Algarve’s PSD political party leader Mendes Bota has come out against the government’s plan to centralise all overseas tourism promotional activity.
“This plan will reduce the role of regional tourism entities, regional tourism promotion agencies and private tourism agencies to mere executors of a national marketing plan that will put in the hands of Turismo de Portugal all the power of decision,” he said.
“It will be a blow for the limited autonomy of regional tourism structures by a government that claims to be a supporter of regionalisation.”
The new plan is based on a study by Roland Berger Strategy Consultants.
“With this proposal, which was monitored by former Minister of Economy Manuel Pinho, Turismo de Portugal will have absolute powers in the creation of guidelines for eligibility of support initiatives.
“Turismo de Portugal will define the budgets of regional promotion plans, line by line, initiative by initiative, and will exclude all promotional activities that do not comply with the guidelines of this national marketing plan.”
