Madeira’s tourism sector, which contributes 12% to Portugal's tourism and an unforgiving 40% of the island’s GDP, faces mounting pressures. Experts at the Tourism Conference urge clear policies, Visitor Impact Management, and improved transport solutions.
The closure of the Funchal cable car from January 5, 2026, involves a €4 million project focusing on the Funchal station, cable replacement, and updating the system’s technology.
Ride-hailing drivers protested in Funchal after Madeira suspended new TVDE licenses to prevent competition, leaving €700 training wasted, drivers unable to work, and tensions running high.
At Mercado dos Lavradores, one of Madeira’s most iconic spots, tourists arrive in the thousands but often depart shocked, overcharged, and deceived by systemic practices that exploit trust with inflated prices and misleading products.
Funchal streets erupted with horns from 50 cars on September 19 as unions protested the government’s controversial labor law reforms.
Madeira’s only waste treatment plant, Meia Serra, has hit maximum capacity, processing 3,800 tons daily. Authorities are seeking short term solutions to address the problem.
The European Commission will present its first plan for affordable housing this year, moving up the original 2026 schedule, as Portugal and other countries continue to face rising rents and housing shortages.
Madeira’s emissions fall to 1998 levels, cutting 30% since 2005 and generating 35% of electricity from renewables, with carbon intensity now below the national average.
Fanal, part of Madeira’s UNESCO forest, faces erosion, damaged trees, and ecological imbalance from heavy tourism. Should the site be temporarily closed to recover?
Funchal Marina gets a plastic recycling machine that can turn plastic collected from the sea into everyday items.
Funchal considers a public pet crematorium and cemetery, giving families humane, affordable end-of-life options for animals - avoiding incineration with waste or informal backyard burials.
