Portugal has been registering a high number of arrivals in the last months, ranking the country as one of the most sought-after destinations among Portuguese residents as well as Europeans.
Cities like Lisbon, Porto, and the Algarve region have gained immense popularity due to their unique charm, historic architecture, vibrant culture, and stunning coastal areas, registering a high number of arrivals during the summer months, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
Moreover, movement to and from Portugal has increased, too, with flights connecting different cities in and out of Portugal.
According to the Portugal News, in August 2023, the residents of Portugal showed a strong inclination towards specific destinations, including Lisbon, Porto, Madeira, Palma, São Miguel, Paris, Barcelona, São Paulo, Faro, Madrid, Ibiza, Malta, Cabo Verde, Rome, Alicante, Athens, Porto Santo, Amsterdam, among many others.
At the same time, Europeans are displaying a heightened enthusiasm for travel to Portugal this August. Data provided by Jetcost revealed a remarkable surge in travel searches, with a 37 per cent increase compared to August 2019 and a 14 per cent rise compared to August of the previous year.
In addition, data has shown that travellers are dedicating 62 per cent more time to exploring different travel options, alternative prices, as well as flexible dates, to identify the ideal offer that aligns with their financial plans.
A Portuguese destination that is very popular among travellers is Porto. The city is currently the most sought-after by French, Spanish, German, Italian, British, and Dutch travellers.
Getaways to Faro are also in high demand by those looking for sun, beach, sea, good restaurants, and nightlife. As the Portugal News explains, Jetcost said that Faro is the most sought-after destination by British travellers, followed by Dutch, French, German, Italian, and Spanish travellers
Turning to the islands, Madeira is also one of the most popular destinations among European tourists, registering a high number of tourists from France, Spain, and Italy, among others, every summer.
Previously, the Conde Nast Johansens travel guide studied Luxury Traveler Holiday Habits has revealed that Portugal has been included in the list of the top ten international luxury destinations for the current year.
Apart from Portugal, the list of top ten destinations poised to attract a large number of tourists this year includes the following:
- United Kingdom
- Greece
- Italy
- Spain
- Ireland
- Croatia
- United States
- Caribbean
Moreover, further data show that during July 2023, Portugal experienced substantial growth in hotel reservations, as revealed by data from the World Hotel Index compiled by SiteMinder.
Until July 2, the count of hotel reservations for the current year has exhibited a remarkable growth of 22.72 per cent compared to the figures registered in 2019. The same source also pointed out that this year’s reservations have also demonstrated a notable increase of 4.75 per cent compared to the previous year.