Portugal sees surge in solo travel and foreign trips in early 2026

A eDreams survey shows Portuguese travelers increasingly choose to travel alone, citing total freedom (40%) as the top reason, followed by the desire for new experiences (35%) and self‑discovery (33%). Safety and planning also rank highly, with nearly half of respondents prioritising maps, GPS and pre‑booked tickets.

National statistics released by Portugal’s Instituto Nacional de Estatística reveal that trips abroad rose 30% year‑on‑year in the first quarter of 2026, reaching 923,800 journeys. Total travel rose 7% to 5.6 million trips, with foreign trips accounting for 58.5% of the increase. Leisure was the main motive for overseas travel (58.9% of trips), while visits to family and friends dominated domestic journeys.

Both trends highlight a growing appetite among Portuguese residents for independent, internationally‑focused tourism.