Portugal is the second European country where tourists are staying the longest.
The number of days spent in Portugal rose from 3.5 days in February 2020 (before the pandemic) to 6.1 days in March 2024.
The data is from the latest global report, “Travel Trends 2024,” by the Mastercard Economics Institute (MEI), quoted by Publituris. The report analyzes the sector in 74 markets based on exclusive, aggregated, and anonymized transaction data, including Mastercard SpendingPulse.
In the Top 5 for the average number of stays in March 2024 are Greece (6.8), in 1st place, Spain in 3rd place (6), followed by Croatia (5.8) and the United Kingdom (5.6).

Air traffic has grown.

Portugal is also one of the countries where air traffic grew the most compared to 2019 (8%), ranking 3rd in Europe, ahead of countries like Spain (6.6%), and 8th in the global ranking, ahead of countries like France (26th), Italy (29th) or Germany (35th).
Interestingly, Publituris adds that the country is also in 8th place in the Top 10 countries that contributed most to the recovery in air traffic to the United States, after Germany and Ireland.

Canada (42%) prefer Ponta Delgadai in the Azores.

The study also analyzed the main trends in demand for destinations between June and August 2024. In the case of Portugal, Lisbon is preferred by Spaniards (158%), French (73%) and British (63%). Faro is also preferred by Spaniards (53%) and Porto is the leading destination for the Swiss and British.
On the islands, Funchal is most popular with Germany (53%), Switzerland (38%), and Ponta Delgada with Canada (42%).
Geneva was among the Top five destinations the Portuguese sought for the same period, followed by Nice, Ibiza, Munich, and Zurich. However, the broader list includes destinations such as Menorca, Milan, Vienna, Lyon, and Malaga.
“The main conclusions point to a record recovery in the travel sector in 2024, despite exchange rate fluctuations and differences in purchasing power, demonstrating that the desire to travel remains stronger than ever,” reveals the study.

The impact of the USA

The Mastercard study also concludes that 2023 was an “important milestone” for European tourism. It marked the year in which the number of overnight stays fully recovered, with 2.91 billion in 2023 compared to 2.88 billion in 2019.
Mastercard’s report also highlights the significant increase in tourist arrivals from the USA as a driving force behind this figure improvement.
For example, official statistics show that the percentage of travelers from that country to Portugal grew from 6% to 9%; in Spain, it increased from 4% in 2019 to 5% in 2023; and in the UK, from 13% to 16%.
It should be remembered that, in the Azores, tourists from the USA overtook the traditional market for the Azores, which was German.
The increase in travel spending is not just the result of inflation but also of “greater economic dynamism, fueled by a stable job market and a stronger desire to travel.”
The trend shows that demand for popular beach destinations such as Greece, Portugal, and Spain remains stable. These countries also see strong growth in travel outside the peak summer months.

in Correio dos Açores – Natalino Viveirs, director

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.