Portugal’s tourism strategy targets 50 million visitors by 2035

Portugal has officially approved a new 10-year framework known as the Estrategia Turismo 2035. According to announcements made in Lisbon by state secretary for tourism Pedro Machado, Portugal’s tourism strategy is designed to target 50 million non-resident tourists and achieve revenues exceeding 53 billion euros (US$59.36 billion) by the year 2035.

Building upon previous campaigns, Portugal’s tourism strategy relies closely on official projections provided by the World Tourism Organization. The primary objective is to ensure the ongoing expansion of the sector’s economic contribution, Xinhua reports.

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Explaining the core vision behind the initiative, Machado stated that the central ambition is fundamentally to continue growing in gross value added, while also seeking to generate greater development, growth, and wealth distribution across the entire territory.

Milestones of Portugal’s tourism strategy

Short-term milestones within Portugal’s tourism strategy are already showing positive momentum. Portugal is projected to conclude 2026 with more than 30 million international visitors and generate over 30 billion euros in tourism revenues. 

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These figures follow a strong performance in 2025, during which the country welcomed 29.9 million tourists, marking a 3.3 percent increase compared to the previous year, Xinhua says.

Furthermore, economic strength in the sector was highlighted by revenues surpassing 5.1 billion euros during just the first quarter of 2026.