Tourist numbers in Portugal hit record in 2023

Tourist numbers in Portugal hit record in 2023

Last year's tourism figures in Portugal saw an increase of 7.7 percent compared to 2019
Last year's tourism figures in Portugal saw an increase of 7.7 percent compared to 2019. Photo: Patricia DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP/File
Source: AFP

Foreign tourists flocked to Portugal in record numbers in 2023 with 26.5 million visitors -- a 19.2 percent jump compared to the year before, the country's National Statistics Institute said Monday.

Derided as part of the "Club Med" nations during the European debt crisis 15 years ago, Portugal's economy is now outperforming its northern peers thanks to a rebound in tourism.

Last year's tourism figures in Portugal saw an increase of 7.7 percent compared to 2019 -- the reference year before the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to the institute, 5.7 million visitors were from Spain followed by Britain and France, with close to three million tourists each.

Tourism accounts for around 12 percent of gross domestic product in Portugal.

In 2023, Portugal recorded 2.3 percent economic growth, among the highest in the European Union, mainly thanks to exports.

Read also

Boeing says 'reached agreement' with DoJ over 737 MAX crashes

Growth this year is expected to be 1.5 percent, rising to 1.9 percent in 2025, according to the latest forecasts published in mid-April by the government.

The Bank of Portugal is forecasting growth of 2 percent this year and 2.3 percent in 2025.

Source: AFP

Authors:
AFP avatar

AFP AFP text, photo, graphic, audio or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer or otherwise except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service, AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, videos, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP material. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP material.