Every 20th Hiking Slot Reserved for Residents
The president of the IFCN explained in an appearance on Telejornal Madeira yesterday, January 22, 2026, that the hiking slots quota for Madeirans is set at 5%. This means that every 20th hiking slot is reserved for residents, as they compete among each other for free trail access. The remaining 95% is reserved for tourist who are obliged to pay a hiking fee. The president framed the quota to be more than fair because residents make up less than 2% of hikers.
It’s a statistic, and we arrive at less than 2% of Madeirans who use these routes qualified, and at the moment we have a percentage that far exceeds the 5% allocated Madeirans, which leads us to say this and leads me to say that no Madeiran will obviously be left out.
Manuel Felipde, president IFCN, RTP Madeira
A Fair Quota, Only on Paper
Hiking time slots are released every 30 minutes. So, although the 5% quota is technically higher than the current participation of residents (2%), it remains very small in nominal terms and could easily limit access - especially if larger groups or several smaller groups of residents want to hike at the same time. In such cases, the reserved slots could fill up quickly.
IFCN President Struggles Defending The Law
In the interview, the president of the IFCN noted that “there is no direct fine” for Madeirans, prompting RTP Madeira to ask whether locals could essentially ignore the rules. He responded cautiously, saying “lets see” (vamos lá ver) and that the law exists to be complied with. Supposedly giving an idea to the attentive reader where this whole thing could be heading. His reply arguably suggests uncertainty about whether the regulations can actually be applied in practice.
Madeirans do not have to pay, they have to register. Obviously there is no direct fine for them. There is the issue of registration or prior registration.
Manuel Felipde, president of the IFCN
In other words, if they don’t register, nothing happens either, in the end?
RTP Madeira
Look, there are other ways. Let’s see - the law exists; in this case, the recommendations exist to be complied with, not not complied with. So that’s an issue that almost doesn’t arise, because all of us, as citizens, should, in my view, comply with the law.
Manuel Felipde, president of the IFCN
RTP Madeira Broadcast on January 22, 2026 Sets Out Policy Context
The comments were made during a 01:21 segment of Telejornal Madeira aired by RTP Madeira on January 22, 2026. The broadcast aimed to clarify how the reservation system works and to address public concern about access for residents. By pointing to usage data and the absence of penalties for locals, the president sought to explain why the 5% reservation quota remains sufficient under current conditions.
Source: RTP Madeira
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