Portugal tourism revenue tops 5.1 billion euros through August 2026 as overnight stays rise

Record revenues across eight months

Portugal registered 5.1 billion euros in total tourism accommodation revenue during the first eight months of 2026, marking a 5.1% increase compared to the same period in 2025. Data released by the National Statistics Institute (INE) on 30 September 2026 showed that accommodation revenue reached 3,951.9 million euros, up 4.8% year on year. Over the January to August period, tourist establishments across the country logged 57.3 million overnight stays, representing a 1.5% rise. These cumulative figures establish a new high for national accommodation earnings, reflecting sustained sector activity following a complex start to the year.

August hospitality indicators

The month of August contributed substantially to the cumulative results, generating 1,058.9 million euros in total revenue, an increase of 4.6% year on year. Accommodation earnings alone reached 846.6 million euros, matching the 4.6% growth rate recorded in overall revenue. Tourist establishments welcomed 3.9 million guests throughout the month, which represents a 1.9% rise compared to August 2025. Total overnight stays reached 10.9 million, expanding by 1.7%. The average price per room sold across national establishments increased by 3% to reach 163.2 euros.

Regional performance and market distribution

Growth across Portugal varied considerably by region during the peak summer month. The Norte region recorded the highest overnight stay increase at 4.5%, followed by the Alentejo at 2.6% and the Algarve at 1.3%. Conversely, the Azores was the only region in the country to experience a contraction, with total overnight stays falling 1.7%, driven largely by a 6.8% decline in stays by domestic residents. The Algarve remained the largest regional destination by volume, recording 3.27 million overnight stays and a 30.1% share of the national total. Together, the Algarve, Grande Lisboa with 19.3%, and the Norte with 18.2% accounted for 67.5% of all overnight stays in August.

Rebound in central Portugal

Tourism in the Centro region returned to positive year-on-year growth in August, registering 1.225 million overnight stays compared to 1.211 million in August 2025. Total revenue in the region climbed 3.4% to 83.6 million euros, up from 80.9 million euros a year earlier. This turnaround followed a difficult first semester influenced by Storm Kristin and subsequent adverse weather conditions, which caused overnight stays to fall 11.5% in March and 7.9% in April. Domestic travelers drove the regional recovery, accounting for 759,000 overnight stays (a 2.1% increase and 61.9% of the regional total). Spanish visitors, the main foreign market for the Centro region, contributed approximately 166,000 overnight stays.

Visitor origins and duration of stay

Nationwide, foreign tourists outpaced domestic travelers in overnight stay growth during August. International visitors accounted for 7.0 million overnight stays, up 1.9% year on year, accelerating from a 0.8% increase in July. Domestic residents generated 3.9 million overnight stays, an increase of 1.5%, which reflected a deceleration from the 4.5% growth rate observed in July. The average duration of stay saw minor contractions across both categories. The average stay for domestic residents decreased 0.4% to 2.47 nights, while the average stay for foreign tourists declined 0.1% to 3.04 nights.