en 
In a statement, the GNR explained that during the operation, which took place between 8am and 1pm, it surveyed a total of 116 offense records, “of which 91 offenses result from camping, wild caravanning and illegal parking in places that are not allowed and 25 for non-compliance with the traffic sign regulation”.
The inspection took place in the municipality of Vila do Bispo, district of Faro, in the Natural Park of Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina.
The operation involved a total of 22 elements from the GNR of Portimão, the Regional Directorate for Nature Conservation and Forests of the Algarve and the Vila do Bispo Chamber.
The security force pointed out that “camping and wild caravanning is a problem that has been identified for a long time and that constitutes a factor in the destruction of habitats, some of which are protected, in addition to representing an illegal occupation which results in a degradation of the places used by uncontrolled deposits of waste that spread through the unduly occupied places”.
"Thus, these inspection actions aim to discourage illegal and strongly degrading practices in an area of ??high natural value, but also tourism," said the note from the GNR.
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About time too. I'm glad the local authorities are finally taking action to curb this escalation in 'free caravaning' etc. For the last 20 yrs the increase in people who do not wish to use the available campsites and Aires, has become super unbearable. For those who wish to simply visit the beach areas, or spend the day enjoying the campo, it is blighted by full parking areas, overflowing litter areas, and toilet paper adorning all the bushes. The majority of 'free campers' do not have a Porta potti, or even a stout spade to dig a hole to have a poo. They shop at Lidl and stock up on cheap items, negating the need to utilise local businesses and shops. A few will buy veggies at the Mercado, but then they chug off in their dilapidated old trucks and lorries, spewing smoke from their un serviced, un environmental vehicles. They think they are so cool, but do not add much benefit to local communities. By staying at real campsites, this provides employment and allows the businesses to grow. More would spring up, providing sustainable futures for many. The cafes, mini shops, restaurants and bars can operate well, and 'travellers' can spend time and money in small local shops etc, helping these struggling businesses. Then when you take a day trip to the beach or countryside, you can really appreciate it, rather than being faced with an unsightly mess of vans and trucks, people sitting around like they own the place, and looking at you as if you are not welcome in their little 'wild' paradise. I know that many will not agree with my thoughts, but also many will agree, and wish for a return to the days when the western Algarve was un spoilt, clean, quiet and wild.
By Davey Morgan from UK on 17 Aug 2020, 12:56
This whole article is far wide of the mark. Most people visiting in vans eat and drink at local restaurants and cafes, use local facilities such as laundrettes and do have their own toilets and waste tanks on onboard.
Yes there are some places where tissues are discarded but the people who do that do not represent the entire vanning community.
As for the comment above painting a picture of vehicles belching out black smoke and polluting the environment, what a farce. Most vans are modern, coach built campers which are MOTd and serviced regularly.
Many campsites along the Algarve are expensive and don't offer good facilities or value for money which forces budget conscious tourists to make hard choices, especially as many sites raise their prices excessively during peak season. Saying that all van tourism is a blight is like saying that all expats don't respect local culture, customs and language.
Let's be objective. Since the pandemic and ensuing lockdown the Iberian Peninsula as a whole has suffered greatly economically and vanners bring money with them. Some local restaurant owners have said how important ALL visitors are to the local economy and the longevity of their livelihoods. Let's cut the snobbery and short sightedness and start to value the importance of all kinds of tourism instead of villifying people who genuinely contribute to the economy.
By Jake from Algarve on 17 Aug 2020, 15:36