This trend reflects the growing integration of aesthetic treatments into the holiday experience, driven largely by international demand.

Data released on 23 July by Treatwell, Europe’s largest booking platform in the sector, bookings made by British citizens at Portuguese establishments rose by 23% compared to 2025.

Market source

The UK thus solidifies its position as the country’s leading source market for visitors, with nearly half (47.3%) of its bookings in Portugal being for nail treatments, followed by hair removal (19.7%), hair services (15%), and facial treatments (10.5%).

The study reveals that consumers are increasingly opting to book these services only after arriving at their destination. Regarding booking habits, British and French consumers lead the way in last-minute appointments, with around 50% of bookings made less than 24 hours in advance.

Longer lead times

In Portugal, where 35.2% of users also book on the day of the appointment, there is evidence of longer lead times in major urban centres; Porto records an average of 3.5 days, while Lisbon reaches a 5.4-day lead time.

The customer retention rate in the domestic market stands at 46.4%, indicating a high level of repeat visits to the same establishments.

Every week, Fridays account for the largest share of same-day bookings (18.8%), with peak traffic occurring between 9 am and 11 am.

Demand spikes

One of the highest demand spikes occurred on 26 May, when an early heatwave pushed temperatures to 35°C, causing a surge in daily bookings for nail and hair removal services across Europe.

A category-by-category analysis indicates a widespread rise in demand across Europe during June (+22.9% year-on-year), with notable increases in pedicures (+12.7%), manicures (+11.3%), and hair colouring (+5%). Within hair care, the “Head Spa” concept stood out with 32.7% growth.

Non-invasive aesthetic

There is also a shift toward non-invasive aesthetic services and premium wellness treatments; laser skin rejuvenation grew by 85.1%, and skincare consultations rose by 30%, while therapies such as Reiki (+16.6%) and float therapy (+10.5%) led the gains.

In contrast, clinical facial procedures grew by only 2.5%, and cryotherapy saw a modest rise of 4.4%. In a statement, Henrique Horta, Country Manager for Treatwell in Portugal, highlighted that the country’s appeal as an international destination and the dynamism of the local industry have driven continued salon adoption of the platform, within a market characterised by a balance between planning and spontaneous booking.