Go West

Speaking at an international lunch attended by the British, Belgium, Swiss, Swedish and Luxembourg ambassadors to Portugal, José Luís Arnaut was upbeat about the year to come. Arnaut, who is Assistant to the Prime Minister and the minister in charge of the Euro 2004 football championship, explained that the sporting event was a great opportunity to prove Portugal is a country that can successfully organise large-scale events. According to the politician, the government has so far invested an estimated 611 million euros in the Euro 2004 event, but expects to reap much more than that in benefits – both financial and in terms of improving the international image of the country. Arnaut also revealed that the government has launched a campaign named ‘Go West’ to promote and encourage others to visit Portugal, which Arnaut will promote during a tour of European capitals.The lunch event, which was organised by the British Portuguese Chamber of Commerce, attracted a multinational audience from a broad spectrum of businesses.