Faro Airport will host on Saturday the first direct flight from New York in the United States, which represents a “strategic step” on the connection with a growing market, Tourism do Algarve said on Thursday.
The first direct connection between Newark and Gago Coutinho airport in Faro will be operated by the US company United Airlines and ensures the beginning of “a new transatlantic route” that connects the Algarve to one of the “international markets with the highest growth potential in the region,” said that entity in a statement.
Algarve tourism stressed that the United States “are already the seventh external market most relevant to the Algarve” and tourists from this country have been growing “sustained” since the Covid-19 pandemic, which paralyzed commercial aviation by 2020.
“Last year, although still without direct links, US tourists exceeded 500,000 overnighting in the region, reached a 13% growth compared to 2023. The number of guests also had a positive evolution, reaching almost 200,000 visitors-an increase of 10.5% compared to the previous year,” said Algarve tourism.
The regional body considered that this route and the increase in the number of visitors in North America are the result of the “structured” work of Algarve Tourism and “several institutional partners” for the “external promotion” of the region with the United States and Canada markets since early 2024.
“This year about a dozen shares specifically directed to the US market have already been taken to reinforce the notoriety and attractiveness of the Algarve, to stimulate the demand for destination and to foster the sustainability of current and other future air connections between the United States and the Algarve,” he exemplified.
He said that “by its size, travelers’ profile and high growth potential,” the US market will continue to have more promotion actions, in the context of “a strategy aligned with the algarve ambition as a global tourist destination.”
“We want to position the Algarve as a reference in the imagination of travelers looking for a European destination with their own identity, authenticity and a qualified offer,” he said.
The opening of the new route will be marked on Saturday, with a ceremony of celebration of the new route, which will be held at Faro Airport, at 08:30, announced Ana – Aeroportos de Portugal, a company that manages port infrastructure in Portugal.
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