en 
"The Government's measures will compromise everything that revolves around tourism", added Eduardo Miranda, who led an ALEP delegation that met with the Secretary of State for Tourism, Commerce and Services, Nuno Fazenda, to "exhibit the huge concern” of the sector by the new Mais Habitação program.
On the 17th, Prime Minister António Costa presented a package of measures to respond to the housing crisis in Portugal, as part of the “More Housing” programme, with five lines of action: increasing the supply of properties used for housing purposes, simplifying licensing processes, increasing the number of homes on the rental market, fighting speculation and protecting families.
According to the prime minister, the issuance of new local accommodation licenses "will be prohibited", with the exception of rural accommodation in municipalities in the interior of the country, where they can boost the local economy, and the current licenses "will be subject to reassessment in 2030" and periodically thereafter every five years.
The Mais Habitação program will be under public discussion for a month. The proposals will go back to the Council of Ministers for final approval, on March 16, and then some measures will still have to go through the Assembly of the Republic.
“The announced measures were not soundly considered. They came from the housing area, from those who know little or nothing about tourism. They can kill tourism”, stressed Eduardo Miranda, who reiterated that the sector is worth more than 40% of tourist overnight stays in Portugal.
The president of ALEP added that the association joins the protest scheduled for March 1st by local accommodation owners and other operators linked to the sector.
This is a protest against the program announced by the Government, convened through social networks and which aims to hold a rally at the main entrance of the Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL), where the launch of the Lisbon Tourism Exchange will take place ( BTL).
“The initiative is not ours, but we will be there. It is a very important initiative to draw attention to the errors that are being prepared”, he said.
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More scaremongering nonsense.
All airbnb landlords should be subject to tax on any income from zero,like the rest of society.
Many are scamming the system by listing properties they own under different host names.
Financas needs to check all electricity and water usage for all properties and make sure they add up to the declared number of inhabitants.
If vast swathes of society are involved in the national sport of tax dodging there will never be a resolution to the housing crisis.
By James from Algarve on 28 Feb 2023, 19:49
Authoritarian Gov. People that own property should be able to do what they want with it, if they rent it, yes pay tax on the income.
By JG from Algarve on 01 Mar 2023, 04:45
The vultures want more!!!! The right to housing trumps any supposed rifhts these people rhink they are entitled to. Renters don't contribute NOTHING to society. Pay your taxes and stop taking advantage of others.
By Alex Dias from Lisbon on 01 Mar 2023, 11:27
Owning a property does not give anyone the right to ride roughshod over their neighbours rights. In the Algarve a large proportion of short term lets are unlicensed, untaxed and within properties designated as residential.
By Terry from Algarve on 01 Mar 2023, 11:35
Biting the hand that feeds. Like it or not, Portugal is heavily reliant on Tourism. Until such time as the government comes up with fresh options and breaks this reliance on Tourism, then it will be a dreadful mistake to disrupt this income. Do not get complacent and make the same mistakes as Spain and other nations.
By Paolito from Algarve on 01 Mar 2023, 12:41
This is what happens when fanaticism trumps common sense. The policy of 'more housing ' is far more likely to lead to 'less housing'. Trust a Socialist to wreck what was once working well, all in the name of levelling us all down to the lowest common denominator.
By Billy Bissett from Porto on 01 Mar 2023, 13:49
Maybe Portugal should start developing/investing in real productive industries instead of sitting on its backside expecting to leech off tourists? Now that would be a real change ! As things are, the outdated model of tourism does not lead to a country's wealth ; only to season, low paid, low skilled jobs. But if that is how the governments want Portugal to be (the waiter of Europe)....
By K from Other on 01 Mar 2023, 17:56
Tourism, when managed, has real economic local benefits - undeniable fact. However, "benefit" don't mean without consequences, and one of these is the fact that investors (and normal citizens with a spare bedroom) do increase real estate prices by providing a new revenue source to a property - especially in the era of AirBnB. While many criticise AirBnB it is still one of the best means of individual property owners to earn "extra" income, and it does provide a lot more revenue retention than large international hotel chains.
To clarify one comment from this chain - owners renting via AirBnB and similar DO PAY TAX on their revenue. Where some may not, don't blame them, blame the tax authorities for not doing their job. Every local authority would just need to scroll through AirBnB and check the listing against their list of registered licenses, and close the gap.
In this case, speaking out against a politically motivated populist response, is a democratic right by local residents who have invested into their "spare" rooms or into renovating 'run-down' (or even abandoned) property, to earn something from it. They pay their taxes, they made the effort, they spend their added revenue on local businesses, hire locals for services, and by increasing the tourist capacity the tourists then spend their money in local businesses, from taxis to restaurants, to bakeries, markets and local tours and attractions.
People need to stop this view of "if someone else wins - it means I am losing"; economies just don't work that way. When someone "wins" look at their effort,
join them or support them, offering complementary services and make your own success. Don't criticise them if you are not willing to make the effort.
By Tony Williams from Other on 03 Mar 2023, 10:53
I own an apartment in the Algarve. I pay tax on every overnight stay, and many do with me. I dare say that a very large majority of the Portuguese population in the Algarve are directly and indirectly dependent on tourism. From restaurateurs, to shopkeepers, cultural sector, car companies, supermarkets to garbage collectors and handymen.. they will all be out of work if the tourism sector is killed. I wonder if people realize this. Apart from the fact that incomes dry up, the hardworking Portuguese will also go bankrupt one by one. It may be a nice populist plan on paper, but it will lead to a lot of poverty in the long term.
By Vincent Mulder from Algarve on 26 Mar 2023, 18:52
It is called a "hotel". The renters come and break everthing in the condos, they wreck things and leave the BBQ's dirty, the owners rake in the money and laugh all the way to the bank. I live here, not in a hotel.
By Lorna Hubbell Rahanian from Lisbon on 18 Apr 2023, 12:09