The government is strengthening support for companies in the tourism sector with an allocation of 100 million euros. The newly appointed Secretary of State for Tourism, Commerce and Services, Nuno Fazenda, announced this Thursday 8 the launch of a new line early next January, the Consolidar + Turismo Line, with an allocation of 30 million euros, which will be operated by Turismo de Portugal and is aimed at micro and small companies in the sector that “have difficulties in managing debt incurred, namely during the pandemic”.
“This line allows companies to finance themselves with Turismo de Portugal, without interest, for the settlement of part of the repayments due to the banks in the year 2023, with a grace period of two years and a total repayment period of companies soften and expand their capital needs over time,” he revealed during the opening session of the 47th Congress of the Portuguese Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (APAVT), which will take place in Ponta Delgada, until Saturday.
Nuno Fazenda also unraveled the amount earmarked to strengthen the Apoiar program, agreed last October with the Confederation of Portuguese Tourism (CTP), under the Agreement for the Improvement of Income, Salaries and Competitiveness. In total, the government will hand over a check for 70 million euros to tourism companies.
“These two measures represent 100 million euros for companies worldwide. Both measures respond to the demand of the sector. This is called doing. And doing it with a sense of urgency,” the official underlined.
Rita Marques’ successor, who spoke today for the first time since being sworn in by the president of the republic early this month, has guaranteed to draw more support and will be announced shortly.
“In addition, the government is already working on a framework of other support lines for businesses and we will announce that in the first quarter of next year,” he added.
As part of the PRR, Nuno Fazenda also said that “soon” the contract for the “Agenda Accelerate and Transform Tourism” will be signed, which provides for the allocation of 151 million euros in investments “of a business nature, very important in climate and digital transition”. “With this Mobilization Agenda and with European funds, we are building the future,” he stressed.
Job retention schedule
Recognizing the difficulties the sector faces in retaining and attracting human resources, the Secretary of State for Tourism, Trade and Services also announced that the government will prepare an “Agenda for Attracting and Qualifying People for Tourism” based on five axes: from human resources, set up a specific campaign for work in tourism, which brings people and companies closer together; promote greater flexibility in issuing visas to work in Portugal; to support companies in recruiting staff stably and, finally, to value tourism occupations and wages.
“This is a very important agenda and we will execute it. It is strategic, it is necessary and we are going to deliver it,” he guaranteed.
*The journalist is at the invitation of APAVT in the Azores
Rute Simão is a journalist for Dinheiro Vivo
Source: DN
