The D. Maria II bridge over the river to the east of Lagos has been closed for 18 months but the plan for a parallel bridge for traffic, leaving the old bridge for pedestrians, has received the approval of the CDU coalition.

The CDU wants to press ahead with the construction of a new bridge over the Bensafrim river and in an open letter the coalition explained that the ideal solution to the dangerous state of the old bridge is a new construction.

The Algarve region registered 200,000 more overnight stays than last year by the end of June, according to the ubiquitous president of Algarve Tourism, Desiderio Silva, who estimates that by the year end there will have been 800,000 more overnight stays in the region than in 2012.

This impressive second half boost will have to come largely from the much vaunted winter tourism market.

The Secretary of State for the Environment has announced that the Algarve is to benefit from a spend of €5.4 million. This is for the construction of new access to three beaches and the addition of tonnes of sand.

Most of this investment, €5 million, will be spent on adding sand to the beaches of Carvoeiro, Benagil, Cova Redonda and Praia Nova (Lagoa), D. Ana (Lagos) and the Castelo and Coelha beaches in Albufeira.

Investors from the Middle East are in the sights of Portugal’s real estate promoters and developers. After the interest shown by Chinese buyers in the Golden Visa scheme, property entrepreneurs are now looking to roll out the promotion in other wealthy countries.

A roadshow is set to roll out across the Middle East in January next year. PSO Strategic Consulting is preparing a package of about 50 properties, "mostly houses and apartments but also hotels and farms in Lisbon, the Alentejo and the Algarve."

A majority of the tourists surveyed in Faro by the University of the Algarve said that the region was a safe destination, but admitted that they feared political instability.

The new study, ‘Analysis of the perception of safety of tourists visiting the Algarve,' captured the opinions of 1,519 Portuguese and foreign tourists between July and October this year, explained the lead researcher Maria Brás.

Estradas de Portugal managed to stay in the black in the first half of 2013 with a net profit of €14 million, according to a trading statement issued today.

Toll revenues increased 13% over the period, raking in €108 million despite traffic volume falling, most especially on the Via do Infante where traffic is down 70% from the pre-toll days.  

The debate in Parliament ran along predictable lines today as sensible proposals to upgrade the Algarve's railway line were voted down by the government.

‘No money’ was the standard response to the Green party and the Left Bloc’s attempts to remedy some of the problems in an attempt to develop a train system for the Algarve that is capable and efficient.

Ryanair, running scared of falling sales, is to cut charges for baggage check-in and will allow a 24 hour period of grace to rectify booking errors.