Portugal’s national tourism authority today suffered the indignity and media scrutiny of a raid by the national anti-corruption unit acting under orders from Department of Investigation and Penal Action in Lisbon.
Inspectors collected documents relating to contracts and tenders for the promotion of Portuguese tourism abroad, particularly in Brazil.
There is a suspicion that an as yet un-named former member of Turismo de Portugal’s board had been handing out contracts to mates.
A new administration for Turismo de Portugal was appointed in February with Luís Araújo from the Pestana Group heading up the institution.
Maria Teresa Rodrigues Monteiro was reappointed as vice-president and Filipe Gonçalves da Silva and Carlos Abade came onboard.
João Cotrim Figueiredo, the former president of Turismo de Portugal, resigned in a huff after arguing with the new Secretary of State for Tourism, Ana Mendes Godinho. Figueiredo left alongside Luís Matoso and Jorge Abrantes.
The Attorney General's Office commented only that today’s searches are part of an investigation by the Department of Investigation and Penal Action into corruption at the tourism body.
