New law shifts Portugal's tourist rental landscape
Significant changes will soon take effect in Portugal. Housing communities have lost the ability to independently prevent the rental of apartments to tourists in their buildings.
25 October 2024 13:13
According to local media, housing regulations in Portugal have changed, directly affecting tourists. Under the new law, which comes into effect on 1 November this year, housing communities will no longer be able to block the operation of a hostel or local accommodation within their building. Previously, this could be achieved with a two-thirds majority of apartment owners, for instance, in a block of flats.
Changes in Portugal
The new legislation gives local governments more authority to decide on the operation of accommodation rentals in buildings. They will now be responsible for addressing complaints lodged by building residents concerning the operation of tourist establishments.
If tourists disrupt the regular use of the building, over half of its residents must pass a resolution to revoke the licence for the rental operation. However, the mayor has the power to reject such a request.
Tourism in Portugal
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused significant losses to the Portuguese economy—one of its core sectors is tourism—the influx of holidaymakers to the country is intensifying.
According to data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE) in Lisbon, this year might be record-breaking in terms of the number of foreign tourists holidaying in Portugal. The best year in this respect was 2023, during which as many as 26.5 million people visited.
