Brazilian tourism in Portuguese lands is showing signs of strong acceleration in 2026, at a time when the country seeks to consolidate new peaks in visitors and overnight stays. The first data of the year point to a significant increase in demand from Brazilian tourists and reinforce the importance of Brazil as one of the most relevant foreign markets for the tourism sector in Portugal.
Portugal could record a new record of Brazilian tourists this year, after the first two months of the year surpassed the figures for the same period last year. The recommendation was given to the agency by the state secretary of Tourism, Commerce and Services, Pedro Machado, on the sidelines of the Atlantic Tourism Forum Portugal & Brazil, held in São Paulo.
According to data released by the government official, almost 160 thousand Brazilians were accommodated in Portugal in January and February. In the same period, more than 358 thousand overnight stays were recorded, in a start to the year that left positive indications for the coming months.
Growth is already seen in several regions
According to representatives of tourism promotion agencies from Portugal, North, Center, Lisbon, Algarve and Alentejo present at the event, demand is increasing in several areas of the country. In some cases, this growth exceeds 17%, which shows that the arrival of Brazilian tourists is no longer concentrated only in Lisbon.
Pedro Machado highlighted precisely this point, arguing that the interest of the Brazilian market is now more distributed across the territory. In practice, this means that different regions are benefiting from this increase in demand, which reinforces the expectation of a historic year.
Brazilian tourists currently occupy fourth place among those who visited Portugal the most until February. In that month alone, demand for Portugal grew by around 16%, a figure that the Secretary of State classified as very significant, mainly because it occurred in a month marked by storms and less favorable conditions.
Summer bookings boost confidence
The data already known from March, although not yet finalized, also points to positive developments. Furthermore, there is a tendency for higher growth in the number of reservations for the summer of 2026 when compared to the same period in 2025.
This movement is being read by the Government as a clear sign of strengthening Brazilians’ interest in Portugal. The evolution of advance reservations also helps to support the forecast that the year could end with unprecedented numbers in this market.
More flights explain part of the rise
One of the main reasons given for this growth is the strengthening of air connections between the two countries. Pedro Machado, cited by Lusa, highlighted that TAP will increase the number of frequencies and go from direct flights to 13 Brazilian cities to connections to 15 cities.
According to the government official, this expansion will mean more than 100 flights per week between Portugal and Brazil. Curitiba should have a direct connection from July, while São Luís do Maranhão should join the network in October.
From that same month, the Brazilian airline Gol will also begin operating flights to Lisbon. For the Executive, this reinforcement of air connectivity should further facilitate the entry of Brazilian tourists and consolidate the upward trend already seen at the beginning of the year.
International context also weighs
Pedro Machado also admitted that the international situation is favoring Portugal as a tourist destination. Without elaborating in detail, the Secretary of State considered that the external context is contributing to the country being more sought after by Brazilian travelers.
In 2025, according to preliminary data, tourist accommodation establishments in Portugal received 32.5 million guests and recorded 82.1 million overnight stays. These numbers represented annual increases of 3.0% and 2.2%, respectively, now serving as the basis for a new growth cycle that could gain even more strength with the Brazilian market.
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