Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa assured that tourism in Portugal remains unaffected following the tragic accident at the Elevador da Glória in Lisbon on September 3, which resulted in 16 fatalities. “According to the data collected in recent days, regarding both tourists who were in Portugal and continued their stay, as well as future bookings for September and October, there is no sign of negative impact,” Rebelo de Sousa remarked.
The President explained that tourists understand this incident as “not political or similar to cases of political violence seen elsewhere.” He also emphasized that technical assessments are being conducted rigorously, offering reassurance that tourism remains resilient.
When asked about possible political accountability for the decisions leading to the technical failures causing the derailment, Rebelo de Sousa responded, “First, let’s determine exactly what occurred technically.”
Tourism was also a key discussion point during his meeting with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier held at the Bellevue Palace in Berlin earlier today. The meeting emphasized the longstanding connection between the two, tracing back to their tenure as law professors and members of a European academic association. Upon arrival at the palace at around 11:00 a.m. (10:00 a.m. Lisbon time), Rebelo de Sousa was greeted by Steinmeier, and the national anthems of both countries were played before inspecting the three branches of the German Armed Forces.
After this welcoming ceremony, Rebelo de Sousa signed a guest book, participated in an official photograph, and presented gifts, including bottles of wine and a silver box with a personal inscription, to Steinmeier. In their meeting, initially private and subsequently with delegations, they discussed bilateral relations, focusing on the Autoeuropa factory and BMW, alongside the joint port project between Sines and Duisburg.
“We talked about investments by other companies in Portugal and about tourism: how German tourism has increased significantly. He was surprised, as he hadn’t realized the growth and its partial replacement of British tourism,” noted Rebelo de Sousa. The dialogue also covered current key political, social, economic, and geostrategic challenges in Europe, particularly the situation in Ukraine and the debate in Portugal regarding recognizing the State of Palestine.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa is currently on an official visit to Germany, and after meeting with Steinmeier, he will attend the Bürgerfest festival, where Portugal is the guest country.
