António Fontes
Senior Director, Lisbon, Portugal
António Fontes, Senior Director at Horwath HTL Lisbon, is a highly respected authority in tourism planning, hospitality, and leisure development. António oversees tourism planning and management, as well as hospitality and leisure development, in a dual management role.
Bio
António Fontes, Senior Director at Horwath HTL Lisbon, is a highly respected authority in tourism planning, hospitality, and leisure development. With 30 years of professional experience, António has been instrumental in advancing transformative and innovative projects both in Portugal and internationally. His expertise lies in creating groundbreaking tourism concepts and products while fostering collaboration with local stakeholders to ensure project success and long-term sustainability.
António is deeply committed to leveraging tourism, hospitality, and leisure as catalysts for urban regeneration, destination repurposing, and community empowerment. His work has set new benchmarks in the field, highlighted by his leadership in securing the world’s first Accessible Tourism Destination Certification by ENAT in 2008. This achievement underscores his dedication to inclusivity and accessibility in tourism. António has also served on Portugal’s National Commission for Quality in Tourism, an appointment by the National Tourism Authority, reflecting his influential role in shaping the industry’s future.
António’s academic credentials further reinforce his expertise. He holds a degree in Management and Planning in Tourism from the University of Aveiro, Portugal, a postgraduate diploma in Economics, Management, and Animation of Sports, Leisure, and Tourism Structures from the University of Pau, France, and a Master of Science in Economics of Local Development from CIHEAM-Montpellier, France. His master’s thesis, “The Tourism Development Processes Supported by the Local Development Agencies in Portugal between 1991 and 1995,” is a testament to his deep understanding of tourism’s role in economic and social development.
António’s visionary leadership, combined with his ability to innovate and engage diverse stakeholders, has positioned him as a leading figure in the global tourism, hospitality, and leisure sectors. His projects consistently redefine industry standards while delivering meaningful and lasting value for clients and communities alike.
António's Experience
Bold steps forward
We help clients achieve extraordinary outcomes.
Lisbon Hospitality Investment Strategy
Lisbon, Portugal
Strategic Consulting for Disneyland Paris
Paris , France
Strategic Urban Regeneration Plan
Lisbon , Portugal
Strategic Advice for Palace Hotel do Bussaco
Bussaco , Portugal
Luxury Eco-Resort Concept Development
Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece
Farm-To-Table Boutique Hotel Strategy
Alandroal, Portugal
Tourism Master Plan for Angola Province
Cuando Cubango, Angola
Strategic Tourism Development Plan for Fundão Municipality
Fundão, Portugal
Expert insights
Cutting edge analysis.
Tourism, real estate, and the challenges of urban balance
In many of Portugal’s major cities, public spaces have become venues for demonstrations demanding more affordable housing. Tourism is often seen as a key contributor to various urban challenges, with critics pointing fingers at real estate developers who prefer the profitability of tourist accommodations over providing residential options for the middle class. Additionally, local and central authorities are often criticised for favouring these interests.
Tourism is a value of civilisation
Portugal has seen sustained growth in tourism, fueled by the increasing international recognition of its unique value proposition and substantial investment in the sector.
Portugal Hotels & Chains Report 2023
The 2023 edition of the Portugal Hotels & Chains Report offers an extensive analysis of the dynamic hospitality industry in Portugal, emphasizing the remarkable post-pandemic recovery and the challenges faced by the sector. The report also highlights the increasing interest from international investors and the leading role of domestic hotel chains. Portugal is a vibrant hospitality market, contributing over 40 billion Euros to the economy, almost 16% of GDP. Portugal is also unusual in that the top hotel chains are locals, for those of you following our Chains Reports across Europe, beating Accor into third place is highly unusual. Over the last year, a remarkable post pandemic resurgence is evident. Robust demand has propelled most markets to exceed pre-pandemic levels, allowing for unprecedented rate increases that have pleasantly surprised property owners.