Barcelona Protests and Lisbon's popularity

Good Day,

I found this to be quite an interesting question that of course has a lot of depth and nuance so no simple answer.

1) Lisbon has seen a massive uptick in travel due to a variety of factors such as photogenic architecture being shared on global social media platforms, a boom of Airbnb accommodations and a thriving foodie scene. And with all that relative value compared to other Western European capitals.

2) Lisbon has not been recently discovered as Americans may think. European tourists and global tourists have be coming for a few decades.

3) The whole Barcelona thing is a gimmick and utter nonsense. If you actually go to Barcelona you will most likely have more friendly experiences than if you go to Boston. There is always a vocal group that is against one thing or another.

4) The actual problem is Airbnb driving people out of their city. However, this is the result of political ineptitude and land lords demanding a higher margin. What should be done is slowly eradicate Airbnb while building a hotel infrastructure. There would be some economic resistance encountered but would be best for the Portuguese’s long term well being.

I’ve lived in Cascais for almost nine years and have definitely seen an uptick in tourists. As for Lisbon, I hesitate to go into Lisbon in the summer due to the tourists so really can’t speak to how much it has changed, personally. I’ve heard from many friends that it’s not a pleasant experience. As with many European cities, the cruise crowds seem to be the most problematic, IMO. They flood the city, spending very little money and don’t really add anything to the economy other than trash and congestion.

And, yes, the Airbnb issue is also creating problems with housing for locals. Portugal is a very poor country as far as salaries go. And, there was significant rent control in Lisbon for many decades until a few years ago. They stopped the rent control in many apartments which led to older people having to leave the city. Ostensibly, this was so renovations could occur and rents raised exponentially.
In Cascais, there has been a huge building boom of very expensive apartments - 1 million plus. This is, of course, out of the range for most Portuguese and many of us expats that have been here awhile. Personally, my rent has increased €400. I have a number of friends who have been asked to move out of their rentals so the landlord could raise the rent €700 or more a month. The surge of building has also increased traffic around town, making driving challenging and creating difficulties in finding parking.

And, yes, a significant portion of people moving in have been Americans - at least in Cascais. Interestingly though, in total immigrant numbers, Americans don’t even make the top ten. Brasil has the highest number. Due to the language differences, I notice many, many Brazilians working in restaurants, driving buses, etc.

I have several friends who have lived here many decades who voice thoughts of moving out of Cascais due to the changes.

Kathryn,
I knew I could depend on you for a detailed POV.
Tourism is such a double edge sword. It is an easy way to raise cash for strapped nations, but it inevitably changes them.

The Carribean is a (not so) great example. The occasional sailor has been replaced with planeloads. There is NO economy other than tourism to speak of. Gratitude festers into resentment.

RS tries to promote an alternative ("Travel like a temporary local"), but he has inadvertently created a tidal wave of boomer tourists (including me, of course).

We are considering swearing off AirBnB as it clearly has impacted local housing. We also are looking at less well known localities to visit. Although, that makes me feel like a hungry locust searching for a new field to devour. Ouch! Didn't mean to take this thread down such a dark path.

Sorry about that,
Dennis

Dennis, thank you for this interesting thread and the thoughtful way you posed your questions.
My husband and I will travel to Ireland and the Porto in the fall. We try hard to be very respectful and responsible visitors, but are increasingly aware of the impact. As for Barcelona, we were there last year. I slipped on a wet sidewalk and seriously injured my back. At the nearest clinic, I was treated terribly. I asked if someone could speak with me in English or Spanish, but I was shouted at by staff that they would only speak Catalan. They took an X-ray and said I was fine (I had actually broken my spine). It was horrible and totally unexpected. We will never return.
I share that only to say that it is easy to lash out at tourists, when the real argument is with the government and housing policies and tourist management offices.
Travel can indeed broaden our perspectives and enrich our lives, yet it also seems increasingly problematic. I would hate to stop traveling abroad. I wonder if there are ways to do this more responsibly, to build better bridges with people in other communities?
Thanks again for an interesting and important conversation.

Adding to the post on some of the issues that can be frustrating to both locals and tourists in Portugal.

The large number of tourists, 30 million tourists in 2023, the local population is about 10 million.
While the tourists aren't all in Portugal at the same time it still creates not only lines at the tourist attractions but also everywhere else, restaurants, public transit, service offices, etc.
This creates a crowded feeling.

AirBnB, the renting of private accommodation to tourists is creating availability issues for the local population and raising rental/ purchase prices beyond what is normally affordable to the local population. The rise in the cost of living is a big issue.
This is perhaps at the top of the frustration list.

The large number of immigrants ( illegal) that are from a completely different background, refuse to adjust to local society/culture and put a strain in public resources. They are viewed as a possible security threat and also clashing with Portuguese culture.
This is also at the top of the frustration list.

But there's also positives.
In some areas, tourists will be meeting other tourists and immigrants working in hospitality industry, sometimes that can create communication issues but it's my experience that staff try their best to help tourists.

Portuguese students are required to learn a foreign language in high school, most choose English, that's the reason for the high English literacy compared with Spain, and Portuguese will gladly speak in English to help practice their language skills.

Portugal has a long history of tourism in the Algarve and Lisbon - Cascais área ( there's even a British school in Carcavelos since 1932 , Saint Julian's for the children of British parents).
Portugal and the Portuguese welcome the tourists that are a positive to the local economy (hotels, restaurants, shops, etc), respect the law and local population culture and traditions.

While nowhere is perfect if a traveler follows the basic rules of personal safety and respect for the host country they'll have a good journey in Portugal.
That is my personal experience of extensive travelling in Portugal.

Edit : it wouldn't surprise me if others areas ( Portugal/Italy,etc) copy the tourist protest seen in Barcelona.

Jpeeps
Basque country and Catalonia have their own languages and independent movements ( theirs leaders have been arrested and released, somewhat recently).
Barcelona is part of Catalonia and some for political/cultural motives assert their language not just for their own culture but also as a form of resistance/defiance of the Spanish central government.
Also I've received medical treatment in Portugal in both private ( geared towards English tourists) and public medical facilities and in both cases the doctors spoke English.
The only issues were the waiting times ( they were non emergencies) and payment ( I paid and then submitted the expenses to my medical insurance).