“We can say that, as of today, this year is shaping up to be the best ever in terms of bookings. There is a significant trend of early booking, leading to substantial growth, which is expected to slow down throughout the year,” stated the president of the Portuguese Association of Travel Agencies (APAVT) to Lusa.
This trend of increased travel bookings is evident across most destinations on offer, making it increasingly difficult to identify singular favorites.
“After this initial booking period, it’s clear that all destinations are performing well,” noted Pedro Costa Ferreira. He highlighted a particular increase in destinations with a rise in charter options, such as the Caribbean, Cape Verde, Tunisia, and Morocco, among others, stressing that this growth is truly “global with many examples available.”
Nationally, he cited Madeira, where the anticipation of the Flower Festival in May is already clearly reflected in bookings.
This positive period for the sector is echoed by the travel agency Solférias and the tour operator Lusanova.
Tiago Encarnação, operations director at Lusanova, stated that Easter bookings are “going very well, with many Portuguese taking advantage of the April 25 holiday to extend their vacations.”
Nuno Mateus, CEO of Solférias, remarked that this growth is more easily attainable compared to last year. “Sales are already 25% higher […]. In summary, Easter sales are exceptional.”
For Solférias, the top-selling Easter destinations include “Cape Verde, Paris, Brazil—which has seen an extraordinary recovery over the past two years—as well as Senegal, the Maldives, São Tomé, Egypt, Tunisia, Mauritius, and the Seychelles.”
Lusanova reported that domestically, “Madeira and the Azores remain safe choices, with steady demand at this time of year,” while Europe-bound travelers are showing considerable interest in “nearby destinations such as Italy, Iceland, the Baltic States, and Morocco. For long-haul trips, Japan and Thailand are among the most sought-after,” said Tiago Encarnação.
Regarding potential increases in travel prices, both acknowledged the trend.
“Prices have risen in some cases, following inflation and demand, but there are many options on the market for different budgets,” stated the Lusanova representative.
Nuno Mateus pointed out that while there is an upward trend in prices, it’s also due to increased sales of “more long-haul trips,” like Mauritius or the Seychelles, which raises the average cost of travel.
This year, last-minute trips are no longer a trend.
“There has been strong demand for travel since the beginning of the year. Easter remains an important time for many Portuguese travelers to enjoy getaways outside of the peak season. Travel has become increasingly important in the lives of Portuguese people, becoming an essential commodity. This trend is reflected in bookings, which have already risen by 10% compared to the same period last year,” mentioned Tiago Encarnação.
Nuno Mateus emphasized that booking “well in advance is synonymous with paying much less,” especially as “fares are becoming increasingly dynamic,” and “what truly makes a difference is early booking.”
