Increased expenditure on travel recorded among Portuguese citizens
In 2025, Portuguese travellers are opting for off-peak travel and emerging destinations, according to the 2025 Summer Barometer. This shift is driven by a desire to avoid crowding and high prices during peak season, leading to a preference for shoulder months and less popular destinations.
The 2025 Summer Barometer, a six-question questionnaire aimed at identifying consumer trends, motivations, and priorities, reveals that the quality and price of a trip remain the most decisive criteria when choosing a travel destination. Travel time is the second most important consideration.
Miguel Quintas, president of ANAV (National Association of Travel Agencies and Tour Operators), agrees with this trend. He states that there is now a more competitive offer on the market in destinations such as the Caribbean or Africa than in Portugal. This, combined with the intensified competition and booming tourism worldwide, especially in popular European destinations, is driving Portuguese tourists to explore less congested places and times.
The 2025 Summer Barometer does not provide specific data on the growth in travel packages priced between €600 and €1,200, but it is noted that this price range saw notable growth.
When it comes to the most popular travel destinations for Portuguese people in 2025, the 2025 Summer Barometer does not provide specific data on the order or ranking. However, it is known that Cape Verde topped the list, followed by the Dominican Republic and the Spanish islands, which dropped from first to third place. This marks a change in the top three travel destinations compared to 2024, where the Spanish islands held the first position.
Miguel Quintas suggests that the prices charged on the domestic market are not the only explanation for these trends. He states that other factors, such as the quality of the trip and the desire to explore new destinations, also play a significant role.
This trend of favouring off-peak travel and emerging destinations is supported by overall growth in international arrivals in Europe and rising domestic tourism confidence in Portugal. The strong growth and positive outlook in Portugal's travel and tourism sector for 2025 suggest that Portuguese travelers continue to fuel demand domestically and regionally, influenced by overall optimism in the European hospitality market where countries including Portugal show high expectations for improvement.
In conclusion, the interplay of strong competition in traditional overseas markets and the desire to avoid the downsides of highly popular tourist spots pushes Portuguese tourists in 2025 to favour off-peak travel and emerging destinations that provide greater value and comfort.
In 2025, the shift towards off-peak travel and exploring emerging destinations among Portuguese travellers is influenced by the desire for cost-effectiveness and the avoidance of crowding, as highlighted in the 2025 Summer Barometer. Miguel Quintas, president of ANAV, suggests that this trend is also influenced by the quality of trips, the desire to explore new places, and competition in the European travel market.
