Foreign travel destinations have seen a significant uptick in interest among Portuguese tourists this year, with organized groups heading to long-haul routes for New Year celebrations, travel operators and agencies report.
“This New Year period always shows a high demand for Madeira. Sales have increased compared to last year for both Madeira and Brazil. Madeira is particularly sought after for its fireworks display. Meanwhile, charters to Brazil are well-occupied, with strong sales, although increasingly personalized packages are being tailored for this time,” stated Ricardo Teles, Operations Director of Bestravel.
He added, “Due to its proximity and sustained promotional efforts, Morocco, especially Marrakech, sees considerable demand for the New Year.”
These destination trends are confirmed by Sónia Regateiro, Operations Manager at Solférias, and Rui Pinto Lopes, CEO of Pinto Lopes Viagens.
“Once again, Brazil remains a top seller for the New Year. We have three charter flights to Brazil, all fully booked. Unfortunately, we couldn’t justify a fourth plane from Portugal due to limited inbound interest from Brazilian travelers,” explained Sónia Regateiro.
She noted that Cape Verde is also heavily sought after for New Year’s Eve, citing its four-hour flight from Lisbon and family-friendly beach climate, alongside Madeira.
“Solférias is operating three full charter flights to Funchal from Porto and Lisbon for the New Year—a notable success,” she remarked.
Rui Pinto Lopes noted that his agency has “multiple groups” traveling to Morocco, preferring circuits over single-city stays, with itineraries covering Marrakech, Fez, the desert, Casablanca, and Rabat.
The tendency has shifted from traditional domestic destinations focused on Funchal, Serra da Estrela, and the Algarve. There is now heightened interest in other Portuguese locales, including the Azores, Porto, and diverse continental spots, with Portugal remaining a top-selling destination.
“The entire New Year period is fully booked,” emphasized Rui Pinto Lopes, noting new offerings in Portugal and Spain, including regions from the Alentejo and Tomar, to areas in Spain from Galicia to Toledo.
Other popular routes include Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, with destinations ranging from the Baltics, Iceland, and Lapland to Emirates circuits, Dubai, Qatar, and locations like São Tomé and Príncipe, Mexico, and Cuba.
All noted a general price increase this year, primarily driven by aviation and hotel costs, exacerbated by high demand.
The travel agencies and operators shared these insights during the 50th National Congress of the Portuguese Association of Travel Agencies, held last week in Macau.
