Between January and June, British tourists carried out 16 million electronic transactions within the country, totalling €518 million in spending. According to data from Turismo de Portugal—based on SIBS statistics and reported by Correio da Manhã - more than half of the spending by foreign nationals remained concentrated in the Algarve and Greater Lisbon regions.

Overall, commercial and service establishments in Portugal recorded €3.7 billion in payments made using cards issued outside the country.

Transaction value

Spending by British visitors represented a 6.2% year-on-year increase compared to the same period the previous year, with an average transaction value of €32.70. The high frequency and volume of payments cement the United Kingdom’s position at the top of the list of source markets with the greatest economic impact on the country.

The United States ranks second among the top foreign spenders, confirming the trend of consolidating transatlantic demand within the national tourism ecosystem. However, the total spending volume associated with the North American market stood at €2.4 million—considerably lower than the volume generated by British visitors. European markets in proximity continue to dominate the top spots on the spending list, driven by the ease and frequency of travel connections to Portugal.

Regarding the sectoral breakdown of spending, the retail sector accounted for the largest share of foreign expenditure in the first half of the year, totalling approximately €1.4 billion. The restaurant sector captured over €1 billion, while accommodation establishments recorded around €735 million in electronic payments. When combining spending on dining, accommodation, and travel agencies, the total amount allocated to the direct tourism experience reached €1.8 billion.

Spending behaviour

An analysis of spending behaviour also reveals significant disparities in the average transaction value based on visitor nationality.

While the overall average spend per foreign transaction was €35.70, tourists from Ireland recorded the highest average value per transaction, reaching €90.60.

Visitors from Portuguese-speaking countries also feature prominently among the highest-value individual transactions, as Mozambican citizens recorded an average of €53 per purchase, while Angolans averaged €50 per transaction.