Spanish newspaper states that the city of Porto is the epicentre of the Peninsular northwest

The newspaper "La Voz de Galicia" once again spotlights the exponential growth of the city of Porto, in the context of the comprehensive work the newspaper has been developing on Portugal.

The Spanish publication mentions that the driver for this rise is mostly due to the outstanding performance of the infrastructure network, as are the cases of the Airport of Porto and the seaport of Leixões, at the head of passenger traffic and freight transportation in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula.

During the interview, Mayor Rui Moreira explains that "there is a structured strategy" within both the public and the private sectors in the region, adding that "we never waste time with controversies".

For "La Voz de Galicia", Porto is more and more an unquestionable epicentre", with tourism growth reorganising and developing sustainability solutions, namely the entry into force of the tourist tax or sustainable tourism transport regulation.

Three times awarded Best European Destination (2012, 2014 and 2017), as the Spanish newspaper highlights, the increasing interest in the city of Porto is "neither incidental nor a passing fad".

Since the beginning of the new millennium, there were clear signs that an infrastructure hub in Porto and in the North Region was under way to become a reality.

And, in fact, statistics clearly show that the seaport of Leixões handles the double number of freight containers compared to those that pass through all five Galician ports altogether".

Sá Carneiro Airport in Porto is approaching the 11 million passengers mark and it handles nearly six million more people than all three Galician airports altogether. It should be noted that in 2007, the odds were in favour of Galicia".

RUI MOREIRA STATES THAT PORTO LEADERSHIP IN THE NORTH REGION OF PORTUGAL IS UNDENIABLE

In the interview to the "La Voz de Galicia", the Mayor of Porto denies that Porto has the intention of becoming the peninsular giant against Galician cities. However, Rui Moreira acknowledges that even at troubled times, the city of Porto has always been a safe haven that has strived. Moreover, Moreira sees "Porto leadership as undeniable fact, which cannot be said about Galicia in times of dispute with Coruña, Santiago and Vigo, in terms of investment and projects development".

The brand "Porto.", created in 2014, was another issue on the table during the interview. The Spanish newspaper states that the brand has international prestige nowadays and it has become an important tool towards attracting new businesses.

It is the "pleasant, alluring and safe" city that Rui Moreira reiterates, mentioning the increasingly vibrant culture and renovated urban landscape.

Recently, The New York Times pinpoints the city of Porto as a safe destination.

Still, as Mayor Moreira states, there is a catch. "Portugal is one of the most centralised countries in Europe" and the growth of Porto and the North region of Portugal still faces serious barriers due to centralism. And, in fact, 45% of the country's population lives in the North, as well as half of the working population", the Mayor clarifies.

Mayor Rui Moreira has been debating the decentralisation processes on several occasions.