Secretary of State for Tourism Rita Marques said in London on Monday that she is “moderately optimistic” about the sector’s good performance in 2023, despite the war in Ukraine and the economic and financial crisis.
as a sign of “Trust” pointed to Portugal’s participation in the World Travel Market (WTM) international trade show with the largest ever pavilion and representation, home to 92 Portuguese companies and seven tourist regions.
“A great effort has been made by Turismo de Portugal to open new businesses, but the truth is that they have responded (…) which means that there is confidence, despite all the uncertainty that is still there”linked Rita Marques to the Lusa desk.
After “two very difficult years” during the Covid-19 pandemic that “weakened the economic and financial situation” of the tourism sector, it is currently facing increased inflation and instability due to the war in Ukraine, he admitted .
“Yet,” he continued, “our companies are confident in this recovery,” reiterating the expectation that 2019 tourist revenues will be exceeded by 2022.
“We are optimistic, moderately optimistic, not only about 2022 but also about 2023,” Rita Marques told Lusa, indicating that the reservations already registered for next year are “encouraging signs that […] give confidence in the future”.
Millenniun bcp’s vice president, João Nuno Palma, said in September that the tourism industry will see a “slowdown” in demand, but it needs to avoid a recession.
In a report published in June, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) predicted that the travel and tourism sector would fuel Portugal’s economic recovery and surpass pre-pandemic levels by 2023.
However, in a subsequent study in September, he warned that the “global positive projections” are threatened by “negative risks to the recovery”, namely the conflict in Ukraine, “including supply chain disruptions and rising energy prices that have fueled inflationary pressures, reducing disposable income in key issuer markets”.
“In addition, the effects of airspace restrictions and rising oil prices could drive up transportation ticket prices, making travel more expensive.”he added, adding labor shortages as one of the industry’s challenges.
The rising cost of living was also named as the top concern for 2023, by both tourists (66%) and industry professionals (44.8%), in the WTM Industry Report 2022, the result of a survey of 210 professionals and 2,000 consumers.
The price of energy was the second most raised issue by the two groups of respondents, followed by the war in Ukraine, the Covid-19 pandemic and the impact of ‘Brexit’.
According to the study, presented Monday, the worsening economic situation in the world is worrying the tourism industry, with 53% of professionals saying the sector should not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2023, while 32% fear that the recovery if it goes through, it won’t happen until 2024 or later.
Taking place at the ExCeL exhibition center from Monday to Wednesday, the WTM in London is one of the largest international trade fairs dedicated to tourism, attracting an average of more than 50,000 visitors annually.
Source: DN
