Brazilian tourists in Portugal hit record spending of €657M in first half of 2026
Portugal registered 1.18 million overnight stays by Brazilian tourists between January and June, a 7% increase from the same period in 2025, according to official data from Turismo de Portugal released today to news agency Lusa. The revenue generated reached €657.13 million, an 18.4% rise that marks a new historical high for the first semester.
The figures translate into 534,379 Brazilian guests staying in Portuguese accommodation during the first six months of 2026, an increase of 5.2% year-on-year. Portugal's Secretary of State for Tourism, Commerce and Services, Pedro Machado, had already signalled in April that the data pointed toward 2026 breaking all records for Brazilian visitors. He made the comments at the Atlantic Tourism Forum – Portugal & Brazil in São Paulo, organised by the Luso-Brazilian Foundation.
What the numbers mean for Portugal's economy
The €657.13 million spent by Brazilian visitors in the first half of 2026 exceeds the total tourism revenue Portugal receives from many traditional markets over a full year. For context, this sum equals roughly 43 months of Portugal's monthly minimum wage at the current rate of roughly €820 per month.
Lisbon and Porto remain the most sought-after destinations, with the northern region registering particularly strong growth. The Algarve's beaches continue to draw visitors, while heritage sites in Sintra, Óbidos, Évora and Guimarães attract those seeking cultural tourism. The islands of the Açores and Madeira have also seen increased interest from Brazilian travellers.
Portuguese travellers to Brazil also break records
The flow runs both ways. Portugal has once again overtaken France as the leading European source of tourists to Brazil. 178,000 Portuguese visitors arrived in Brazil between January and July 2026, representing a 25% increase from the same period in 2025, according to Bruno Reis, president of Brazil's international tourism promotion agency, Embratur.
Reis spoke to Lusa on the margins of a TAP event. He confirmed that Brazil received 5.87 million foreign tourists in total during the first seven months of 2026. The 2025 figure of 273,483 Portuguese visitors to Brazil was already the highest since 2007, beaten only by the 280,438 recorded that year.
Airlines expand routes to meet demand
Airlines are scaling capacity to match the surge in traffic. TAP Air Portugal is adding two new direct routes from Lisbon: to Curitiba starting 2 July 2026 with three weekly flights, and to São Luís do Maranhão from 26 October with two weekly flights. The carrier is also increasing frequency to Porto Alegre and Florianópolis to four flights weekly from July and has implemented a new "continuous pricing" system to offer more fare options.
GOL Linhas Aéreas entered the European market with a direct route between Lisbon and Rio de Janeiro, launching on 16 September 2026 with four weekly frequencies, rising to five from 24 November. Tickets went on sale starting at R$2,561.
Azul reported a 34% increase in passengers between Brazil and Portugal in the first half of 2026, carrying more than 230,400 customers on direct flights from Campinas and Recife to Lisbon and Porto.
Policy framework supports growth through 2027
The expansion builds on a bilateral action plan for 2025-2027, signed in February 2025 during the 14th Luso-Brazilian Summit. The agreement focuses on air connectivity, innovation and destination promotion. A cooperation deal between Embratur and TAP has also helped market Brazil to Portuguese and European tour operators.
Forecasts estimate a 5.9% increase in passenger flights from Brazil to Portugal between March 2026 and February 2027. Brazil accounts for 40% of all international air tickets issued for South America in the first quarter of 2026, with Rio de Janeiro alone capturing 38% of bookings for the country.
New entry requirements for short-term tourists — including the European Entry/Exit System now in effect and the ETIAS authorisation system expected in 2027 — have not slowed the upward trajectory. For now, the shared language, cultural affinity and expanding flight network continue to drive what both governments are calling a "historic moment" for Luso-Brazilian tourism.
