The announcement was made at a public session that was attended by the mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Moedas, the deputy president of ATL, José Luis Arnaut, and the president of the Regional Tourism Entity of the Lisbon Region (ERT- RL), Victor Costa.

Targeting foreign markets

According to Vítor Costa, most of the planned investment is being directed towards marketing and sales plans for companies in foreign markets (three million euros), including participation in international events, online campaigns and promotion and sales actions.

The marketing and sales plan in the domestic market, on the other hand, includes a value of 392 thousand euros and “is aimed at the tourist centers to be promoted or under development defined in the strategic plan” (Tejo, Costa da Caparica, Arrábida and Mafra), as well as to “the transversal products, such as surf, sun and sea, golf and nature”.

Here we intend to give a boost to less developed areas of the Lisbon region”, justified Vítor Costa, adding that 14 applications were approved, with the participation of 18 companies, and that the program “is still open”.

Support is also provided for attracting congresses, corporate and associative events, with an allocation of around 510 thousand euros for this purpose. In this context, so far, 78 applications have been approved.

“Tourism is central and is a priority for the Lisbon City Council”, said the mayor, Carlos Moedas, in his speech, noting, however, that “it has to bring something to Lisboners”, in order to “not create friction”.

The social-democratic mayor, who presides over the ATL, praised the efforts of the private sector in promoting tourism, arguing that it “must be continuous”.

Increasingly fashionable

“Promotion must be consistent and solid. Lisbon is becoming increasingly fashionable and we cannot miss it”, he pointed out, regretting, however, the “long lines” registered on arrival at Lisbon Airport which, according to Carlos Moedas, “gives a bad image” to the country.