Portugal's Deputy Prime Minister Paulo Portas announced that the Portuguese Tourism Board will establish a permanent representative office in Beijing in 2014. At the same time, the Tourism Board has launched a program to welcome Chinese travelers, aimed at improving the quality of service in the local tourism industry for Chinese visitors.
The Secretary of State, Adolfo Mesquita Nunes, introduced that the Welcome China program mainly focuses on providing training through Portuguese tourism service providers and integrating resources. For example, there will be 18-hour lectures for industry professionals at hotels and tourism schools in Lisbon; hotels will adjust menus, food, and television channels according to Chinese tourists' preferences, and staff will receive training, among other initiatives. Additionally, Portugal will launch a Chinese-language website.
Nowadays, applicants for traditional immigration countries like Canada and the United States are gradually turning to smaller European countries. Besides the high quality of life and low-risk, efficient immigration procedures, the main reason is their potential for development. As the European economy gradually recovers, some smaller European countries like Portugal and Spain have begun to implement property investment immigration policies. Currently, Portugal's real estate prices are at a low point, presenting an excellent opportunity for investment.
Lisbon, as the capital of Portugal, is also its political, economic, cultural, and educational center. The Port of Lisbon is the largest seaport in Portugal and is home to higher education institutions. The beautiful coastal beaches along the Atlantic Ocean in western Lisbon are famous tourist destinations in Europe, attracting over one million visitors each year.
It is reported that in 2012, over 53,000 Chinese travelers visited Portugal, a 33% increase compared to 2011. Currently, Chinese travelers can fly from Beijing to Dubai, Frankfurt, Paris, and London, and then transfer to Lisbon. Among these, the transfer times from London and Paris are the shortest.