Lisbon, June 17, 2026 (Lusa) - Tourism sector associations say that the geopolitical situation is not dampening the desire to travel, but that consumers are more cautious and better informed, taking longer to make their choices and book their holidays.
In a written response to Lusa, the president of the National Association of Travel Agencies (ANAV), Miguel Quintas, indicated that June “benefited from several favourable factors”, including public holidays, long weekends, the start of the school holidays and a “natural tendency for many Portuguese families to bring their summer holidays forward”.
“What we’re seeing is that there is demand, there is a desire to travel, and there is activity in the agencies. At the same time, consumers are acting with greater rationality: they compare more, ask more questions and seek solutions offering greater security, greater flexibility and better control over their budget,” he emphasised, noting that this has at times “extended the purchasing process”.
Pedro Costa Ferreira, president of the Portuguese Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (APAVT), said that June is “always an important month” for gauging “the pulse of demand”, emphasising that, this year, “the Portuguese still want to travel”.
“Public holidays naturally help; they create opportunities for short breaks and for an early start to the holiday season. But the key point is that demand exists and that consumers remain in the market,” he added, noting that “this is a different kind of consumer”, who is “more attentive, better informed, more demanding and more price-conscious”.
Cristina Siza Vieira, executive vice-president of the Portuguese Hotel Association (AHP), noted that, according to the AHP Inquiry, ‘Easter Review & Summer 2026 Outlook’, business “is going well”.
The association’s director noted that “public holidays and the early start to some holiday periods are helping to boost demand”, with bookings for June being “at levels similar to or higher than those of 2025, although there is a more cautious approach and a delay in the decision to book”.
Regarding the impact of the geopolitical situation, the president of the Portuguese Tourism Confederation (CTP), Francisco Calheiros, said that, for the time being, the sector has remained stable.
“The greatest impact has been not so much the consequences of the war in the Middle East, but rather the problems at airports with the entry and exit procedures for tourists coming from outside the European Union, something that has already done a great deal of damage to the country’s image,” he said, noting, however, that “this problem is being brought under control”.
According to Miguel Quintas, there is some noticeable impact from the instability, but the association’s director said he believes the desire to travel remains strong.
“What is happening is a change in consumer behaviour,” he said, noting that “Portuguese travellers are paying closer attention to the safety of destinations, stopovers, the reliability of flight routes, travel insurance and cancellation or change conditions”.
On the other hand, he emphasised, “both nationally and internationally, Portugal continues to be seen as a safe and stable destination which may also benefit domestic and international demand”, and ANAV stresses that “tourism is an industry built on peace, trust and safety”.
Regarding price rises, Miguel Quintas pointed out that the increase in oil prices and, in particular, jet fuel prices, “has a direct impact on air travel and ultimately reflects in the final price of trips”. According to him, the “effect of price rises is not necessarily the cancellation of holidays” but rather “adjustment”.
“Customers still want to travel, and they adjust their budget: they choose closer destinations, shorten the length of their stay, book in advance when they find competitive prices, look for hotels in more mid-range categories, place greater importance on all-inclusive packages and greatly value the predictability of the total cost of the trip,” he emphasised.
For Cristina Siza Vieira, “rising transport and energy costs, along with prices in general, are making tourists more price-sensitive”, with a noticeable “greater deliberation in decision-making, a greater demand for value for money and some restraint, particularly among domestic travellers”.
Pedro Costa Ferreira pointed out that “tourism is not separate from the economy. If the costs of energy, air travel, accommodation, catering and services rise, this is ultimately reflected in the final price”.
According to the executive, “what we are seeing is a more rational consumer. They compare prices more, plan better, look for solutions with greater cost predictability and place great value on value for money”.
ALN/ADB // ADB.
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