Growing pains of paradise: Madeira's struggle with tourism
Madeira is dealing with an increasing number of tourists, causing several problems for the island's residents. One of the main issues is nomadic accommodations. Tourists settle wherever they please and leave trash behind, reports "Fakt."
Madeira is attracting more and more visitors. In the first half of 2024, the island was visited by over 940,000 tourists, an 8% increase compared to the previous year.
Aleksandra Skibińska, a resident of Madeira, emphasized in an interview with "Fakt" that the island is becoming a victim of its own success. Tourists often do not follow the rules, staying in areas not designated for overnight accommodations, leading to sanitation issues. Skibińska notes that since the pandemic, tourist traffic has increased by 40%.
Tourism in Madeira: Wild camping everywhere
Madeira's residents are concerned about the behaviour of tourists who set up tents in prohibited areas, such as beaches or national parks. Officially, wild camping is forbidden, and designated areas require prior reservation. The lack of adequate sanitation infrastructure leads to environmental pollution.
I often see tourists sleeping in cars or pitching tents where they shouldn't, like on beaches, seaside boulevards, or in the national park. There was a guy who pitched a tent in the centre of Funchal, Madeira's capital. Because after all, he’s in a wild country, right? - Skibińska reported to Fakt.
The situation is the same on trails, where tourists relieve themselves and do not clean up after themselves.
You can camp "under the stars" for free. All you need to do is reserve a spot on the Madeira Natural Park website. However, choosing this type of accommodation requires you to pitch your tent in a marked location, specify the exact date of your stay when making the reservation, and agree to take your waste with you. Such campsites, however, do not offer extensive infrastructure. Typically, they provide access to a toilet and drinking water, but not to showers.
