Tourism Law in Europe

To this obstacle, we will have to add the specific normative regulation in each Autonomous Community, which presents differences that are not always nuanced, as we have noted before. II.2. Portugal Unlike Spain, Portugal has experienced a centralising tendency of tourism competences, a solution that is helped by the reduced extension of its territory. Indeed, the Tourism Law of 1956 made tourism policy regional and served the purpose of attenuating territorial imbalances, while pursuing the promotion of training, the protection of natural heritage, the development of cultural tourism and guaranteeing that tourism became a strategic sector for economic growth. New hospitality schools were opened (Estoril, Lisbon, Coimbra) and the Institute for Tourism Promotion was created in 1986. Furthermore, in 1991, the decentralisation process underwent a notable boost as the tourist regions were given more powers for the management of their own resources and infrastructures. They were allowed to develop their own tourism plans, conduct studies and promote. Another thing to consider is how this showed that this territorial model did not respond to the expectations generated. Proof of this was the excessive dependence on a small number of outbound tourist markets, the strong environmental impact and urban disorder, the depletion of the conventional tourist products featuring sun and beaches, the scarce diversification, or the strong concentration of tourist activity in the Algarve, Madeira and Lisbon. All these elements led to the beginning of a strong restructuring process of the State Administration and tourism, in particular in 2006. The Tourism Institute of Portugal was created, under the tutelage of the Ministry of Economy and Digital Transition, with the nature of a National Tourism Authority 9 . It is important to highlight the transversal or horizontal nature of this Institute, which brings together the competences of other tourism departments, including both the 9 ALMEIDA GARCÍA, F. “La política turística en España y Portugal”, Cuadernos de Turismo no. 30, Universidad de Murcia, 2012, p. 28.