PSD councillors elected to Machico Municipal Assembly have expressed "deep concern" in a press release regarding the proposed Municipal Regulation for Local Accommodation presented by the socialist majority.
The PSD believes the document imposes an "excessively restrictive view of tourism activity and sends a negative signal to those wishing to invest in the municipality." While acknowledging the need for a regulation balancing housing and tourism, they argue this balance should be achieved through policies encouraging quality and rehabilitation, not through restrictions and limitations on investment.
According to the party, the proposal focuses "almost exclusively on containment mechanisms, licensing limitations, and new administrative requirements," overlooking the role of local accommodation in restoring degraded buildings, revitalizing historic centers, and boosting the economic activity of parishes. The PSD contends that local accommodation generates employment, income for families, and stimulates local commerce and other businesses.
Furthermore, the councillors criticize the lack of a clear strategy to enhance nature tourism in the municipality, with the regulation creating bureaucratic barriers that could hinder small projects. They also lament the absence of incentives for quality, sustainability, and modernization of the tourism offer, as well as limitations imposed on collective housing buildings, which could reduce private investment and owner freedom without solving housing issues.
