Portugal is regaining the confidence of UK tourists who have once again strongly chosen the country for travel. Between January and May, the UK was the main source country for flights landing at national airports, with an annual growth of 966.4% in the number of passengers disembarked, unseating France, which was on the podium. many months. In total, within five months, 1.3 million tourists arrived in the country from the UK.
According to data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), released on Friday, the top five countries to reach Portugal are complete with Spain in third, Germany in fourth and Switzerland in fifth.
On the other hand, France remains the main destination for planes taking off in Portugal. UK and Spain tracking.
The data of the statistical office for the fifth month of the year is in line with expectations of the previous months and reveals a rapid recovery in air traffic at Portuguese airports, which approached the values before the outbreak of the epidemic. This means that in May, 5.3 million passengers were handled, with an annual growth of 319.8% but still 6.5% lower than that recorded in the same month in 2019.
In the first five months of the year, “the number of passengers increased by 434.4% (-15.5% compared to the same period in 2019), continuing the trend towards levels recorded in the pre-pandemic period,” adds the National Institute of Statistics.
On average, 87,100 passengers disembarked per day (3,200 more than in April), which is very close to the 90,600 passengers disembarked per day in May 2019.
Given the airport infrastructure, Lisbon led the passenger traffic. Between January and May, Humberto Delgado Airport handled 9.4 million passengers, or 50.5% of the country’s total, down 19.5% from 2019.
In May, 19.6 thousand tons of cargo and mail were handled, an increase of 7.9% compared to the same period in 2019.
Charlotte Whitmore is a contributor at Mediarunsearch.co.uk, covering a broad range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting and practical information that helps readers stay informed about current events and emerging developments. Her work highlights stories that matter to everyday audiences, with an emphasis on accuracy, relevance, and accessible journalism that keeps readers connected to the issues shaping the UK and beyond.