The main tourism associations received with dissatisfaction the conclusions of the preliminary report of the Independent Technical Commission (CTI), presented this week, which identifies Alcochete+Portela as the best option for expanding airport capacity in the Lisbon region. Without an answer to the lack of capacity at Humberto Delgado Airport in the coming years, the various edges of the sector are calling for urgency of the Portela factories and also hope that the political decision of the next government will contradict the CTI. As for Alcochete, doubts prevail and the arguments of the working group led by Maria do Rosário Partidário are not convincing.
“The announced period of seven years for the completion of the Campo de Tiro de Alcochete airport is not feasible. Between permits, other permits and public discussion, it will certainly be longer, never less than ten years. This without mentioning any lawsuits that could result from these decisions,” estimates the president of the Portuguese Hotel Association (AHP).
Bernardo Trindade also questions the financial basis presented by the CTI leader, who guaranteed that the eight billion euros cost allocated to the Campo de Tiro de Alcochete airport will not involve public financing. “The infrastructure does not pay for itself and will not be paid for solely by passengers. It is an act of faith, but it does not correspond to reality. The state will certainly have to invest money in it, even from the point of view of the implications of the result of the Third Crossing of the Tagus and the rail and road network that will have to be integrated into all these investments. We are going to talk, directly or indirectly, about taxpayer involvement that goes far beyond what any of us can imagine.” he makes clear.
The president of the Portuguese Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (APAVT) also considers the seven-year period in which the construction of the first runway in Alcochete will take place as “unrealistic”. “Montijo has an environmental impact document, it is a very serious added value compared to any other project. I don’t know how long the construction of Alcochete will take, but certainly a few more years than Montijo. I doubt that will happen. It would be possible to obtain a document on the impact on the environment in a few years. Given the conclusions, I would say that in 2033 we will realize that there is no airport, that tourism has been damaged and that, if that happens, the Portuguese economy itself will be anemic,” refers to Dinheiro Vivo Pedro Costa Ferreira.
The official recalls that now that Portela is sold out, the country is “losing money every day” and regrets that no solution has been presented this week to solve the problems at Lisbon airport in a shorter time. “The CTI has pointed to short-term solutions, some of which are surreal, but I am not going to discuss them. We are very sorry for the fact that Portela is throwing away revenues every day and I would say that there was a lack of a medium-term solution,” he adds to.
The same view is shared by the Portuguese Tourist Confederation, which warns that, if the CTI recommendation goes ahead, Portugal will no longer have an airport within “12 to 15 years”. “On the other hand, the report does not foresee a medium-term solution, which seems to us a mistake as we cannot wait ten years or more to see the airport problem worsen,” the confederation said in a statement. led by Francisco Calheiros.
The representative of the hoteliers, who defends Montijo “because it has a shorter deadline and because its financing is paid by the passengers”, believes that the CTI has not analyzed the problems with an emphasis on the immediate. “The short- and medium-term solution should have had the same dignity as the long-term airport solution. Portugal cannot afford to forego demand. The country must organize itself not to lose the opportunities that come from the work we have. done over the years and that has placed us at the top of the destinations to visit,” warns Bernardo Trindade.
The former Secretary of State for Tourism defends the urgency of “continuing the works in Portela” and praises the announcement of the Prime Minister, António Costa, regarding the adoption of a resolution, to be announced today, to impose works on ANA immediately in Portela. The AHP president is expectant about the next steps and believes that the next government must “look at all dimensions” when making decisions.
Pedro Costa Ferreira also admits that he “hopes” that the future location of the new airport could be different. “The vision of the work [da CTI] points in a direction that it should not be from a tourism perspective. I am hopeful that we can work on this document, which is only preliminary, but that the political decision will take into account the country’s economy,” he concluded. CTP agrees that “what the CTI has announced is not binding and requires a political decision.” That is why he asks the PS and the PSD to now form a regime pact that will prioritize issues that go beyond a legislature. The decision about the new airport was made from the beginning, just like TAP.”
Rute Simão is a journalist for Dinheiro Vivo
Source: DN
