IP03

40 // iberian.propery / 2017

dossier// ISSUE: TOP IBERIAN cities

What does Lisbon need

to drive investment?

For those who know the city, Lisbon is full of attractions, and its appeal has

also been growing in tourism, as well as among companies and new residents.

In order tomaximise on the positive phase the city

is currentlyexperiencing, this is the time to face the

challenges to attract and maintain more foreign

investment and, of course, resolve them. For this,

we must first identify which are the greatest and

most urgent obstacles to solve, and that is exactly

whatwe set out todiscoveramong thePortuguese

experts who participate in this opinion forum.

What are the major challenges that Lisbon

currently faces to attract more real estate

investment?

In 2017, following record years in capital markets, tourism

and entrepreneurship in Lisbon, the city’s main challenge

is to channel the tremendous investor interest to projects

that can serve the city’s best interests.

If before the priority was to invest in regenerating the his-

toric centre, which was abandoned and degraded, now it

is necessary to steer investor interest towards other parts

of the city, new construction and large real estate projects,

solutions that Lisbon needs to satisfy the city’s enormous

demand and even greater potential.

If before the needwas for new tourist accommodation (Ho-

tels, Hostels and Tourist Apartments) and luxury residences

to satisfy the demand from tourists, investors and foreign

talent, who finally discovered thewonders of Lisbon and the

fantastic quality of life one can enjoy here, now the greatest

need is for affordable housing for Lisbon’s residents.

If before a small business incubator in the Baixa district was

able to revolutionise entrepreneurship in the country, now

that Lisbon is known as one of the

‘startup cities’

with the

fastest growth, we need the Hub Criativo do Beato and its

35.000 m² of covered area ready to be filled with startups

and innovative businesses to support city’s economy.

If Parque das Nações is completely taken up, then let’s move

quickly to expand it to adjoining areas.

This is what we’re doing in Lisbon!

Rui Coelho

Invest Lisbon

CEO

«If before the prioritywas

to invest in regenerating

the historic centre,now

it is necessary to steer

investor interest towards

other parts of the city»