Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, has an unofficial “tax” on tourists, The Guardian reported on Tuesday. The newspaper reported that tourists visiting restaurants in Lisbon have to pay more than locals, which is intended to discourage some of them from coming.
This unofficial “tax” on tourists is supposed to be Lisbon's way of combating the over-population of visitors.
Higher prices for tourists
Lisbon residents are immediately recognized by waiters or make it clear that they are not tourists, so they do not pay the official price, the Guardian reported.
Portuguese daily Expresso reported that the national association of hoteliers and restaurateurs (AHRESP) assured that it was not aware of the practice.
The British daily pointed out that the sudden increase in the number of visitors can be seen not only in Portugalbut also throughout Europe.
According to the portal, this is related to the past COVID-19 pandemic, when tourists were not allowed to travel abroad. With the end of restrictions on movement, many Europeans decided to go on foreign holidays.
Protests of residents due to the large number of tourists
This year, a sudden increase in tourists has sparked protests among residents of popular tourist destinations. In Barcelona, Spain, for example, residents have been shown to spray tourists with water from plastic guns in protest.
Lisbon residents are demanding that the authorities introduce regulations in the real estate sector, especially short-term rentals, to counteract the excess of visitors.
According to the Idealista portal, which publishes various offers of properties for sale and rent in Madrid and Barcelona, rent prices have increased by about 18% compared to June last year, which is the result of the high interest in short-term rentals – reported the British tabloid “Daily Mail”.
Portugal is a popular destination for tourists
The number of foreign tourists visiting Portugal in the first quarter of 2024 exceeded three million, according to preliminary data from the country's National Statistics Institute (INE). This is the best result for a first quarter in the country's history.
Between January and March 2024, the number of foreign guests staying in hotels in Portugal increased by 10.6% compared to the same period in 2023. It is worth remembering that last year was a record year for the Portuguese tourism industry. The latest data means that the country located on the Iberian Peninsula is well on its way to improving last year's result.
Reuters reported that tourism is a key driver of the Portuguese economy, with revenues generated by the sector accounting for more than 15 percent of Portugal's gross domestic product.
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