The Algarve and tourism have "made an important contribution to the growth" of the Portuguese economy, which was 2,8% in the second quarter of this year. This is one of the reactions of Manuel Caldeira Cabral, Minister of Economy, to the figures, released by the National Statistics Institute this Monday.
On the sidelines of the “Briefing Portuguese and Algarve Economy” initiative, promoted in Faro by the delegation of the Order of Economists, the official revealed that there was "a strong growth in tourism outside the high season" in the Algarve.
This "gives more stability to employment" and helps the region to have "a more stable economy throughout the year," he added.
The numbers known this Monday deserve a comment to Manuel Caldeira Cabral: «Portugal is growing well and above the European average».
Thus, Portugal repeats the 2,8% registered in the first quarter, which “was not luck: it was work”, according to the minister. Growth is being “sustained by investment, Portuguese companies and exports”.
Even in the Algarve, «there has been a diversification of the economy». It is because the Government has «developed policies to combat seasonality», such as the 365 Algarve, for example.
In addition, "work has also been done on extending air connections only from the summer to the whole year", with the result being "very interesting", he concluded.
At the end of the initiative, the minister received two postcards referring to oil exploration and the destruction of the landscape of the Mediterranean Diet, which were offered to him by two activists.
Photos: Pedro Lemos | Sul Informação
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