Madeira tourism model debated as region secures 27 Blue Flag awards

Former Madeira regional president Alberto João Jardim publicly criticised the tourism strategy presented by regional secretary of Tourism, Environment and Culture Eduardo Jesus. Jardim warned that the focus on increasing revenue per visitor could exacerbate social disorganisation and collective losses for residents, stressing the need to consider environmental and population impacts. His comments followed Jesus’s presentation of a report on ten years of tourism in the autonomous region, which advocates a shift from visitor‑number growth to higher‑value, diversified markets.

In the same period, Madeira announced it had been awarded 27 Blue Flags for beaches, marinas and eco‑tourism vessels for 2026, marking the 40th anniversary of the international programme. The ceremony at the Marina do Funchal was led by Eduardo Jesus, who highlighted the award as recognition of the region’s long‑term commitment to sustainable coastal management across eight municipalities.