Portugal’s tourism industry closed October 2024 on a high note, demonstrating continued resilience and growth despite seasonal changes. The National Statistics Institute (INE) reported a significant 3.8% year-on-year increase in guest arrivals, totaling 3 million visitors, exceeding the growth observed in September. This positive trend extended to overnight stays, which saw a 2.5% rise to 7.6 million, further solidifying Portugal’s position as a popular travel destination. The robust performance comes as a welcome indicator of the sector’s strength, even beyond the peak summer months.
One of the most notable highlights of October’s tourism figures was the exceptional performance of the Canadian market. With an impressive 15% year-on-year growth, Canada ranked as the top-performing inbound market among the ten largest sources of international tourists. This substantial increase suggests a growing interest in Portugal among Canadian travelers, offering promising prospects for the future. The domestic tourism market also showed signs of recovery, with overnight stays by Portuguese residents rising by 1.2% to 1.9 million, marking a reversal of the slight downturn seen in September.
However, the data also revealed significant regional disparities. While many regions experienced robust growth, Alentejo bucked the trend, recording a 4.4% decrease in overnight stays compared to October 2023. This decline contrasts sharply with the strong performance of other regions, particularly the Azores, which saw a remarkable 10.8% increase, followed by the Center region with a 7% rise. The international tourism market exhibited a similar pattern, with the Azores (+19.3%) and Setúbal Peninsula (+8.9%) leading the way in terms of growth. Conversely, Alentejo experienced a 3.1% decrease in international overnight stays.
The domestic market showed a similar mixed performance. Madeira (+10.7%) and the Centro region (+8.6%) witnessed substantial growth in overnight stays from Portuguese residents. In contrast, Alentejo (-5.3%), the West and Tagus Valley (-4.8%), and the Algarve (-3.9%) experienced notable declines. Understanding the factors contributing to these regional variations requires further analysis, potentially considering specific marketing strategies, seasonal factors, and infrastructural developments in each area.
Analyzing the sources of tourist arrivals, the top ten markets accounted for approximately 75.7% of all non-resident overnight stays in October. The United Kingdom maintained its leading position with 19.9% of overnight stays, followed by Germany (12.6%) and the United States (10.4%). While Canada demonstrated remarkable growth, Spain experienced a significant decline of -12.4%, highlighting the dynamic nature of international tourism flows and the need for ongoing market diversification strategies. The average length of stay for all tourists was 2.54 nights, a slight decrease of 1.2% compared to October 2023. Only the Azores and Madeira saw increases in average stay durations. The net bed occupancy rate decreased slightly to 51.0%, while the net room occupancy rate showed a positive trend, reaching 63.2%. These figures, along with the regional variations, present a complex yet encouraging picture of Portugal’s tourism sector’s performance in October 2024.
