The Algarve branch of the CDS-PP party has welcomed the selection of Lufthansa as a strategic partner for TAP Air Portugal but is calling on the government to ensure the deal delivers more international flights and better connections to Faro Airport.
In a statement, the party urged the government to establish a structured dialogue with Lufthansa, airport operator ANA, Algarve tourism authorities, municipalities and regional businesses to identify opportunities for expanding air connections.
The party believes closer commercial cooperation between TAP and airlines within the Lufthansa Group could open up new routes between Faro and important international markets, particularly through the group’s major hubs in Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich and Vienna.
However, it warned that the Algarve must actively seek a place in Lufthansa’s future strategy rather than simply wait for potential benefits.
According to the CDS-PP, the German market offers significant opportunities for the Algarve, particularly in nature tourism, golf, culture, gastronomy, health and wellness.
Stronger connections could also help attract visitors outside the peak summer season, supporting efforts to reduce the region’s dependence on seasonal tourism.
The party stressed that potential benefits would only materialise through concrete commercial decisions, including new routes, suitable flight frequencies and measures to stimulate demand throughout the year.
Reducing tourism seasonality
The CDS-PP argued that the Algarve needs more than simply increasing visitor numbers.
Instead, it should focus on creating conditions for tourism to generate lasting prosperity, more highly skilled employment and greater economic value for the region.
Improved international air connections could benefit hotels, restaurants, shops, golf operators, tourism businesses and regional producers.
The party also believes better connectivity could help spread tourism’s economic benefits beyond coastal resorts to the Barrocal and inland areas.
“The Algarve cannot remain on the sidelines of this new chapter in Portuguese aviation,” the statement said.
TAP privatisation welcomed
The CDS-PP also welcomed the government’s decision to select Lufthansa as TAP’s strategic partner, describing it as an important step towards improving the airline’s competitiveness and financial sustainability.
The proposed transaction involves the sale of a 44.9% stake to Lufthansa, with up to a further 5% reserved for employees, while the Portuguese State would initially retain a majority holding.
The party said the selected proposal could generate proceeds of up to €1.201 billion and was considered financially superior to the competing offer from Air France-KLM.
It also stressed the importance of recovering as much as possible of the public money invested in rescuing TAP, while acknowledging that this would depend on the airline’s future financial performance and the terms of the transaction.
The Algarve CDS-PP praised Infrastructure Minister Miguel Pinto Luz for his role in the privatisation process, recalling that he headed the Democratic Alliance’s candidate list in Faro during the 2024 legislative elections.
The party argued that his familiarity with the Algarve should help ensure the region benefits from the agreement.
It also called for TAP’s Portuguese identity, strategic role and employees’ interests to be safeguarded as the privatisation process progresses.
For the Algarve branch of the CDS-PP, the priority is now to turn the potential opportunities created by Lufthansa’s involvement into tangible improvements for the regional economy.
“The opportunity exists. What matters now is turning it into investment, connectivity and better conditions for the Algarve’s development,” the party concluded.