Purpose-driven tourism: a resilient model
Office
Portugal
Services
Public Affairs: intelligence, institutional relations, and advocacy
Corporate reputation and leadership: reputation planning, PR and media relations
Date
2019-2025
Portugal’s real estate and tourism sectors stand at a crossroads: how to attract foreign investment while responding to growing social and political pressure around the housing crisis. In this environment, business models based on Golden Visas have become a source of national debate.
At a critical juncture, Mercan Properties needed to protect its business in a hostile legislative climate—while proving how its approach contributes to sustainable economic and tourism development across the country.
How do you ensure the continuity of a unique investment model in the face of legal pressure, public skepticism, and negative perceptions around Golden Visas?
Solution
We developed a strategic plan and a position paper that combined public opinion influence, stakeholder management, and a tailored narrative aligned with Portugal’s evolving legislative agenda. A key pillar of our approach was highlighting the company’s role in the urban regeneration of lower-density regions across the country.
Our strategy focused on three core goals—each successfully delivered:
Strategic positioning: We built Mercan’s reputation in Portugal from the ground up, positioning it as the country’s fourth-largest hotel group. Through a bold and differentiated narrative, we spotlighted the business model’s positive impact on the economy and tourism sector.
Agility and adaptation: Our approach evolved in step with each legislative revision, emphasizing Mercan’s most relevant differentiators at every stage.
Stakeholder engagement: We took an active role in key political meetings and ongoing media relations, helping shape a favorable perception of the investment model.
Our work not only helped overcome regulatory hurdles—it positioned Mercan as a benchmark for responsible and sustainable investment.
We protected Mercan’s business model, enabling continued growth and long-term consolidation in Portugal’s hospitality and urban renewal sectors—even amid legislative headwinds.
We positioned Mercan with 32 hotel projects across Portugal, 12 of them already operational under global brands such as Hilton, Marriott, Wyndham, and IHG.
We supported the expansion of Mercan’s team and economic impact—driving direct and indirect job creation across multiple tourism and investment-related sectors.
We steadily built up Mercan’s media visibility, nurturing strong relationships with key journalists and shaping a positive public narrative around its investment model.
