Portugal Tourism Statistics - How Many People Visit? (2024)

Page last updated: 20 January 2025

Often hailed for its rich culture, stunning coastline, and historic cities, Portugal has witnessed a strong tourism performance every year. Drawing millions of tourists worldwide, it has long stood as one of Europe’s popular destinations.

Overview

How many tourists visit Portugal every year?

15 million to 18 million tourists visit Portugal each year.

In 2017, Portugal welcomed 15.4 million visitors, showing impressive growth that continued until 2019, reaching 17.3 million.

However, the 2020 pandemic caused a sharp decline in tourists, with the visitor count dropping to 4.2 million.

With the easing of travel restrictions, 2021 witnessed a moderate recovery, attracting 6.3 million visitors.

In 2022, Portugal saw a substantial rebound, with the number of visitors soaring to 16.3 million, almost returning to pre-pandemic levels.¹

Portugal witnessed a continued bounce-back in its tourism sector in 2023, as international tourist arrivals climbed to approximately 18.3 million. This constituted a 12.2% growth over the previous year and subsequently surpassed the number of visitors in the pre-pandemic year.²

How many people visited Portugal in 2024?

Over 78.27 million nights were spent at tourist accommodations in Portugal from January to October 2024.

This total includes both domestic and international visitors, with data for November and December not yet available.

Domestic visitors accounted for 24.96 million nights, representing 31.9% of the total.
International visitors contributed 53.31 million nights, making up 68.1% of the total.

Monthly Nights Spent at Tourist Accommodation Establishments in Portugal (2024)

MONTH	DOMESTIC	INTERNATIONAL	COMBINED
Jan	1,238,515	2,479,848	3,718,363
Feb	1,504,984	3,078,217	4,583,201
Mar	1,784,704	4,322,137	6,106,841
Apr	1,973,070	5,000,079	6,973,149
May	2,150,279	6,094,615	8,244,894
Jun	2,654,235	5,840,091	8,494,326
Jul	3,601,033	6,729,111	10,330,144
Aug	5,177,957	7,435,386	12,613,343
Sep	2,823,313	6,390,164	9,213,477
Oct	2,050,997	5,936,811	7,987,808
Nov	not available yet	not available yet	not available yet
Dec	not available yet	not available yet	not available yet
YTD TOTAL	24,959,087	53,306,459	78,265,546

Note: These figures represent overnight stays at tourist accommodation establishments in Portugal, not individual visitor counts.

How many people visited Portugal in 2023?

Over 18.3 million tourists visited Portugal in 2023.

This reflected an increase of 12.2% compared to 2022, which recorded 16.31 million visitors.

When compared to the 2019 peak of 17.28 million visitors (pre-pandemic), this marked a 6% growth in tourist arrivals over the last four years.

How many people visited Portugal in 2022?

Portugal experienced a remarkable rebound in tourism in 2022, welcoming 16.3 million visitors.

When compared to the figures in 2021, this marked a significant 157% increase, however, it still only reached 94% of the total seen in 2019.

How much do tourists spend in Portugal every year?

Tourism spending in Portugal typically reflects the number of visitor arrivals.

From 2017 to 2019, spending increased from $17.8 billion to $20.4 billion, showcasing steady growth.

However, the 2020 pandemic caused a drastic reduction, with figures falling to $8.8 billion.

As travel conditions improved in 2021, there was a recovery in spending to $11.8 billion.

The upward trend continued in 2022 and 2023, with spending reaching a notable $22 billion and $23 billion³, respectively.

How much did visitors spend in Portugal in 2023?

Tourists spent approximately $23.04 billion in Portugal in 2023.

This represented an increase of 4.9% compared to 2022, which recorded $21.97 billion in tourist spending.

Compared to 2019, when tourist expenditure was $20.44 billion, the 2023 figure indicated a 12.7% growth in revenue from tourism.

How much did visitors spend in Portugal in 2022?

Tourist spending substantially rose in 2022, with visitors contributing a total of $21.97 billion to Portugal’s economy.

This represented an 86% rise from the $11.81 billion recorded in 2021 and surpassed the pre-pandemic spending by 7%.

Where do visitors to Portugal come from?

Spain consistently leads as the top source of inbound visitors to Portugal, followed by France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands.⁴

In 2019, Portugal welcomed 2.5 million Spaniards, 2.2 million Britons, 1.8 million French, 1.7 million Germans, and 672,000 Dutch visitors.

However, 2020 brought noticeable declines from all these countries, largely due to travel restrictions and health considerations. The most significant drops were among visitors from Spain (878,000) and the UK (492,000).

In 2021, a gradual recovery started to emerge, with increases from all the top source countries. Despite not reaching pre-pandemic levels, it’s crucial to note that the number of Spanish tourists increased to 1.3 million, indicating that regional travel was recovering.

Portugal Travel Resources

Impact of Coronavirus – Portugal Tourism Statistics 2020 and 2021

When the pandemic hit in 2020, arrivals in Portugal dropped drastically to 4.2 million, and expenditure fell to $8.8 billion. This marked a decline of roughly 75.7% in visits and a decrease of around 56.8% in spending.

In 2021, there was a modest recovery, with 6.3 million arrivals (a 50% increase) and $11.8 billion in expenditure (a 33.7% increase). Although these were improvements from 2020, they remained well below pre-pandemic levels.

Top Attractions in Portugal

Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, Lisbon: This UNESCO World Heritage site attracts approximately 2 million visitors annually, making it one of Portugal’s most visited landmarks.

Oceanário de Lisboa: The Lisbon Oceanarium welcomes around 1.3 million visitors each year, recognised as a leading marine attraction in Europe.

Palácio Nacional de Sintra: Located in Sintra, this historic palace receives about 1 million visitors annually, highlighting its enduring cultural significance.

Algarve: The Algarve region attracts approximately 4 million visitors annually, with its beaches, cliffs, and natural beauty being key draws.

Torre de Belém, Lisbon: This historic tower sees an estimated 500,000 visitors annually, reflecting its importance in Portugal’s maritime history.

Other Travel Statistics Resources (Newly Published and Updated)

References

UNWTO: Tourism Statistics – Global and Regional ↩︎
EuroStat: Nights spent at tourist accommodation establishments – Global and Regional ↩︎
EuroStat: Tourism Satellite Accounts in Europe – 2023 Report Edition ↩︎
OECD: Tourism Trends and Policies 2022 – Portugal ↩︎