Poles Lead Tourist Growth in Portugal, Spending Half a Billion Euros

Portugal experienced a significant surge in Polish tourism last year, with the number of visitors increasing by 11.4 percent, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE). Polish tourists spent over 506 million euros in the country, contributing substantially to Portugal's tourism revenue, which reached 29.1 billion euros overall from 29.5 million foreign visitors.

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Poles are flocking to Porto, Braga, and Guimaraes, cities that previously remained outside the interest of mass tourism from Poland.

Pedro Carvalho, a tourism entrepreneur from Porto, noted a growing presence of Poles in the northern regions, including Porto, Braga, and Guimaraes, areas previously less frequented by Polish tourists. He highlighted that Polish visitors particularly value "safe holidays." Miguel Pinto, another tourism sector representative, observed that Polish tourist numbers are rising not only in established destinations like Madeira and Lisbon but also in rural Portugal. Pinto attributed part of this growth to the launch of additional direct flights between Lisbon and Warsaw by Lot Polish Airlines in February 2025, which attracted new Polish holidaymakers amidst increasing conflicts and political instability in traditionally popular tourist countries.

Despite a nearly 5 percent increase in the average cost of holidays in Portugal last year, Polish tourists remained undeterred. Statistics from the first quarter of 2026, released by the government tourism agency Turismo de Portugal (TP), show a 31 percent rise in passengers from Poland arriving at Portuguese airports compared to the same period the previous year. This trend has propelled Poles into the top ten nationalities visiting Portugal, now representing 3 percent of foreign visitors, according to INE and TP analyses.

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The launch of another direct connection between Lisbon and Warsaw by Lot Polish Airlines in February 2025 was evidence of the attractiveness of the Polish clientele. It also brought new Polish holidaymakers to Portugal during escalating armed conflicts and political destabilization in previously attractive tourist countries.

Experts and entrepreneurs suggest that the rise in Polish tourism is linked to escalating global conflicts, making Portugal a more appealing and secure destination. The country's appeal extends to religious tourism, with many Poles visiting Fatima and other sacred sites.

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Poles entered the top ten nationalities visiting Portugal in the first quarter. They already have 3 percent of this market.