According to Executive Digest, Francisco Calheiros, president of the Portuguese Tourism Confederation (CTP), expressed great concern about this scenario and warns that the national tourism industry will not be able to withstand such a long wait for the new infrastructure.

“I think it will take 20 years and Portuguese tourism cannot survive 20 years without an airport,” Francisco Calheiros told Lusa, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding the actual location of the future airport. The Alcochete Shooting Range was the option officially announced by the Government, but political instability and the change in the Executive raise doubts about the viability of this plan.

The uncertainty surrounding the formation of the next Portuguese government is also raising concerns in the sector. Francisco Calheiros highlights that a potential Socialist Party (PS) government would have a different approach to a government led by the Social Democratic Party (PSD), and even within the latter, there is no guarantee that politicians would maintain their current plans.

“We will have a new government. If it is from the PS, it will be completely different. If it is from the PSD, we do not know if the ministers will be the same”, added the leader of the CTP, reflecting the widespread concern about the continuity of the decision regarding the location of the new airport.

Despite the political uncertainty, Pedro Nuno Santos, secretary general of the PS and former Minister of Infrastructure, recently assured, in an interview with CMTV, that if he is elected Prime Minister he will maintain the choice of Alcochete as the location of the airport.

NA – Aeroportos de Portugal, the concessionaire of the Vinci group responsible for the national airport infrastructure, estimates that the new airport could be operational by mid-2037. However, the company admits that, with optimizations to the schedule to be negotiated with the Government, the infrastructure could be inaugurated at the end of 2036.

The Portuguese Tourism Confederation fears that the lack of definition and bureaucratic processes will further delay the planned schedule. With the current Executive in charge, negotiations with ANA are at a standstill, which increases the sector's concern. “The halt in negotiations with the concessionaire will only worsen the problem and generate even more uncertainty”, warned Francisco Calheiros.