1. Tourism in the Douro Valley
Dossiers on Special
Opportunities
Payments Services
Clinic of Excellence
Forestry Investment in
Sines Agro-Industry in Alentejo
Agro-
Portugal
Thermal SPA Shared Service Centres Excellence Tourism School Tourism in Alentejo

2. Tourism in the Douro Valley
Tourism in the Douro Valley
Opportunity: The co-existence of 9 sites classified as World Heritage, including the wine-
producing valley of Port Wine, in a region where demand has been rising dramatically.
Concept: Boost tourism and leisure investment projects in a region with fabulous tourism
potential, unique in the world and almost unexplored
Commitments:
A special regime for large Tourism investment projects enables a tailored incentive scheme, fulfilling
projects’ case-by-case orientation.
Public policies and investments to be achieved in the 2004-2007 period to support and stimulate the
Development of Tourism in the Douro Valley have been already approved by the Government.
Results:
Several business plans currently been analyzed by API.
Up to the moment, investment commitments reach 300 MEuro.

3. Forestry Investment in
Portugal
Forestry Investment in Portugal
Opportunity: Outstanding growth conditions for valuable species (cork, eucalyptus, oak, pine). Well-
established wood-transforming industries with firm long-term needs.
Concept: Promote large-scale, professionally-managed plantations:
Introducing professional management on large-scale plantations;
Ensuring long-term availability of timber in quality and quantity for established industries;
Reducing operating risks and fire damage;
Promoting consolidation in the rural property market and reconversion of soils;
Stimulating the emergence of timberland funds as a new investment class for retail.
What is offered:
Scientific and field expertise in forestry;
World leading industrial groups (Sonae # 1 in woodboard; Amorim # 1 in cork, Portucel:
Europe’s # 1 in uncoated paper)
Sophisticated financial markets: banks & clients
Attractive incentives scheme
Institutional engagement at all administration-levels.

4. Tourism in Alentejo
Tourism in Alentejo
Opportunity: Vast expanses of unique landscape, with an infinity and variety of sectioned
scenery and unforgettable natural beauty, ideal for Senior and Wine tourism, Sun and beach, Golf,
Culture, Health and Ecotourism
Concept: Attract and support structural tourism projects to Alentejo as a means to exploit,
enhance and preserve the extremely rich natural, architectural and cultural heritage of the region.
Facts:
Remarkable assets in the Region
Cost-competitive, qualified and flexible workforce
Portuguese background of excellence in the tourism sector
API support:
• Sole mediator to public organisms in matters such as Licenses, authorizations, etc.
• Ability to negotiate a top-level incentive scheme

5. Agro-Industry in Alentejo
Agro-
Agro-Industry in Alentejo
Opportunity:
Alentejo, a region with an untapped agricultural potential:
Proximity to end-markets, Mediterranean climate offers scope for two crops per year;
Alqueva: 110,000ha of newly irrigated lands, among the vast areas of good agricultural soils;
Highly competitive operating costs (property, labour costs, energy, water,…).
Concept:
To bolster the development of agro-industrial projects, focusing on the following sectors:
Fruiticulture and Horticulture, integrated into food processing industries;
Bio-energy;
Olive oil production.
Strengths:
Critical factors available: temperate climate, fertile soils, and water abundance, plus excellent
communication axes…
Agro-industrial park;
Proximity to deep sea ports and, for biodiesel, the Sines oil refinery less than 100km distant;
Specific incentive scheme for the agro-industry sector.

