Solutions?

In the interior of Portugal people survive on air mainly plus subsistence farming and low wages of 1-2 family members in construction work, or a factory, either local or abroad. Now, what is the solution? To keep people in the countryside and improve their living standard? (Yes, because it’s not about the quality of life, but about consumption, as this is so much easier to measure).

Well, there are two big solutions (and that’s where I’m getting cynical): attracting industry to the countryside or investing in tourism.

The industrial parks are growing on the outskirts of the townships of the interior of Portugal… As industry is so bitterly desired in the marginal areas, if a factory is installed it can basically do whatever it wants: low wages, no contracts, no rules.

We have the example of Avilafões S.A. in the county of Vouzela. They transform residues from slaughterhouses into petfood, fat for soap and fertilizer. Their factory is in the middle of nowhere in the woods. They frequently discard their effluents into the nearby river that flows to the thermal bath of S. Pedro do Sul. The people are afraid to protest loudly as this would endanger the business of the thermal bath, on the other side they are afraid that low water quality will endanger the attractiveness of the bath. The trucks carrying slaughterhouse residues to the factory frequently loose “material” when they cross the village street at high speed. There is an alternative way through the woods to the factory, but due to the spillages and consequent smell in another village, some people one day awaited the trucks with hunting guns in the wood and said to the drivers they will shoot the wheels if they continue driving through their village.

Regarding tourism there is the “good practice” of Castanheira de Pêra: they simply brought the sea to the mountains! A huge investment created an open air enormous swimming-pool with artificial waves. People from all around, even seaside counties, come to see it and have a dip into the water. It’s in fact a success regarding the development of tourism in a marginal area. And it is amazing to travel ages along curving streets around the mountain to reach this “seaside resort”. In fact it can certainly be a way to attract money to the mountain village, and if local people are clever to rent rooms and open shops with things demanded by tourists this solution can boost the local economy, at least as long as tourists find it worthwhile and can pay to go there.

Now it looks quite paradoxical to have this luxury, superfluous week-end & holiday resort for who can afford it in a really depressed area, where people struggle to stay and to survive.

How long will tourists be attracted? Is this a model to follow? Or will there be no point of other towns building big attractions? If there is such an attraction in every corner in the interior of Portugal, less people will visit each of them and it will not compensate the investment. On the other hand, diverse solutions are required, and tourism and industry could be a way forward in some counties, especially as they are easily endorsed by the local population. But don’t say that’s sustainable.