Portugal is praised by the international press and foreign leaders for its response to the outbreak of COVID-19. Additionally, the country is at the top of the ranking of the safest countries in the world to travel in 2020, which should attract tourists and investors.
In several parts of the world, the national response to the pandemic is given as an example, with a low number of infection cases and the mortality rate being around 3%. There is a consensus in the international press that Portugal is one of the countries that has acted swiftly to impose a curfew, with the suspension of all events, the ban of non-essential travel, the closure of schools and non-essential trade have been pointed out as the keys to its success.
The country’s rapid reaction is even dubbed the “Portuguese miracle” and has reinforced Portugal’s image as one of the five safest countries in the world, with a very well-prepared National Health System that can provide an effective response during one of the most critical moments in its history.
For this reason, Portugal continues to be seen as a good travel destination in this period, as the French travel insurer Insurly pointed out, which placed Portugal in the top 10 of the safest countries for travel in 2020, which should continue to attract tourists and foreign investors. It should be noted that most hotel establishments and local accommodation are now seeking the “Clean & Safe” certification of the Portuguese Tourism Board, putting their practices in line with the advice of the Directorate General of Health, which gives even greater guarantees for travellers that all cleaning and safety rules are being complied.
Economically, as the Government has pointed out, the interest of foreign investors in Portugal remains. The country’s good response to the pandemic has also created increased investor confidence in the country’s overall stability and rapid economic recovery. The various compliments addressed to the response of the Portuguese government and people, both in the international press and by foreign rulers, have created the general notion that Portugal is well positioned to recover from this situation in a balanced and sustained manner.
