American Tourists reach a New Record in Portugal

Source: Portugal Forbes

The first quarter of 2023 set a new record for investment and American tourism. Overnight stays increased by 65% just in the first two months of the year.

In comparison with other nationalities, tourism expenses by Americans represented a 52% growth in the first quarter of the year. The relations between US and Portuguese tourism are experiencing a climate of great enthusiasm, with several historical indicators revealed in the last conference "Tourism & Real Estate within the Framework of Portugal / USA Relations".

Compared to 2019, the influence of US tourism on the Portuguese GDP is growing, namely in the so-called "engine of the Portuguese economy" - the tourism sector -where Americans corresponded to the nationality that most grew in 2022.

Analyzing the total number of guests from international markets in Portugal, the United States represents 10%, the result of a 25.3% growth compared to the pre-pandemic year. According to Luís Araújo, president of Turismo de Portugal, there are several factors that determine the reason for the connectivity between the US and Portugal, with air routes being the main pillar for the increase in US tourists.

Currently, there are five airlines flying to Portugal, with four airports with direct connections to the United States, which represents about 27 million landings of Americans in Portugal over 2022, a number that should accelerate even more this year. Luís Araújo also explains that the seats available on direct connections have doubled to 2 million, which makes the US the largest long-haul market for Portugal.

The country's capacity to attract new markets is very considerable and, for Americans, reasons such as the climate, stability, and security are determinants when considering Portugal as a hub destination. Among the side effects of this increased demand is the reinforcement and confidence placed in Portugal by the positioning of the Americans as one of the largest international investors in the country's real estate market.

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