Greater Porto has captured more than 100 million euros in investment

Created with the goal to attract investment to the region of the Atlantic Front, Greater Porto’s strategy has captured more than 100 million euros in projects for Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia and Matosinhos. Focusing primarily on the industry and housing sectors, the three municipalities are participating in a cooperative action of promotion in MIPIM, that is taking place in Cannes, and ends on Friday.

The amount was brought forward by the councillor of Economy, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Ricardo Valente, that alongside the mayor of the City Hall, and the councillor for Urbanism and Public Space, Pedro Baganha, is attending, during this week, the biggest event in the real estate sector worldwide.

The search for investment has been superior in the American, Asian, Spanish, and north Europa’s markets and the amount has been growing ever since Greater Porto’s presentation, last October at Expo Real, in Germany. “Satisfied” with the participation in MIPIM, the mayor of Porto City Hall highlighted the importance of showing potential investors how the municipalities of the Atlantic Front position themselves as “adjacent territories”.

“It is better to explain that which unites us rather than what separates us, something that has been made throughout so many years” Rui Moreira stated, in conversation with journalists. In Cannes, Greater Porto tried to “reassure” the investors that traditionally bet on Portugal, in relation to the “fear regarding the legislative framework [for the housing sector]”.

“We were trying to reassure them, describe the models that interest us, such as [housing models for] accessible rent that we are sure will continue on”, explain the Porto City Hall mayor.

On the behalf of Vila Nova de Gaia, the president of the Administrative Council at Gaiurb, António Costa, emphasised how important it is for national companies to “trust the boldness” of the three municipalities, whereas the councillor for Promotion and Aid to Activities in the Economic and Development Areas at the Matosinhos City Hall, Marta Pontes, stressed the “positioning” – “more than numbers” – that the presence in events such as in MIPIM boost the territories.

Note that it was during this edition in MIPIM that the award for“European Cities of the Future” was given to the Municipality of Porto, acknowledged by fDi Intelligence, a Financial Times publication, that recognises the strategies to attract investment in the 90 cities and regions.

This edition of the MIPIM has gathered 21 national companies, and more than 23 thousand participants.