No changes to confusing 'Alojamento Local' short-term rental legislation

Paul Rees 06 March 2017

Ana Mendes Godinho, the Secretary of State for Tourism, said the Alojamento Local system for short-term rentals has been a key part of the success of the booming tourism sector, accounting for 10% of overnight stays last year, provising 12% of the number of total beds available to tourists.

Godinho was speaking at a review of 2016 tourism figures organised by the Associação de Restauração e Similares de Portugal and was expected to announce her review of the Alojamento Local system and list the changes that she was going to make.

The Local Accommodation sector has contributed to job creation, a source of alternative income for owners, and has seen many properties done up to be let that otherwise would have remained empty, said the Secretary of State.

The short-term rental sector has "positioned Portugal in markets where it was not operating and could not reach."

As for the 2008 AL rules and regulations that have had many property owners tearing out their hair in frustration, or joining the booming grey market for illegal rentals, Godinho said it has not been easy to get this rental market into the formal, regulated economy but was full of praise for her predecessors who had put in place the AL registration scheme.

Godinho said the Local Accommodation legislation, of which Portugal was a pioneer, is "a great innovation factor in Portugal and is referred to in international forums as being a country with an exemplary project."

Astoundingly, when looking at the AL uptake figures, Godinho claimed that Portugal is a case study for the "ability to show that when rules are created, the economy reacts and there is a large migration from the informal to the formal economy."

As for her promise in 2015, on taking office, to look at the mess that the 2008 legislation had caused and to change it, the Secretary of State for Tourism said that it was not worthwhile making changes without knowing what needs changing and, in her opinion, the changes needed are minimal. A 180 degree turnaround from her opinion that the AL system was not fit for purpose, when she took office.

This was a political view from a Secretary of State that either is content to run a scheme that has the full force of the law but which less than 20% of accommodation owners have chosen to join, or she is content to allow the bulk of the AL sector to operate illegally.

Godihno can not be expected to tell the truth and will not expect many to believe her, but to leave the multi-agency AL rules in place having promised to change them, is a disappointment to many who dutifully have followed the guidelines to get registered, often at significant cost for no discernible benefit.

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For information on the Alojamento Local registration scheme and allied mattters, contact Nalle, 'The voice for local lodging in Portugal'

https://nalle.pt/

or contact afpop,

http://www.afpop.com/en/

Comments

+1 #3 CHARLY 2017-03-08 11:54

Mr Dennis, "an AL-system" works already 2 to 3 decennia long in most of the civilised countries as Switserland, Austria, Germany, Belgium, Luxemburg e.a. There is even a more interesting matter to be quoted: being confronted with the similar problem as in Portugal, some 4 years ago the CANARY ISLANDS decided to halt their illegal tourist rentings. They set up their system (quasi identical to that of all the quoted countries) and in less than one year ALL PREMISES WERE LICENSED !!!!!! At that time I sent a copy of the Canary Island's report to the Portugese secreatry of state for tourism who reponded very laconically: "Portugal is not the Canary Islands" he said .... In other words: how stupid a man (in this case a sec of state) can be....

+2 #2 Dennis.P 2017-03-08 11:17

Time and again the Portuguese leadership suspend reality yet then issue a soundbite borrowed from a 'developed country'. So here we have the total absurdity that Portugal was a pioneer,of Alojamento Local legislation.

Has anyone in this country ever thought of just using a more developed countries Bed & Breakfast regulations that have worked effectively in that country X for a century or more. Or is the additional handicap in Portugal the Salazar era remnant that all arrivals must be booked in with SEF. As though here in this backwater to spy - not holiday?

+4 #1 CHARLY 2017-03-07 19:26

The very first talks about AL started somewhere in 2004-2005 and as we know the first legislation appeared in 2008. During several years the politicians and so-called "experts" (in what?) talked and talked and talked - till finally somebody suggested that the "European recommendations for small tourist outlets" might give the answer to the problem. And that was the start for this episode that turned to a big drama and a super big shame for Portugal. It became even worser each time a new secretary of state for tourism came in office and the all-worsest things happened with the law-changing of 2014. In our opinion as long as the Portugese tourist board and the camaras are involved in this process AL will never work ! And one good piece of advice to the actual sec. of state: beome a better student by listening to involved, skilled and motivated people and forget about the parias she is surrounded by today.

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