National tourism figures in Portugal rose this summer, following a campaign by the national tourism board, with Spain’s internal tourism figures falling during the same period.
According to figures from Turismo de Portugal, national tourism figures rose by 9.2 per cent between June and August, while Spain recorded a fall of 0.1 per cent during the same period.
The number of stays in Portugal of visitors from Spain also rose by 5.7 per cent, with 73,000 more visitors compared to 2008, however the number of visitors from Portugal staying in Spain fell by 11.9 per cent compared to the same period in 2008, to 1.32 million stays.
A statement from Turismo de Portugal said: “Portugal’s success compared to Spain was thanks to our promotional campaigns throughout the year.
“The internal Descubra um Portugal Maior (Discover a Greater Portugal) was launched in February to increase national tourism while a campaign was also launched in Spain to bring in visitors from the neighbouring country.”
