Porto, Portugal, March 13, 2026 (Lusa) - Portugal's minister of the economy and territorial cohesion on Friday rejected the notion that the country is overly dependent on tourism or has “too much tourism”, arguing that the sector still has room to grow, particularly through promoting tourism-related activities.
“We still have room to grow, although more important than increasing the number of tourists is the growth in the value of tourism – the amount tourists pay to be in Portugal – which is the way to increase the incomes of those working” in the sector, said Manuel Castro Almeida in comments to journalists in Porto, on the sidelines of the signing of funding contracts for 12 tourism projects under the “Growing with Tourism” programme.
For the minister, it is not true “that the country is overly dependent on tourism” or has “too much tourism”: “Tourism is driving the country forward, it adds to our GDP, improves our trade balance and is a very important activity. In one week or another of the year, in one part of the country or another, there may be too much tourism, but across the country as a whole, over the course of the year, we do not have too many tourists”, he countered.
In this regard, Castro Almeida noted that “there are tourism initiatives that tourism entrepreneurs undertake on their own and do not require state support”, but “there are other smaller initiatives, particularly in the interior of the country, aimed at the enhancement of cultural and natural heritage, which are very important, attractive and novel to foreigners” and which need to be “made known”.
As he pointed out, the funding agreements signed today in Porto relate precisely to tourism projects of this kind, providing support of €4.5 million for a total of 12 initiatives, representing a total investment of around €11 million.
The supported projects are spread across the North, Centre, Alentejo and Ribatejo regions, focusing on the development of areas such as nature tourism, gastronomic tourism, active tourism, wellness tourism and cultural and heritage tourism, with public, private and associative bodies as beneficiaries.
“The funding we are awarding today is primarily for local authorities or associations working in the interior of the country, which need public support to enhance these regions,” emphasised the minister of the economy and territorial cohesion.
For his part, the president of Turismo de Portugal, Carlos Abade, stressed that the contracted projects “enable the enhancement and development of the region, highlighting the richness and diversity of its resources” and “allowing for the creation of better conditions so that tourism can generate ever-increasing value and so that the country can become increasingly prosperous and cohesive, in line with the purpose and vision for the future of tourism in Portugal‘.
The projects were supported under the "Growing with Tourism" Programme, launched in February 2025 with a budget of €30 million, which aims to "promote the sustainable development of regions, with a particular focus on social and environmental responsibility, as well as on investment in skills, innovation and the enhancement of tourism resources, reinforcing the role of tourism as a driver of social cohesion and economic growth".
The areas of intervention covered include projects to create tourism products, the promotion of smart regions, the enhancement of historical and cultural heritage, the promotion of sustainability, the attainment of certifications for destinations, urban regeneration and the revitalisation of historic establishments, as well as the training and upskilling of vulnerable groups for the tourism sector and the development of tourism initiatives based on community and multiculturalism.
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