Lisbon Is Thriving. But at What Price for Those Who Live There?

Is Lisbon “killing the golden goose” that has made it so attractive to visitors. Golden Visa, Short term rentals and low tax programs for non-residents are the main factors behind Lisbon’s thriving economy. But at the same time they are causing the Disneyfication of Lisbon, with tuk tuks, Fantastic World of Sardines shops, stupid looking people on Segways cruising through town and the vacuum cleaning of Lisbon for locals leaving classic neighborhoods like Alfarma, Bairro Alto etc behind as charmless sceneries without the ambiance that attracted tourists from all over the world in the first place.   [caption id="attachment_39125" align="alignnone" width="1386"] Stupid Looking Tourists on Miradouro Da Senhora Do Monte[/caption]  

Not too long ago, Lisbon was a prime example of the devastation wrought by Europe’s debt crisis. Now, foreign investors have flooded the city and its transformation has helped lead Portugal’s economic recovery. But the real estate boom and rising tourism have left some of the less privileged residents behind or, worse, displaced. On some streets, the extremes live side by side. Many worry that the city will lose its charm if traditional life is pushed out. “If we’re evicting the old residents and creating gated communities for the wealthy, then what are we going to show tourists who expect to see traditional Portuguese life on our streets?” one resident asked. Lisbon Is Thriving. But at What Price for Those Who Live There? by Read Raphael Minder, The New York Times, 23 May 2018