Maria Lurdes Vale: the Portugal stand at FITUR will include 120 companies
Maria Lurdes Vale, Portuguese Director of Tourism in Spain and Tourism Attaché at the Portuguese Embassy in Spain, states in the following interview that tourism in Portugal "is going very well; it’s growing gradually with a greater diversity of markets," and explains that her objective at FITUR is "to make Portugal better known and a destination that every year has new things to reveal". The country's stand at the trade fair will be attended by 120 companies.
How has tourism in Portugal performed in 2024 and what is your outlook for 2025?
Tourism in Portugal is doing very well. It's gradually increasing with a greater diversity of markets searching for different segments and experiences ranging from culture, gastronomy, sun and beach, to nature and wellness. We are welcoming more and more tourists from the United States and Canada, as well as from other emerging countries such as Japan, Korea and India. Our European neighbours, the UK, France, Germany and Spain, are our biggest visitors and generate the most revenue.
By 2024 we expect to reach 30 million tourists and exceed 27 billion euros in income, a target we had only envisaged to reach by 2027. In 2025 we expect to maintain the same rate of revenue growth, a sign that Portugal’s tourism is synonymous with quality and good service.
How important is the tourist relationship between Spain and Portugal, and how could it be further enhanced?
It is a very important and complementary relationship. They are two very different destinations, with different cultures, traditions and customs, but as neighbours they allow both residents and foreign visitors to feel that they are in an authentic Iberian ‘home’, bordered by the Mediterranean on one side and the Atlantic on the other, a unique space in the world where moving around is easy and safe.
What main tourist attractions and proposals will Portugal be promoting at FITUR 2025?
Once again, we will have one of the largest stands at FITUR with 120 companies during the week and, at the weekend, we will surprise visitors with a very lively programme of tasting sessions of various Portuguese products, such as sweet treats, wines and other delicacies. We will also have presentations on routes, hotels and destinations, as well as dances and songs.
What does participation at FITUR 2025 mean for Portugal and what objectives have been set?
Our aim is to showcase Portugal, a destination with new things to be discovered every year. We have just launched a new campaign entitled ‘Portugal is art', which draws attention to the need to observe everything around us with the eyes of a privileged person. Everything is art - from the simplest meal to a painting in a museum, a piece of handicraft or the sunrise and sunset in a hidden village.