Portugal is attracting ever more foreign visitors. More than 90% of them want to come back, and they all love the climate. But the flip side is they want the economic crisis fixed, and more and more of them are staying in private houses. It’s not all rosy, in other words.
The data comes from a new study by Turismo de Portugal and it has given tourist bosses much food for thought. For example, trends show that more and more tourists are coming here on their own. Figures for people travelling with children dropped alarmingly from a buoyant 24% to just 9%, while adult trippers bounced up five percentage points to 75%.
Another change, writes Público newspaper, is that more and more visitors are not paying for their stays. The number of people who visit friends has almost doubled from 10% in 2012 to a significant 19% in 2013.
Findings also show that Scandinavians are among Portugal’s greatest fans. Ninety-seven per cent of Scandinavians whose countries are plunged into darkness in winter said they would most certainly be returning.
But where to exactly? The study shows that Lisbon now has superseded the Algarve as number one place of choice. Forty-eight per cent of foreign visitors chose the capital for their holidays, while only 42% came down south.
Público newspaper adds that the 834 foreign visitors questioned in the study were fairly unanimous in the aspects they would like to see improved: healthcare, car hire, restaurants and nautical activities.
And answers pointed to the importance of Portugal finding a resolution to its grinding economic crisis.
For more on the tourist satisfaction study by Turismo de Portugal, see the Algarve Resident newspaper out this Thursday.
