Matt Mevir from UK’s stag do organiser Last Night of Freedom says “it could be very harmful to turn away a vital, profitable industry”
The boss of a UK stag and hen party organiser has warned that Albufeira’s plan to create a Code of Conduct for local bars and nightlife spots to crackdown on “excessive” behaviour “could do more harm than good.”
Matt Mavir, managing director at Last Night of Freedom – a Geordie firm that has organised “more than 50,000 stag and hen parties over 25 years in business” – has warned Albufeira not to “throw the baby out with the bathwater.”
“The vast majority of tourists – and indeed the overwhelming majority of our customers – are well behaved, respectful and travel abroad to let their hair down and celebrate their last night of freedom,” said Matt Mavir in a statement sent to the Resident.
“There’s a very small minority of tourists, however, who drink too much and cause a nuisance. But when we’ve seen other destinations launch campaigns designed to keep British tourists away, they never work,” he said.
“In Prague, leaders even discussed implementing measures such as a fancy-dress ban – a ridiculous and slightly embarrassing tactic that is simply unenforceable.”
Matt Mavir, who said around 450 stags and hens will be partying in the Algarve this weekend, continued: “We work closely with tourism bodies and leaders across Europe and I cautiously welcome Albufeira’s focus on providing a quality experience for tourists.
“But I’d urge them to think carefully and not over-promise. Firstly, local laws are already established to deal with bad behaviour – a set of overly prescriptive new rules can be counter-productive. Who decides what is acceptable, and who is responsible for enforcing it?
“Stag and hen parties are the lifeblood of a healthy tourism sector and, especially when professionally organised, they bring vibrancy and a huge economic benefit,” Mavir said, adding: “It could be very harmful to potentially turn away a vital, profitable industry.”
As the Resident reported last month, the issue of “excessive behaviour” exhibited by rowdy tourists at Albufeira’s Oura district reached fever pitch when a video of several naked men crawling on their knees in a line, on top of a bar counter in Albufeira, in broad daylight, resulted in eight British tourists being identified by the GNR.
Reacting to the case, Albufeira mayor José Carlos Rolo vowed to tackle the problem and create a Code of Conduct for local bars and nightlife spots, particularly in the Oura bar district, known as ‘The Strip’ (Avenida Sá Carneiro).
“The recent behaviour of foreign holidaymakers prompted an emergency meeting convened by the municipal council with all security forces and associations in the tourism sector,” the local authority said, adding that “a meeting with the Minister of Internal Administration and the creation of a commission to develop a Code of Conduct” for local bars would be the next steps to be taken.
Cited in the local council’s press release, mayor José Carlos Rolo lamented that “the image of Albufeira is being tarnished by incidents like those occurring in bar areas, while in the rest of the municipality, safety and tranquillity have been consistently maintained, as shown by the annual influx of tourists, especially families, both foreign and Portuguese.”
While he said he understands “the need for social spaces and nightlife entertainment,” the mayor stated that he is “determined to limit the attitudes and behaviours” of tourists when they “go too far”.
