Over tourism in Portugal?

CEO of The Portugal News, Chris Sainty, speaks to Trisha Goddard on TalkTV about the pressures facing the tourism industry and local residents in Portugal.

By TPN, in News, Portugal, Tourism · 29 Jul 2024, 10:10 · 12 Comments

Chris Sainty speaks of “exaggerated” press coverage about areas such as Sintra, and the continuation of the “welcoming” nature of the Portuguese people.

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Comments

If this report is accurate, the editor clearly hasn't been to Sintra lately. Please publish a retraction and confirm that Sintra residents are very upset about the overcrowding of facilities such as restaurants and coffee shops, traffic jams, long queues at places of interest, lack of parking and an increase in street litter all caused or exacerbated by uncontrolled tourism.

By Chris Marrington from Lisbon on 29 Jul 2024, 11:18

Well done Mr. Sainty on fleshing out the issue so more people can understand.

I happen to be against tourist taxes (are we allm not taxed enough, folks?) but I can see the other point of view.

Something that might work for Sintra: ban vehicles except those of local residents. It's been a very long time since I was in the old town of Dubrovnik, but they were in the process of doing this, and everyone was optimistic that it would make the place much more liveable for everyone. Don't know how it turned out but it seemed a sensible solution for them.

By Shawn from Other on 29 Jul 2024, 13:13

Maybe if this "journalist" applied some un-biased "British exceptionalism, living in a bubble" approach he could better present the situation to his audience. Two issues are at play, firstly Portuguese like most other tourist locations are tired of the "trashy" tourist who displays zero respect for local culture, is just here to drink, sit in the sun and walk around small towns with little clothing on, look at Albufeira as to what it's become. In his own newspaper there are articles referring to these issues. The second is that in the case of Sintra close to where I live its just too many "selfie" people who have zero interest in the culture and history of the village. Also to try and alude that Portugal is desperately needing tourism is false, Portugal like most other European countries want and need tourism, BUT those with some class not "chavs" and fridge magnet buyers.

By Frank from Lisbon on 29 Jul 2024, 14:44

While the clip is about tourism, the welcoming nature is often not extended to non - tourists, foreigners who have moved here, though not in my case.

By Paul Scarlett from Porto on 29 Jul 2024, 19:18

I drive to Sintra once a week every week to visit friends in nursing home with Alzheimer’s. During tourist season it’s awful, a lot of people just don’t seem to care about the place they are visiting. I’m a seven year resident of Portugal, this is my home and Portugal deserves respect.

By Sharon from Lisbon on 30 Jul 2024, 10:16

Of course tourists should pay for the upkeep of the places they visit. Locals should not pay. Private enterprise makes enough money from tourism to pay more in taxes for the privilege.
There is a fine balance but you can filter out the wheat from the chaff. Who would want Sintra to be turned into the Benidorm of Portugal?

By Alastair from Lisbon on 30 Jul 2024, 10:34

The interviewer is a bit crazed, a weak and confusing introduction. But yes, we are deluged with tourists; we are a poorly managed country; our reliance on the tourist sector is a well-known weakness.

By Susan Korthase from Lisbon on 30 Jul 2024, 10:44

We should all be lucky. The streets in Portugal are peaceful and clean, compared to some other countries in Europe. Let's be patient and endure the lesser of two evils.

By Nick from Lisbon on 30 Jul 2024, 15:19

Algarve tourism is not being managed. With the real threat of water shortages and rationing later this year. Not only is the amount of water consumed by tourists often excessive it's the mass construction of apartments made with water thirsty components eg cement that will cause problems for years to come.

By David from Algarve on 31 Jul 2024, 11:36

I understand the people in Sinatra are upset and I agree it's a small place as I have been there. I also understand that there is a lot of brits unfortunately that come here to party on cheap booze and yes dress inappropriate. But and it's a big but, the Algarve DOES need tourists as they spend money in bars and keep the economic balance and some may even buy properties here which also adds to the economy which is mainly made up of Portuguese small companies offering their services, of which if we didn't have tourists spending the money wouldn't exist and more people would be out of a job and more strain on the government. I do think it's wrong to ban tourism I understand it needs to be addressed but it's elitist to discriminate those who can come and those who can't. It's not a private club.

By Kevin CraneSmith from Algarve on 31 Jul 2024, 20:54

I don't think it's only outsiders, Portuguese people will just stop in the middle of the road leave their car idling and go chat with friends blocking traffic without considering the rest of the road users. Brazilians who walk around practically naked on beaches as much as many others from various places, Americans and Arab people and, and the list goes on... We can not collectively group certain people based on ethnicity, language, race etc. If there is blame it shouldn't be about silly things of differences in our being. But in the fact that people are people and no matter where they are from good or bad have weaknesses bad behaviors. Finding simple but efficient ways to control bad behaviors is a step forward. Clear signs of no littering cameras fines, dustbins in more places. Someone mentioned local residents only being allowed access in the streets of certain areas of tourism attractions that a good idea, business opportunities and job creation can come out of this by building parking spaces /shaded with golf carts driven by an employee as not to create more problems with over carting from tourists. I know Sinatra has something but it's a tiny fraction of what it could be for job seekers. Residents of Portugal should be allowed to use their own parking spaces and every resident should be allocated a card for parking that is for Portugal residents. Parking for tourists should be separate from.

By Lynette Lima from Other on 01 Aug 2024, 11:36

I think the key here is respect I have bought a small house in coja area and have been welcomed greatly though I'm aware that I'm in a new culture and act accordingly just because I'm abroad doesn't mean I can behave in a way that wouldn't be acceptable in the UK Portugal is a wonderful place and I would hate it to turn into a benidorm those sorts of tourists shame us and if they can't behave like civilised people they shouldn't be allowed to travel full stop

By Tanneh Befoh from UK on 05 Aug 2024, 13:31