned desks to have their passports stamped, rather than use automated gates with facial recognition technology – leading to long waits, particularly in peak periods.
Daily Mail
