“ At the moment, the lines of airports, I think it is history of the past”

ANDan interview with Lusa, on the occasion of World Tourism Day, which is celebrated on Sunday, urged to comment on the impact of the lack of capacity of the airport in Lisbon, the perception of security, queues at airports and the high inflation situation in the slowdown of tourism growth, Francisco Calheiros believes that there is a combination of these factors, but highlights recent developments.

“ I think it's the combination of the various factors, yes. On the one hand, the issue of price increases is a reality and therefore people think twice. On the other hand, the embarrassment of the airport [of Lisbon, which has no more capacity] and the fact that we can no longer have ‘slots’ [emergency permits for landing and take-off] confirmed is also a ‘bottleneck’ that we have on top of us”, it began by remembering.

On the question of security, he highlighted, in this context, cooperation with the Minister of the Interior, Luís Neves, and considers that the response of the authorities allowed to overcome some constraints.

“ We've been working very closely with the Home Secretary. It has been an availability and total participation in all roads, from the airport itself to the airport queues to security outside. It's a person who's very much on the subject. We all know where it comes from and therefore it is a very expensive issue for him, the issue of security”, he said.

On the issue of biometric data that led to queues of hours at airports, he recalled that the issue was not only European Portuguese.

“ Right now, the lines at the airports, I think it's a history of the past, I hope we'll never repeat what we've had. ... I am looking with some optimism for the future, because, in fact, with the minister inside the dossiers as it is, I believe he can make a ‘turn round’ there important,” he added.

Still, it admits that given the size of non-Schengen markets visiting Portugal, we must be alert.

“ I think there are some problems that have ceased to be problems right now. There's no guarantee they won't come back. This issue of airport queues, we have to pay close attention to them. This whole issue of biometric data is an amendment. The examples that we have been talking about new tourists [on which Portugal should focus] are not all Schengen: Brazil, Canada, the United States, Korea. And then we have a drama that is our main tourist [foreign], which is English”, warned.

Although it is not possible to “make sure that this does not happen”, it is now “it has nothing to do with what happened before the summer”.

However, the physical capacity of Lisbon airport remains a structural constraint on tourism growth, but not only.

“ Every time you talk about the airport, you talk about tourism in Lisbon. And I'd also like to demystify this. The airport is not for tourism. The airport is a national infrastructure, decisive for the development of our economy. Any exporter, any investor that comes here and sees the lack of capacity at the airport, think twice. And then it is also not for Lisbon tourism, because it is in Lisbon that people actually land, but it is from here that tourists go to the central region, to the Alentejo (...). Therefore, it is a national infrastructure that is decisive”, he said.

As for the alternative in process, it is time-consuming.

“The Confederation does not question [the future airport in] Alcochete at all, the decision that is now taken. I'm not going to speculate what Alcochete's construction is, if it's 10 years, if it's 12 years. What I am saying is that Portela’s capacity is exhausted and we can’t wait 12 years to have an infrastructure,” he said.

It therefore insists that the solution goes through an intermediate response in Montijo to increase airport capacity until the new airport is built.

Still on the process for Alcochete, acknowledges that the project is advancing, but expresses reservations about the deadlines.

“The walk is. By the way, Dr. Dick Light is known as being a person who does things. Now, only that the deadlines are very extended (...)”, lamented, recalling that the “start of construction is expected in four years’ time”.

The CTP holds the VIII Portuguese Tourism Summit on 28th in Lisbon, marking World Tourism Day, an event that has as its main theme ‘Portugal and Tourism a Growth Relationship’.