NOS data reveals summer tourism trends in Portugal

An analysis of anonymous and aggregated data from the telecommunications provider NOS reveals significant shifts in domestic and international movement within Portugal during the summer months. The number of foreign operator users on roaming increased by 67.4% between May and August, with visitors representing at least 144 different nationalities.

France was the largest source of international tourists, accounting for nearly 30% of foreign users, followed by Spain at 16%, the United Kingdom at 8%, and the United States at 7%. While Lisbon remains a primary hub for international visitors, concentrating 20% of foreign users in August, it was the only district to see a decrease in total users (9%) as people migrated toward holiday destinations.

Regional growth was notable in Guarda, which saw an 80% increase in users. Other districts with high growth included Viana do Castelo (56%), Faro and Bragança (51%), and Vila Real (47%). In terms of internationalization, the autonomous regions of the Azores and Madeira showed the highest concentration, with international visitors making up 67% and 66% of their respective total users in August.