- Portuguese residents completed five point six million trips during the first quarter of twenty twenty-six.
- International journeys surged thirty percent as travelers increasingly looked beyond domestic borders for vacations.
- The average expenditure per trip declined to two hundred sixty-five euros amid budget-conscious consumer behavior.
Portuguese residents took 5.6 million trips in the first quarter of 2026, a 7% increase from the same period a year earlier, according to data from Portugal’s National Institute of Statistics, INE.
International journeys powered the increase. Trips abroad rose 30% to 923,800, while domestic travel grew 3.4% to 4.6 million trips.
Free toolB1/B2 Tourist Visa Stay Calculator online
Travel activity climbed in every month of the quarter. The increase reached 3.7% in January, 7.9% in February and 9.6% in March.
Overseas travel represented 16.6% of all journeys taken by residents during the period. Domestic travel remained far larger, but its growth rate was less than one-eighth of the international increase.
The figures extend a rise that began before 2026. They also show households traveling more while controlling trip costs and duration.
Family visits and holidays remain the main reasons to travel
Visiting relatives or friends led the list of travel purposes during the quarter, generating 2.4 million trips. Leisure, recreation or holidays followed with 2.3 million.
The average stay edged upward. Residents spent 2.77 nights away, compared with 2.75 nights a year earlier.
Annual figures from 2025 show how travel volume has expanded over a longer period. Residents made 26.049 million tourist trips, 13.7% more than in 2024 and above the 24.5 million recorded in 2019.
The annual average stay moved in the opposite direction. It fell to 3.90 nights in 2025 from 4.07 nights in 2024.
| Measure | 2025 result |
|---|---|
| Total tourist trips | 26.049 million, up 13.7% |
| Domestic trips | 22.2 million, up 14% |
| International trips | 3.9 million, up 12.5% |
| Average trip duration | 3.90 nights, down from 4.07 nights |
More journeys are coming with smaller budgets
Average expenditure per trip declined to €265.10 in 2025, a 4.2% drop from the previous year. Spending on international journeys fell 4.8% to €803.20 per person.
Travelers also relied heavily on private lodging. Free private accommodation accounted for 58.4% of stays, while hotels and similar establishments represented 25.3%.
The purpose breakdown shows that holidays remained the largest category across the full year. Leisure, recreation or holidays accounted for 50.2% of trips, and visits to relatives or friends made up 37.5%.
Business travel recorded the fastest relative growth, increasing 23.9%. That rise added a work-related source of demand alongside family visits and vacations.
The pattern emerged as inflation continued to pressure household finances. More frequent travel coincided with shorter annual stays and lower average outlays, suggesting that many travelers adjusted the length and cost of trips rather than abandoning them.
Spain remains the leading foreign destination
Spain received 38.8% of international trips taken by residents in 2025. France followed with 9.7%, while Italy accounted for 6.3%.
The concentration reflects the strength of nearby European travel. Spain’s share was almost four times France’s, while Italy’s remained below 7%.
The broader tourism economy also expanded. Banco de Portugal recorded tourism receipts of €29.1 billion for the 12 months ending in 2025, up 5.0% from 2024.
Those receipts cover tourism activity more broadly than journeys taken by people living in Portugal. The two measures therefore track related, but different, parts of the market.
Tourism employed roughly 21.8% of the workforce. In high-traffic areas including Lisbon and Porto, rising visitor numbers have also brought resistance from local residents over overtourism and housing pressure.
Airports and accommodation show demand continuing into summer
The domestic market still carried most of the annual volume in 2025, with 22.2 million trips compared with 3.9 million international trips. Early 2026 data show the sharper momentum outside the country.
Accommodation figures for May point to continued activity. Tourist establishments recorded 3.3 million guests and 8 million overnight stays that month.
Guest numbers increased 3.7% year over year, while overnight stays rose 2.7%. Revenue from tourism accommodation exceeded €2.7 billion, an increase of 5.2%.
National airports handled 7.1 million passengers in May, up 2.9% from a year earlier. The United Kingdom, France and Spain remained the leading origin and destination markets.
Summer bookings were also ahead of last year’s level. As of June 15, 2026, flight bookings to Portugal stood 20% above 2025, while bookings in the comparable market were up 81% year over year.
That booking measure includes demand connected with travel within Portugal as well as international movement. It points to a busy summer after the acceleration recorded in March.
Officials see records ahead, but the spending pattern is mixed
Pedro Machado, Portugal’s secretary of state for Tourism, Trade and Services, said on April 14, 2026, that the year could set a new benchmark for tourism.
Speaking during the Atlantic Tourism Forum in São Paulo, Machado said:
“Current data suggests that 2026 will break all records. This shows that demand is not concentrated only in Lisbon—the entire country is receiving [visitors], which suggests that 2026 will surpass all previous records.”
His comments addressed tourism demand across Portugal, including visitors arriving from abroad. The resident travel figures add a separate domestic signal, showing that people living in the country are also traveling more frequently.
International investment has been cited as another source of support for the sector. Paul Sheedy, a special adviser at the Portugal Future Fund, said on June 16, 2026, that Golden Visa investors were contributing across several industries.
“Golden Visa investors are supporting economic growth, boosting industries such as hospitality, tourism, renewable energy, tech, as well as media and international events. These investors are supporting Portugal's continued growth while securing benefits for themselves and their families.”
The next monthly readings will show whether March’s 9.6% rise marked the quarter’s peak or the beginning of a stronger spring travel pattern. INE’s 2025 tourism statistics were released on July 9, 2026, while its tourism activity report was released on June 30, 2026.
