It is a strategic decision, to say the least, that Portugal has just made by accelerating the entry of the British into its territory, he explains daily Mail. By allowing citizens to pass through border gates with their electronic passports, Portugal has thus become the first country in the European Union, since Brexit, to go in this direction. Because after Brexit, the UK has become a “third country”, the British no longer have access to the electronic gates and had to go and check their passports “manually”, which is a real waste of time for them.
For Portugal, this decision can be likened to trying to attract more tourists and assert itself in the light of summer against countries such as Spain, Italy or Greece whose border restrictions are still in place. Highways for the British are already effective in many Portuguese cities, such as Lisbon, Porto, Funchal (Madeira) or Faro. And the head of the Portuguese Tourist Office did not hide this: it “helps our precious British tourists.”
Domino effect?
According to the Daily Mail, at the start of the year the British overwhelmingly favored Portugal, booking at least 484,000 overnights in just two months. With the summer season approaching, will Portugal be the big winner? It may be, but according to Paul Charles of Computer Travel Agency, it could also cause a “domino effect” on other southern European countries. He adds that travelers will “realize that they will face longer wait times”, notably citing Spain, Italy and even France.
to me MirrorToday, the British can also borrow these portals in other countries outside of Europe, such as Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Japan. At the same time, the British will not have to wear a mask in Portugal, after the country has ended its obligations at home. Tourism appears to be seeing a new momentum.
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