The latest data from the National Statistics Institute (INE) showed that domestic demand grew faster than foreign demand; overnight stays by residents within the country rose by 3.5% to 29.5 million, compared with the modest 0.6% growth in overnight stays by foreign citizens, which totalled 60.2 million.

In total, the Portuguese took 26 million tourist trips in 2025, representing a significant 13.7% increase compared to the previous year.

This activity was split between domestic trips, which rose 14% to 22.2 million, and trips abroad, which rose 12.5% to 3.9 million cross-border journeys.

However, this increase in travel frequency did not translate into higher total spending, as the Portuguese spent less on each trip; the average expenditure per trip settled at €265.10, a 4.2% decrease compared to 2024.

This budgetary restraint was evident both domestically and abroad, revealing that domestic travellers are highly cost-conscious.

For trips within the country, the average expenditure per person fell by 2.9% to €171.60, while the drop was even more pronounced for trips abroad, with average spending per person falling by 4.8% to €803.20.

INE data show that, although Portuguese families are not foregoing leisure, vacations, and rest, they are resorting to stricter saving strategies to accommodate travel costs within their household budgets.