Tourism has become increasingly important to the Portuguese economy, but this “carries risks”, point out economists, and also brings pressure on local residents, which in many countries has begun to manifest itself.
“Portugal has the natural conditions and appetite for tourism, and it would be a mistake not to take advantage of this opportunity, but we must also recognise that an excessive dependence on one sector in particular, and tourism is no exception, always carries risks of various kinds,” Ricardo Amaro, an economist at Oxford Economics, told Lusa today.
These risks are “for economic growth, but also for unemployment, public finances and the balance of trade”, areas that “have benefited from tourism’s strong performance and would be jeopardised by its cooling”.
The general public in several European cities has begun to speak out against these effects, Lusa adds. “This is the case in Amsterdam, Prague and several regions in Spain where mass tourism has been the target of protests: Malaga, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca and the Canary Islands”.
