Portuguese Travel Hits Record Highs: A Shift to Year-Round Trip
Portuguese travelers are increasingly ditching the traditional summer holiday in favor of year-round exploration, despite soaring costs that have outpaced inflation over the last decade. According to a new analysis by the National Association of Travel Agencies (ANAV), outbound tourism from Portugal hit a historic high in 2025, with residents embarking on 3.858 million international trips—a 12.5% increase over the previous year.
The Death of the Summer-Only Vacation
In a significant shift in consumer behavior, ANAV found that 65.6% of all international travel by Portuguese residents now occurs outside the peak months of July, August, and September. While August remains the single most popular month, accounting for 16.3% of total trips, the data suggests that the “shoulder seasons” are becoming the preferred time for travel.
“Portuguese outbound tourism is no longer a phenomenon exclusively associated with the summer months,” ANAV stated. The association noted that this trend offers consumers more flexibility and helps the industry by creating a more balanced distribution of tourism throughout the year.
Costs Surging Past Inflation
Seeing the world has become a significantly more expensive endeavor. The report highlights that between 2016 and 2025, airfare prices jumped by 31.0% and international vacation packages rose by 29.6%. Both figures notably exceed the general inflation rate of 24.9% recorded during the same period.
Last year alone, total spending on international travel reached approximately 3.10 billion euros. While the average expenditure per trip dipped slightly to 803.2 euros (a 4.8% decrease from 2024), the sheer volume of travelers drove total spending to record levels. The Bank of Portugal also reported that travel and tourism debits reached 7.154 billion euros—more than double the amount recorded in 2016.
Top Destinations and Booking Trends
Spain remains the undisputed favorite destination, capturing 38.8% of all trips made by Portuguese residents in 2025. France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Germany rounded out the top five. Notably, Cape Verde is surging in popularity, nearing the top five after increasing its market share by 1.9 percentage points.
Travelers are also continuing to rely on professional planning. Roughly 26.7% of all international trips—totaling 1.03 million journeys—were booked through travel agencies or operators. This confirms that Portuguese travelers are four times more likely to use an agency for international trips than for domestic travel.
No Sign of Slowing Down in 2026
Early data suggests that 2026 will be another record-breaking year. In the first quarter of this year, Portuguese residents made 923,800 trips abroad, a staggering 30% increase compared to the first quarter of 2025. Spending is also on the rise, with travel debits for the first half of 2026 growing by 5.3% to reach 3.159 billion euros.
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