Ziad Tassabehji: I think if you take into consideration the macro picture of Portugal and the Algarve, Portugal is nearly 10.5 million people and population growth is less than 2 persons born per family which automatically means you’re going to have a population decrease over time unless it’s replaced by inward migration. If you zoom onto the Algarve region, that trend is even more pronounced because many young graduates tend to leave the Algarve to work in Lisbon, Porto, or abroad to find jobs. Both factors combined are likely to reduce the indigenous population by 20 % or even more. How do you keep young people here? Of course sunshine, safety, good food, etc, is all good, but what is more important than all of that, is interesting and well paying jobs. I cannot think of anything better than technology to keep the young Algarvians in the Algarve where they could contribute to the local economy and stay close to their roots. Without rewarding job opportunities, young graduates will have little choice but to leave.

I think if I was in government I would definitely be entirely focused on generating more I.T. jobs in the Algarve. First and foremost for the locals and then for attracting inward white collared migration to fill the gap. The advantage of I.T. jobs is that they serve a much wider market and hence the relative small size of Portugal becomes less relevant. Conversely Portugal, and particularly the Algarve region, could capitalise on its desirable living conditions to attract digital nomads to set up base here and run their global businesses from Portugal.