“The people who come and stay here have an impact on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). We have to ask ourselves how to copy the policies from here (Portugal)”, she said, noting that one in every five jobs in Portugal depends on the tourist sector.

Portugal’s economy minister, Manuel Caldeira, told the audience that the country has a strategy for the tourist industry’s seasonality and low season promotions to ensure greater sustainability of the jobs and accommodation market.

Mr Caldeira also said he wanted tourism to spread throughout the country rather than remain concentrated in the cities and Algarve with new adventure and nature packages.

Investment is also important he noted as “you cannot expand without investment” so financing lines had been launched to help hotels become more innovative and modern.

Another reason behind the double-digit growth in the tourist sector was the changes in training in collaboration with industry movers, as this sector is “all about people”, he said.