The head of Portugal’s tourist board, Luís Araújo, launched a plan in March 2017 to double the country's tourist revenue over the next ten years and said he expected an overall €26 billion economic impact by 2027.
The confirmed figures for 2016 are just in for Portugal’s tourism sector, showing the industry welcomed 21.3 million guests, a record and an increase of 11.1% over 2015.
Spain and Italy are fighting back, as is the Isle of Skye, with concern growing that Portugal soon be in the position of having to limit tourism in its two main cities, due to overcrowding.
The fight against mass tourism in Iberia is being led by Madrid and Barcelona whose authorities have been trying to implement measures to hold back a tsunami of tourists that is catapaulting Spain into the number one spot of the world’s most popular destinations.
The union 
representing cabin crews employed by Grupo SATA’s Airlines has given notice of a strike on August 23rd until August 26th, one of the busiest periods of the year.
Grupo SATA’s management has advised its passengers to change their plans to travel on these dates, confirming that there will be no charges for those moving bookings to other, non-strike, days.
Pensioners who, financially, were forced to ‘do their bit’ during Portugal’s long period of austerity are to have their pensions increased as from August 10th.
The unfreezing of pensions payable to Portugal's retirees was included in the 2017 State budget but only now is coming through, eight months into the year.
Internal Affairs Minister, Constança Urbano de Sousa, has ordered another report and investigation into the Pedrógão Grande fire to determine "possible responsibilities" for events during the inferno in which 64 people lost their lives.
The conclusions of the audit of the SIRESP communications system, undertaken by the General Inspectorate of Internal Administration, were limited to 'highlighting the procedures that should have been followed' in the operation of the communications system.
Portugal’s headline unemployment rate has dropped to 8.8% at the end of the second quarter of 2017
It is the lowest figure since 2009 and Minister, Vieira da Silva, said he is convinced that the rate will continue to fall.
The annual Publituris Portugal Travel Awards has listed 20 of the Algarve’s most noted businesses for its 2017 line-up.
The Algarve is named in the "Best National Tourism Region" category in the awards, known in the trade and media as the ‘national tourism Oscars.’
The largest trail-running competition in the Algarve, at Rocha da Pena near Salir, starts on August 13th with fearless participants competing in three gruelling races of different lengths.
This fourth competition over the hills of the Algarve’s interior indicates an increasing appeal of this sport where runners speed along countryside trails, whatever the temperature.
