Portugal bookings at British tour agency soar 700% // EU plan to lend Portugal nearly $6 billion for jobs
Portuguese news in English on Wednesday, August 26, 2020.
By the numbers
Authorities confirmed the most new cases in a month and a half today, on the back of big increases in the Lisbon and Tejo Valley region and the North. That drives the fortnightly infection rate up to 29.8 per 100,000 people but the number of people in hospital (311) and in intensive care (38) are both down. Health Minister Marta Temido today said the Rt nationally was “exactly” 1 between August 17 and 21, a slight improvement that roughly means the epidemic is neither expanding nor contracting.
Portugal bookings at British tour agency soar 700%
Well, the Brits were definitely desperate for the Portuguese sun. There are reports all over the place today of bookings soaring and even Ryanair is now charging hundreds of euros for return flights to the Algarve in August and September. UK tour operator On The Beach says its bookings have jumped an insane 723% since Portugal was put on the “air bridge” list, Jornal de Notícias reports. Algarve Tourism president João Fernandes says many travellers planning to head to France, Spain or Croatia have since opted for Portugal. Airbnb monitoring platform AirDna had reservations up 20% in Lagos, 47% in Carvoeiro, 45% in Quarteira and 42% in Albufeira, Público noted.
EU plan to lend Portugal nearly $6 billion for jobs
Portugal is set to receive €5.9 billion in loans under an European Commission plan to help countries hit hard by the pandemic fight unemployment, Diário de Notícias reports. The loans, to be used to support schemes like Portugal’s simplified layoff, will total €81.4 billion if approved by the European Council in September. Portugal’s loan is the fifth largest in absolute terms but the most generous in terms of the size of its economy, the fourth-worst performing in Europe behind Italy, Spain and France. Economists and the commission fear Portugal may take longer to recover because of how dependent its economy is on tourism.
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In brief
One dead and 42 infected in outbreak in Vila Franca de Xira Hospital. Screening test found 19 sick patients and 23 infected workers. (Diário de Notícias)
Police investigate who ran the red light in fatal tuk-tuk accident. A PSP (Public Safety Police) spokesperson said witnesses reported the car had a green light so it would have been red for the tuk-tuk. (Diário de Notícias)
The Order of Doctors still isn't happy with the PM. They met on Tuesday but doctors said they still wanted a public apology (Público)
The top 10 Lisbon radars for serious speeding fines (Diário de Notícias)
Commission-free MB Way transfers from January 2021 (Diário de Notícias)
On a lighter note
The good news is Lisbon’s Cinema in Summer is back in Parque Mayer just off Avenida da Liberdade. The bad news is you’ve already missed all-time classic Back to the Future and modern hit 1917. But there’s still 2017 comedy Madame, set in France but mostly taking place in English, on Friday and Portuguese film Parque Mayer on Saturday. This is also a friendly reminder that the Portuguese use subtitles instead of dubbing movies, so you don’t have to avoid the cinema if you can’t speak Portuguese. https://www.jfsantoantonio.pt/.
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