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Portugal eyes Web Summit for economic chance

Xinhua, November 8, 2016 Adjust font size:

Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said Monday the Web Summit opened in Lisbon would be an important contribution to the Portuguese economy.

Costa expects the Europe's largest technology conference to offer a chance for ideas exchange and the creation of qualified jobs as the annual event gathers thousands of tech CEOs, founders, startups and investors from worldwide.

"I want visitors to remember Portugal as a progressive and open-to-business country," he said.

The event will generate at least 200 million euros (221 million U.S. dollars) for the Portuguese economy according to the Lisbon Tourism Association.

Web Summit has been held in Dublin, Ireland, ever since its first event in 2009. It changes its host place starting from this year to Lisbon, Portugal.

Paddy Cosgrave, CEO of Web Summit, said that when the event started in Dublin in 2010 there were only 400 people. "We now have 53,000 people from 163 countries around the world."

"The zeitgeist spirit and the people I met were unlike anything else I encountered in other countries," he said, "Something truly unique is happening in Lisbon right now and we are lucky to be here."

Web Summit opened here Monday and is scheduled to end on Nov. 10. Endi