(EMAILWIRE.COM, November 03, 2008 ) Portugal - TheMoveChannel.com, the leading international property portal, announces a number of new properties in Portugal:

· Albufeira (£636,160, 6 bed villa, close to beach)
· Albufeira (£87,470, 1 bed apartment, swimming pool,

Properties in Portugal are unlikely to be an investment opportunity UK investors have considered in the past, so TheMoveChannel.com provides an overview of Portugal.

The trade of national and international tourism is vitally important to the Portuguese economy and the country relies heavily on its three main regions: the Algarve, Lisboa and Madeira, who combined are responsible for more than 85% of international tourist activity.

Consumer trends indicate that tourism will continue to grow cultivated by developments of short breaks, an increase in the number of adults and senior citizens that travel and the desire of tourists for diversified destinations.

The coastal areas of Portugal, such as the Algarve and Estoril, attract tourists with the lure of sun, sand, sea and numerous leisure options, such as great golf courses and wonderful water-sport activities.

These types of locations tend to suffer from seasonality, where the summer months are bustling, but the winter periods are quiet. Conversely, cites such as Lisbon and Porto appeal more to the visitor who is looking for a short city break and is attracted to the history and culture of a place. But now the Portuguese government has recently put in place a far-reaching national strategic plan to promote the country and improve their tourism trade.

The overall strategic plan is designed to promote the country’s already established resources with some improvement in neglected areas. This is all part of Portugal’s approach to attracting new and loyal visitors, as the whole country endeavours to increase the tourist trade in the attempt to put Portugal back on the map.

One of the main objectives of the government’s plan is to achieve relative growth in the low season – October to May – greater than that achieved in the high season, therefore combating the continuing problem of seasonality.

They intend to focus on four key factors that distinguish Portugal from other competing countries. This includes improving upon Portugal’s popular assets – ‘climate and light,’ ‘history, culture and tradition,’ ‘hospitality’ and ‘concentrated diversity.’

Also in development is an initiative to update the country’s infrastructure, transport links and air access, as well as modernizing hotels and similar accommodations, with all staff undergoing relevant training to harness their service skills.

The overall thrust is to complement the established attractions in key areas with new initiatives aimed at enhancing the tourist experience and widening the appeal to a broader audience.

Dan Johnson, Managing Director, comments:

“Portugal has been one of the world’s most popular places for tourists for many years. But recent changes in tourism trends and more destinations becoming accessible through the introduction of low-cost airlines, has put pressure on Portugal to sustain its market share in the industry.”

For more information on Properties in Portugal and the market in general, please visit http://portugal.themovechannel.com/

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

TheMoveChannel.com is a property website that was founded in 1999 as an online resource for buying, selling and learning about property. It now receives as many as 300,000 visits per month and advertises over 50,000 properties in nearly 90 countries, which are listed by over 500 partner organisations.

For further information as well as images and interview possibilities, please contact:

Dan Johnson
Managing Director
www.themovechannel.com
0207 952 7650

Contact Information:
TheMoveChannel.com
Jon Moore
Tel: 020 7952 7658
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