These information pages can help you get started in learning about some of the laws and registration requirements that may apply to your experiences on Airbnb. These pages include summaries of some of the rules that may apply to different sorts of activities, and contain links to government resources that you may find helpful.
Please understand that these information pages are not comprehensive, and are not legal advice. If you are unsure about how local laws or this information may apply to you or your Experience, we encourage you to check with official sources or seek legal advice.
Please note that we don’t update this information in real time, so you should confirm that the laws or procedures have not changed recently.*
In Portugal, a tour guide can be anyone providing touristic activities broadly defined as recreational, sporting, or cultural activities constituting outdoor tourism or cultural tourism. Tour guiding is considered a regulated profession by Turismo de Portugal. Information on whether your activity can be considered as tour guiding, and guidelines about touristic activities generally, is found on their official website.
Tour guiding may be part of two different legal categories - the Touristic Animation Agent and the Travel Agent. While a general description follows as below, more information on official registration, regulations, and requirements on how to obtain licenses can be found here.
Touristic Animation Agent
If your Experience includes activities of cultural, recreational, or sporting touristic nature (such as graffiti art walking tours, public monument tours, or visits to gardens) you can register as a touristic animation agent. Information and applications for this registry can be found on the Turismo de Portugal’s website in the section about National Registry of Touristic Animation Agents (RNAAT).
To register as a touristic animation agent, you need to pay a registration fee and meet certain basic requirements such as business licensing, record keeping, insurance, and additional registration for special activities (see below section). This is not an exhaustive list of requirements, those interested should seek more information from the Turismo de Portugal’s website directly, and can also look at the information provided by APECATE- the association of touristic animation agents in the touristic sector.
Travel Agent
If you want to provide touristic experiences in combination with accommodation or transportation you can apply with Turismo de Portugal for a travel agent license. Information and applications for this license can be found on the Turismo de Portugal’s website, in the section about National Register of Tourism and Travel Agents (or RNAVT). Only those properly registered and following the rules of Turismo de Portugal can offer these travel agency services. Generally, whenever transportation, accommodation, and/or touristic service are packaged together, the travel agency registration and license can be required.
The government of Portugal has rules and regulations for travel agents regarding insurance coverage and policies, legal procedures regarding complaints, consumer protection, and transparency practices. These rules and regulations can be complex and detailed. Further information can be found on the Turismo de Portugal website, by calling the Turismo de Portugal business hotline, or by consulting with the Portuguese Travel Agents Association (APAVT). If you find you still need more information, you should check with a local legal professional.
It depends on the type of activities you provide. Turismo de Portugal has detailed regulations that require registration, licenses, and special assessments and surcharges for certain activities that may be specially regulated.
Special licenses and permissions are required when the touristic activity involves the following: