The number of non-resident tourist arrivals in Portugal reached 9.6 million in 2021, a 48.4% growth compared to 2020. However, this also reflects a 61% decrease compared to 2019, according to a study by the National Institute of Statistics (INE).
Most tourists traveling to Portugal in 2021 came from Spain (30%), France (16%), the United Kingdom (10%), and Germany (8%). Tourism from Spain saw the largest growth in 2021 at 57.3%, with France following at 46.2%.
The number of guests in all kinds of tourist accommodations amounted to 16 million, and the number of overnight stays totaled 42,6 million. This actually amounts to a decrease compared to 2019, by 45.8% and 45.2%, respectively.
However, the regions of Acores and Madeira saw an increase in the number of overnight stays compared to 2019.
There was also an increase in the resident population traveling within Portugal. In 2021, 44% of the resident population made at least one tourist trip in Portugal.
The INE study also looked at the tourist accommodation capacity. In July of 2021, there were 1,829 hospitality properties, including hotels, guest houses, apartments, and more, a 16.6% increase since 2020.
The areas with the most tourist accommodations were the Algarve (21%) and Lisbon (36%). The regions with the most growth in hospital properties were the Azores (+41%) and Madeira (37.6%).
