Lisbon has become a major tourism hotspot, leading to problems for the city and those who live there.
Portugal’s capital, Lisbon, has become an increasingly attractive destination with millions of visitors heading there each year.
This is both good and bad for the city. Whilst tourism can provide economic gains for a city and its residents, it also brings challenges along with it.
This includes social and environmental impacts – making a destination not so appealing if these are not properly managed.
IMPACT OF MASS TOURISM
Cities like Barcelona in Spain have been tourist hotspots for many years, drawing millions of tourists each year – and also raking in tourist dollars.
Whilst tourism benefits the city’s economy, it negatively impacts the quality of life for residents of Barcelona, who have to deal with overcrowding, extreme pressure on infrastructure, and increased environmental impacts.
This year the city saw protests, where locals showed discontent with the number of tourists visiting Barcelona each year.
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TOURISM-INDUCED HOUSING SHORTAGE IN LISBON
An added challenge is the lack of affordable housing for the city’s residents.
This is due to increasing numbers of property owners preferring to rent out properties as more profitable short-term lets, to tourists, as opposed to long-term rentals for the city’s own residents.
This is commonly done through the likes of Air BnB and other such platforms.
LISBON TOURISM PROBLEM
Portugal’s largest city, Lisbon, has become ever-popular in recent years with tourists, digital nomads and golden visa applicants.
This has had a marked effect on the country which has become an attractive year-round destination. But cities like Lisbon are taking strain.
In fact, researcher Ethel Baraona Pohl sees Lisbon catching up with Barcelona. She says Lisbon is only “two or three years behind” regarding tourism pressures and its impact on housing.
In the case of Barcelona, “a lot of regulations have been adopted for local accommodation and the city is a little calmer,” she says.
“I hope that Lisbon has already passed the extreme period that Barcelona has experienced in recent years,” she said, noting that the Catalan city has suffered the impact of “policies that promoted mass tourism or that were only intended to generate money,” she says.
STRIKING A BALANCE IN LISBON
As reported in the Portugal News, Baraona Pohl says that there is a need for regulation. However, she says there should be a balance as the tourism economy also needs to generate revenue.
“What is needed is balance and regulation,” she points out, stressing that the solutions have to be political and that “architects and urban planners can only help a little.”
