Upped police scrutiny will be in force at certain points along the Portuguese-Spanish border, to patrol the bus-loads of high-school students who every year flock in their thousands on organised trips to popular destinations in Spain.
The GNR’s ‘Spring Break’ operation spans from 19 March to 2 April, and involves awareness-raising campaigns as well as random checks on coaches and other vehicles carrying young adults across border points in Vilar Formoso (Guarda), Caia (Portalegre) and Vila Real de Santo António (Faro).
Officers are aiming to deter risky behaviours such as drinking alcohol and drug-taking.
During a first phase, Safe School patrol officers will be conducting awareness-raising campaigns in schools, aimed at high-schools students in years 9 to 11.
From 23 March to 2 April, officers will be inspecting vehicles carrying youngsters across the border to Spain, and from 26 March to 2 April officers will also be focusing on shops and other establishments selling alcohol and so-called ‘legal high’ products.
Last year’s spring break was marred by an incident in southern Spain in which more than 1,000 Portuguese finalists were kicked out of a hotel amid claims of disagreements and vandalism.
Around 1,200 Portuguese students in their final school year were ordered to leave the Camino Real hotel in Torremolinos after they allegedly caused thousands of euros worth of damage and destruction.
In the wake of the messy clash, it emerged that hotels in the Algarve – another popular ‘Spring-Breakers’ destination – have, in recent years, been upping their prices and deposit fees over the Easter period as a way of deterring high-school graduates from staying in the region for the traditional ‘finalists’ break.
Speaking to newspaper Correio da Manhã, Elidérico Viegas, head of the Algarve’s largest hotel and resort association AHETA said, “The region’s establishments are avoiding accepting organised excursions as a means of putting a stop to situations of instability caused by students, such as disturbing other clients, but also material damage that has been caused and which then requires compensation, which would cause conflicts.”
The head of AHETA said that to prevent this, the Algarve’s strategy has been in recent years to implement “greater demands” on travel agencies that organise finalists’ trips, such as higher deposits, which in turn drives the students and agencies to look elsewhere.
In related news, Northern Portugal is expecting a bumper Easter.
According to early indications, the region’s hotels will achieve an occupancy rate of around 80 percent, which is a new record for northern Portugal.
It also expects to exceed the number of tourists heading to the Algarve and Serra da Estrela over Easter.