In a rare example of inter-ministerial accord the ministries of Foreign Affairs and of the Economy have agreed to accelerate the processing of tourist visas, especially for those visitors coming from growth markets such as Russia.
The announcement was made by the Secretary of State of yet another ministry, this time the young Adolfo Mesquita Nunes from the Ministry of Tourism who was speaking at the opening of the Congress of the Portuguese Association of Travel Agencies and Tourism (APAVT) which convened today in the Azores.
"It’s not enough just to attract foreign tourists, it’s important to create conditions so that they can actually get here and this is the political decision that I have taken." said Nunes.
Pedro Costa Ferreira, president of the APAVT said the current visa laws and systems are "damaging to the free movement of people and prevent tourists coming to Portugal."
The visa acceleration programme coincides neatly with Forbes magazine placing Portugal as number 20 in its list of the world's best countries in which to do business and deputy Prime Minister Paulo Portas round the world tour appealing to foreign business leaders to come to Portugal to invest.
The Secretary of State for Tourism also decided to make it easier for tour operators to be established in Portugal by halving the fee payable to Turismo de Portugal, from €1500 to €750, starting next year.
“This is a measure that will facilitate the creation of a travel agencies,” explained Nunes. This is part of his one man crusade to reduce and eliminate many of the taxes to which companies are subject.
Nunes wants this move to be seen by the industry as "a sign of the confidence that the Government has in the tourism sector and in the travel agency sector," adding that his office is committed to eliminating or mitigating costs which today have no sense nor budgetary relevance."
