Inês Guerreiro
34 years old · Portimão, Algarve
Hotel receptionist (seasonal full-time, winter part-time)
Persona: Algarve Tourism Worker
Inês Guerreiro
Quick Profile
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Inês Guerreiro |
| Age | 34 |
| Gender | Female |
| Location | Portimão, Algarve |
| Occupation | Hotel receptionist (seasonal full-time, winter part-time) |
| Education | Tourism degree (ESGHT, Faro) |
| Housing | Renting small apartment (€750/month, rising) |
| Family | Single, no children; parents in Lagos |
| Voter Status | Portuguese citizen - can vote |
Background Narrative
Inês was born in Lagos when it was still a fishing town with tourism on the side. Now she doesn't recognize it. The house she grew up in—her grandparents' house—was sold after her avô died; her parents couldn't afford the inheritance taxes, and a British couple turned it into an Airbnb.
She studied tourism thinking it was the smart local choice. It was—until it wasn't. She's worked hotels, restaurants, tour companies. The pay is mediocre, the hours brutal in summer, and every year her rent increases while the owners chase tourist money. Last year she moved twice because landlords wanted to convert to short-term rentals.
She speaks four languages, works harder than most people she knows, and still lives paycheck to paycheck. Her friends from school are scattered—Lisbon, UK, Germany. The ones who stayed work the same seasonal grind or married tourists and got out that way.
Economic Situation
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Income level | Lower-middle (€1,100/month average; varies by season) |
| Income source | Hotel salary + occasional side work (tours, translation) |
| Financial stress | High |
| Housing cost burden | 68% of income in winter months |
| Economic trajectory | Declining (rent rising faster than wages) |
Values Profile (Schwartz Framework)
Higher-Order Values
| Dimension | Rating | Expression |
|---|---|---|
| Self-Transcendence | 3 | Cares about community, but survival mode limits scope |
| Self-Enhancement | 3 | Wants more than she has; feels blocked |
| Openness to Change | 4 | Would embrace change if it meant improvement |
| Conservation | 3 | Values local identity, but tradition didn't help her |
Specific Values (Top 3 priorities)
- Security: Stable housing, year-round income, not living in fear of next rent increase
- Self-Direction: Wants control over her life, not dependent on tourist seasons
- Achievement: Has skills and education; wants them to matter
Moral Politics Frame (Lakoff)
Primary frame: Nurturant Parent with frustration
Expression: Inês believes in fairness, community support, and opportunity for those who work hard. But she feels the system has abandoned people like her while protecting property owners and tourists. She's not radical, but she's angry at broken promises.
Information Ecosystem
| Source Type | Specific Sources | Trust Level |
|---|---|---|
| TV | SIC, TVI when home | Medium |
| Online | Instagram, Público, regional news sites | Medium |
| Social Media | Instagram, WhatsApp, some Facebook | Medium-High |
| Never | N/A | |
| Community | Coworkers, remaining local friends, family | High |
Media consumption pattern: Scrolls Instagram and news during breaks. Gets most information through WhatsApp groups with coworkers and friends. Reads housing-related news obsessively.
Political Profile
Voting History
| Election | Vote | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Legislative | BE | "Only ones talking about housing seriously" |
| 2022 Legislative | PS | "Lesser evil" |
| 2021 Presidential | Marcelo | "Default choice" |
| Historical pattern | Left-leaning, housing-focused |
Political Identity
- Left-Right self-placement: 3/10 (center-left)
- Party identification: Weak BE sympathy; frustrated with all parties
- Political engagement: Moderate—votes, follows housing policy closely
2026 Presidential Inclination
- Current leaning: Catarina Martins or Seguro
- Certainty: Leaning
- Key deciding factors: Housing policy, local issues, anti-Ventura
Top Concerns (Ranked)
- Housing: "I can't keep moving. I can't save for anything. I'm working to pay rent, nothing else."
- Seasonal precarity: "Half the year I'm working 50 hours, half the year I'm scraping by."
- Local displacement: "Portimão isn't for Portuguese people anymore. We're the staff."
- Future prospects: "Is this it? Working in tourism until I can't, then what?"
- Family access: "My parents might have to leave too. Where will we all go?"
Hopes
For herself:
"I want a place I can stay. Not move every year. Maybe save enough for a down payment someday. Have some stability before I'm 40."
For Portugal:
"I hope we realize that selling the country to tourists isn't a strategy. That Portuguese people need to be able to live in Portuguese places."
For the Algarve:
"I hope we can be more than a resort. That there's something here for locals, not just season workers serving foreigners."
Fears
Personal fears:
"Being 50 and still living like this. Still moving every year, still counting euros, still working summers so hard I can barely stand."
Fears for Portugal:
"That we've already been sold. That it's too late. That my generation gave away what our grandparents built."
Deepest fear (often unspoken):
"That I should have left years ago. That staying was the wrong choice, and I've wasted my best years being loyal to a country that turned into a hotel."
"In Their Own Voice"
How she'd describe Portugal today:
"A country that found out it could make money selling itself and forgot to stop. The Algarve is beautiful, yes—but for whom? I can show you the beaches, recommend the restaurants, speak four languages with tourists. I just can't afford to live here."
What she'd say to someone who disagrees with her politically:
"You want to talk about property rights? Fine. But I have rights too. The right to live in my own region. To have a stable home. Tourism is great, but it shouldn't mean locals become refugees in our own towns."
Her message to politicians:
"Visit in winter. See what happens when the tourists leave. See how many shops close, how many of us struggle. Then tell me that more tourism is the answer."
Scenario Response Predictions
| Candidate | Predicted Response | Key Trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Ventura | Negative | Anti-foreigner rhetoric feels simplistic; doesn't address housing root causes |
| Gouveia e Melo | Neutral | Competent but unclear on housing |
| Marques Mendes | Negative | Establishment won't change anything |
| Seguro | Moderately Positive | Housing policies, PS base |
| Catarina Martins | Positive | Housing champion; speaks to her reality |
| Cotrim Figueiredo | Negative | Market solutions = more of the same |
| António Filipe | Neutral | Workers' rights but seems distant |
Notes for Scenario Development
- The "displaced local" archetype—tourism's casualties
- Seasonal work rhythm shapes daily life dramatically
- Grandmother's house = symbolic loss storyline
- Could interact with: British expat, hotel managers, tourists, local business owners
- In "Day in the Future" vignettes: high season vs. low season contrasts, apartment searching, serving tourists in former neighborhood