6. Shared Service Centres
Shared Service Centres
Opportunity: Strong global tendency for Business Process Outsourcing. Portugal offers specific
advantages for the location of Call Centres and Shared Service Centres (SSC). The country has a diversity
of qualified, multilingual and cost competitive workforce and a cost competitive modern telecoms network,
combined with cut-rate real estate readily available.
Concept:
Development of a strong business area that could become a reference worldwide;
Portuguese international recognition in attracting SSCs.
What is offered:
Highly flexible and language-skilled workforce;
Know-how in several areas: finance and accounting, logistic, technical assistance, banking,
customer service and other;
Extremely competitive labour costs;
Availability of outsourcing companies in different areas, from IT and Telcos to Human Resources ;
Availability of office space at affordable prices, equipped with high-speed communication networks;
Portugal is situated in the convenient work time (GMT).
Track record: Some of the biggest companies in the world have decided to concentrate some
support services in Portugal, namely, Alcatel, IBM BTO, Siemens, Infineon, Microsoft and many other

7. Payments Services
Payments Services and Products
Opportunity: A Cutting-Edge area where Portugal has strong competences and world’s leading
projects
Concept: Promotion of Business initiatives (eg: Development/Production Center, Network of
Partners, Managed Services Provider) for payments services and products that can fulfill world demand
and opportunities including Software, Hardware and Services
What is offered:
A vast community and well consolidated cluster (Financial Institutions, IT, Telecommunications and
Electronics)
World leading ATM network
An attractive business friendly environment for R&D and test pilots
Excellent Infra-structure and easy access to international markets
Highly flexible, skilled and extremely competitive workforce
“In an unassuming way, Portugal has become a world leader in several other areas of cutting-edge
technology, from electronic banking and automatic motorway tolling to interactive digital television
and mobile phone payment systems” – FT 03/06/2003

8. Clinic of Excellence
Clinic of Excellence
Opportunity: Increasing demand on High-Quality and up to date healthcare services and the
increasing rely on private providers.
Concept: Creation of a Clinic Center that
Congregates leading Physicians and Universities
Targets to higher segments and seniors
Will be a flagship on healthcare services
May attract not only national but also international patients
What is offered:
Highly qualified physicians, Universities and R&D institutes
A mature Health Insurance Market
Government Healthcare Policies oriented to attract Private Players in a Public-Contract Model
Open and very user-friendly country, capable of attracting international patients

9. Excellence Tourism School
Tourism School of Excellence
Opportunity:
Iberia stands high among the world’s most sought tourism destinations, catering for the
most demanding travellers. Differentiating factors are the amenable climate, rich culture,
short distance to main markets, and increasingly an emphasis on top quality service.
Concept:
Create a School of Excellence in Tourism Management, capable of delivering to the high
standards of this competitive industry, strengthening the skills of the tourism workforce.
A Tourism School of Excellence training elite management for the future and present.
Commitment:
Tourism is considered a priority on the Portuguese Government’s economic strategy.
Strengths:
High standard of quality on Portuguese/Iberian tourism product
Geographical proximity to main tourism output markets
Education and training are at the forefront of tourism development

10. Sines
Sines
Opportunity
Largest and most competitive Iberian business park serviced by an adjacent deep-sea port
Concept
Promote quality agro-industrial, manufacturing and logistics projects in a 1400 ha area, with an
hinterland up to Madrid and Lisbon and access to all international markets
Strengths
Quality, swift connections to the major centers of Iberia (further improvements until 2007)
Attractive installation and operation costs (less 20 to 60% than competition)
Dedicated private management (container terminal concession - PSA)
Strong EU trend towards shifting cargo transportation to water highways
API support as single point of contact
Results
Several projects currently under analysis by API, increasing the opportunities for local synergies

11. Thermal SPA
Thermal SPA
Opportunity
Tourism investment in exquisite locations, ideal for providing well-being experiences
(in Nature & Culture, SPA & Health, the fastest growing markets)
Concept
Promote quality tourism projects in top natural spots with mineral springs, customized to enrich the
portfolio of international operators and supply yet untapped regional demand
Strengths
World apart, very-low risk (political, financial, cultural) destinations, under 3 hours of central Europe
Remarkable natural sites and developable assets throughout the country
Fast and scalable projects (SPA, hotel, bath, golf, …)
Background of excellence (and cost-competitiveness) in the tourism sector
API support as single point of contact
Results
Several projects currently under analysis by API, increasing the opportunities for synergies