Since 2008, Madeira’s authorities allowed Low Cost Airlines such as: Easyjet and Airberlin to travel to Madeira (and with great success). Other then cheap flights, we now also see that other organizations are changing their services towards the tourists needs in general.

Unfortunately, this might result with a reduction in quality and the ignorance of the requirements determined by the law.

By offering excursions on Madeira, the law has defined very strict requirements. To offer a visitor an excursion (Island Tours, Boats, Safari’s, Nature Walks etc), the organizing company must work with certified personnel, that are in possession of licenses that proves that the staff have followed a professional education on Madeira.

The holiday company requires special licenses and insurances to offer excursions on Madeira

For walks for example: the guide must be a registered “Guia Montanha” (Mountain Guide) with a license from Madeira (mountain guides with a license obtained from abroad are not allowed to guide walks on Madeira). Even if they are Alpine Mountain Guides or any other International mountain guide, they are not allowed to guide on Madeira.

Madeira is fortunate to have some reliable organizations that are covering all the excursions that visitors might want to join and with the licenses to do so. However the prices for these excursions might differ. This has to do with shops and organization that using excursions to approach visitors for Time share. By offering extremely low prices, they try to introduce guests into Timeshare.

Therefore, Madeira is actually not a Low Cost destination. However with the introduction of Low cost flights, we see that the local tourist industry is changing towards the needs of potential visitors, and by using the internet facilities you are now able to visit Madeira whatever your budget is.