Tourism Law in Portugal Carlos Torres1 1. The Framework of Public Policies on Tourism; 2. Current Overview of the Tourism Legislation: Accommodation, Travel Agencies, Entertainment and Catering and Drinking; 3. From the most demanding and time-consuming licensing to the fast and simple prior notice; 4. Urban planning aspects regulated outside the tourism legislation: prior information, construction and use; 5. Transversal standards; 6. Accommodation; 7. Travel Agencies; 8. Catering and Drinking Establishments; 9. Tourist Entertainment Law (LAT). 1. THE FRAMEWORK OF PUBLIC POLICIES ON TOURISM The Portuguese Decree-Law No 191/2009, of 17 August, establishes, following the official summary, the framework of public policies on tourism and defines the tools for their implementation, thus fulfilling one of the most significant measures of in the Programme of the 17th Constitutional Government – the publication of a Tourism Framework Law (Lei de Bases do Turismo – LBT). The preamble shows that the Government considered tourism to be a priority intervention area. It is evident its significant weight in the GPD (approximately 11%) and its capacity to generate over half a million jobs and to improve the quality of life of the Portuguese people. The principle of sustainability is emphasised in LBT, with special reference to the threefold nature of tourism – the environmental, economic and social aspects, stressing territorial cohesion and national identity (art. 4 LBT). The sector’s transversal nature, which requires the articulation and harmonised involvement of all sectoral policies that influence it (art. 5 LBT), competitiveness, covering aspects of land use planning, regulation, simplification of procedures, education and training, fiscal and labour policies and free competition of its companies, as well 1 Estoril Higher Institute for Tourism and Hotel Studies (ESHTE).
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