Following an approximate two-and-a-half month closure for renovations, the renovated campsite has now the capacity to accommodate up to 360 people, the City Council has stated. During the renovations, which cost €617 thousand, only the bungalow accommodations remained open at the Doutor Jaime Marques Dias Simão municipal campsite.
Fernando Paulo, the Chamber’s president has stated that “The investment is made with tourists, national and foreign, who choose to visit and stay in Vila Franca de Xira. “The reorganisation of spaces increased the park's capacity and provided conditions for those opting for a tent, caravan, motorhome or bungalows. We know how to welcome, but now the park has even better conditions to welcome tourists”.
Besides the campsite improvements regarding “greater capacity, better accessibility inside and a redeveloped green space”, the restructuring of the electrical network for public lighting, the construction of a new network for telecommunications, the establishment of a new network for armed firefighting, and the opening of access for emergency vehicles were extra enhancements that the camping park undertook. The campsite can now accommodate 70 tents, and 22 caravans instead of the previous 16, 15 light motorhomes, five more than before, and four heavy motorhomes.
Vila Franca de Xira’s municipality also mentions that “To match the magnificent landscape, the camping park also received new trees [...] and new vegetation, in addition to a wooden staircase, wooden palisades and a landscaped 'deck' with 15 armchairs overlooking the River Tejo”. Moreover, included in the €617 thousand investment and part of the Municipal Water and Sanitation Services (SMAS) the construction of a network for the delivery of drinking water, the repurposing of irrigation water from public pools, and the reformulation of the irrigation network were also included.