Portugal Eyes Saudi Direct Flights to Porto and Faro for Expo 2030

Portugal’s tourism officials are quietly confident that the country’s next big visitor boom could come from the Arabian Peninsula. Senior ministers left Riyadh this week convinced that a direct air link is now the missing piece between Saudi travellers with high spending power and the holiday hotspots of Porto and Faro. A new route would not only unlock a fresh wave of tourism surge but also dovetail neatly with Expo 2030, amplifying Portugal's economy on the world stage.

Gates to a lucrative market

For travel strategists in Lisbon, Saudi Arabia sits at the top of the Gulf Cooperation Council league table for per-capita income and appetite for tax-free shopping. Those traits align perfectly with Portugal’s newer luxury resorts and simplified eVisa rules. Airlines note that the Ramadan travel season alone can fill planes during the traditional shoulder months, extending Portugal’s shoulder months into almost year-round tourism.

Why the Algarve and the North matter

While Lisbon is the obvious gateway, the government is lobbying carriers to consider a Riyadh rotation into the Douro or the Algarve. Douro Valley cruises and UNESCO heritage wine estates add an aspirational layer, whereas the Algarve’s golf courses and secluded private villas already lure Gulf customers. Local councils have invested in a new F1 powerboat circuit, pristine blue-flag beaches and an upgraded marina network that supports culinary tourism and appeals to visitors chasing winter sun when temperatures back home fall.

Airlines in negotiations

A memorandum of understanding now sits on the desks of the Saudia Group and its low-cost arm flyadeal alongside TAP Air Portugal. Talks focus on a possible codeshare that would ease slot allocation issues at Humberto Delgado Airport and allow wide-body aircraft to operate seasonal routes. A smaller seasonal charters model is also on the table, depending on yield management projections for the first two years.

Beyond tourism: trade and Expo 2030

The travel push is only one strand of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 outreach. Riyadh has opened discussions on clean energy partnerships, infrastructure and construction contracts where Portuguese companies already excel. A Portuguese Pavilion sketched by Kengo Kuma would sit in the sustainability zone of the expo, showcasing sustainable design techniques. The Saudi side is equally interested in Portugal’s residency programmes for digital nomads and its growing venture capital ecosystem.

What happens next

Civil-aviation teams are finalising a route feasibility study that should lead to regulatory approvals under the looming open skies talks between Brussels and the Gulf. Parallel moves will streamline Schengen visa processing and minor airport upgrades at Faro and Porto. If hurdles clear quickly, carriers have pencilled a summer 2026 launch window, to be preceded by a bilingual marketing campaign and updated revenue forecasts for hotels, golf courses and retail hubs from Braga to Albufeira.