“The UK is the most important market for Portugal. We want to strengthen and continue to grow in this decisive market,” said Portugal’s Secretary of State for Tourism, Pedro Machado, during the World Travel Market (WTM) tourism fair, which began today in London.
The United Kingdom is currently the main source of tourists for Portugal, with 2.5 million visitors and over 10 million overnight stays recorded in 2024.
Last year, British tourist revenue reached 4.13 billion euros, accounting for 15% of the national total, and this year, it continued to grow.
To this end, the government increased the promotional budget in the UK by about 13% compared to last year and invested in WTM space, one of the most significant in the tourism sector.
The five million euros invested in 2025 include campaigns by regional agencies and external promotion in training activities, press trips, presentations, and advertising.
Pedro Machado stated today that Humberto Delgado Airport in Lisbon “is the Achilles’ heel,” where waiting times at arrivals have exceeded targets.
“The information I had last week [was that the waiting time] can vary between 60 and 120 minutes” from arrival to airport exit, he said.
The government’s goal is for the maximum waiting time upon arrival at Portuguese airports not to exceed 55 minutes.
In statements, Pedro Machado admitted that the current situation, regularly reported in British media, “is not a good image of Portugal at this moment.”
“We are aware that this is indeed a constraint that is not currently contributing positively to Portugal’s image in the world,” he emphasized.
The situation worsened after the European Entry/Exit System (EES) was implemented on October 12 in Portugal and other Schengen Area countries.
The new European border control system started electronically recording the entry and exit of travelers from third countries, replacing traditional passport stamps.
On the first entry, the system requires the collection of biometric data, including facial images and fingerprints.
The Secretary of State announced that a ‘taskforce’ has been established by the government, involving the Ministry of Internal Administration, AIMA, and the Ministry of Infrastructure to increase the number of eGates and personnel controlling passports.
The Portuguese pavilion at WTM covers an area of one thousand square meters and hosts 119 companies this year, marking the largest-ever Portuguese presence at this event, promoting the campaign “Portugal is Art.”
For the first time, this space was designed to be reused in other exhibitions in different countries and adapted to smaller areas.
