The Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation recently released a barometer revealing that the majority of Portuguese citizens support the reduction of local accommodation and advocate for more controlled management of tourism, prioritizing residents’ well-being even at the cost of decreased tourism revenue.
“It is regrettable that despite the undeniable economic importance of this sector, perceptions about its impact on the housing issue continue to rely on simplistic narratives that have spread in recent years,” stated the ALEP in a communiqué.
While valuing studies that assess perceptions of tourism impacts, the association highlighted the importance of considering how these analyses are conducted.
For instance, the barometer found that 52.3% of respondents agree on reducing local accommodation due to housing problems, even if it negatively impacts employment.
The association emphasized that the survey question inherently links local accommodation (AL) to housing supply issues, leading to negative feedback.
ALEP argued that this result reflects the effect of “unfounded narratives” over the years, linking tourism to the housing crisis.
“If a survey question associated thousands of hairdressers, clinics, and offices occupying residential spaces or the hundreds of hotels and tourist apartments opening up with the housing crisis, public opinion would inevitably blame these sectors too,” it noted.
ALEP stressed that the housing shortage results from insufficient public policies addressing structural blockages in the sector, such as the lack of new construction, delays in rehabilitation processes, and lack of incentives for affordable rentals, while tourist accommodations continue to be scapegoated.
Additionally, it noted that figures from the National Register of Local Accommodation Establishments do not reflect the sector’s reality, considering that almost 7,000 registrations (40% of the total) have been canceled in Lisbon alone.
“In various cities, this sector played a crucial role in the recovery of degraded properties and revitalization of historical areas, despite being much smaller than it’s propagated. ALEP’s desire is for future housing and tourism policies not to rely on simplistic debates but on updated information, recognizing AL’s contribution and fitting it equitably within the country’s broader context,” said ALEP president Eduardo Miranda in the statement.
The foundation’s analysis showed that over 70% of respondents believe the government should prioritize residents’ well-being, even if it results in reduced tourism revenue, with the majority endorsing local accommodation reduction to address the housing crisis.
The study also identified a widespread perception that tourism contributes to the rising cost of living, pressure on services, and urban congestion.
The barometer, developed by Zélia Breda, Eduardo Brito-Henriques, and Paulo M. M. Rodrigues, between April and July this year based on 1,072 interviews conducted in person, over the phone, and online, can be consulted on the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation’s website.
