British are the biggest spenders on tourism in Portugal

Foreign tourists vacationing in Portugal are spending less and less money in the country. Data from Turismo de Portugal show that the average transaction value has fallen to its lowest level since 2019.

In addition to accommodation, restaurants and lodging continue to be the biggest expense for tourists. However, the retail sector accounted for the largest share of foreign spending in the first six months of the year, totalling €14 billion. Restaurants recorded more than € 1 billion, while lodging recorded €735 million in electronic payments.

Most tourist spending was concentrated in Lisbon (35.7%) and the Algarve (21.9%). The Northern region accounts for only 1.9% of tourist purchases.

Foreign markets

British tourists top the list of biggest spenders in Portugal during the holidays. In total, they carried out 16 million electronic transactions in the country, totalling €518 million in expenses.

Second are tourists from the United States, though their spending is still considerably less than that of Britons. Americans reportedly spent €2.4 million.