Castelo de Vide, Portugal, Aug. 26, 2026 (Lusa) - The president of the Portuguese Tourism Confederation (CTP) expressed regret on Wednesday that Montijo was not chosen as the site for Lisbon's future airport, noting that Alcochete is still several years from becoming operational.

«We'll see what Alcochete has in store for us in twenty-whenever I've lost count by now. As I don't believe it will happen, I hope that one day common sense will prevail, and we'll return to Montijo,» said Francisco Calheiros at the PSD's Summer University.

The businessman even pointed to the constraints at the country's largest airport as the main obstacle to tourism growth in Portugal.

«Lisbon is completely gridlocked, and Alcochete will take ten years. If we'd had Montijo right next to Lisbon, which isn't a firing range and isn't an aquifer, it's an airport that had already been agreed with the concessionaire and was the only one that already had an environmental impact statement. It was a shame to let this slip away,» he said.

Luís Montenegro announced the decision to choose Alcochete as the site for Lisbon's future airport shortly after he took office as prime minister of a PSD/CDS-PP government on 1 May 2025.

The president of the Portuguese Tourism Confederation (CTP) and the president of the Portuguese Business Confederation (CIP), Armindo Monteiro, were today's speakers at a conference on the economy during the 22nd edition of the PSD Summer University, a political training initiative for young people.

SMA/ADB // ADB.

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