Lisbon, March 11, 2025 (Lusa) - The coordinating manager of BTL - Better Tourism Lisbon Travel Market, which starts on Wednesday, said on Tuesday that expectations for this edition, which features 100 international destinations, are ambitious, with the number of visitors seen rising to 85,000.
"The expectations for BTL 2025 are ambitious, with a strong commitment to consolidating the fair as a strategic platform for the promotion of national and international tourism," said Dália Palma, in written answers to Lusa.
She said that the 35th edition of the fair, the largest showcase for the tourism sector in Portugal - which takes place at the Lisbon International Fair from 12 to 16 March - aims to grow both in terms of professional and international visitor numbers, "consolidating itself as a strategic meeting point for the tourism industry," while at the same time investing in the B2C (business-to-consumer) segment, increasing the number of sales outlets to meet growing public demand.
Thus, for the 2025 edition, the expectation is to welcome 85,000 visitors, which as Palma stressed would be a "significant increase on the more than 79,000 visitors registered in 2024" that "reflects the growing relevance and impact of the event, consolidating BTL as the biggest meeting point for the tourism sector in Portugal."
This year's BTL - Better Tourism Lisbon Travel Market (formerly the BTL - Bolsa de Turismo de Lisboa) will feature more than 1,500 national and international exhibitors, representing more than 100 international destinations and more than 600 events. The event will occupy an area of 50,000 square metres, "reinforcing its position as the sector's biggest meeting point in Portugal," she stressed.
Among the usual areas that are to form part of the trade fair, Palma highlighted as "one of the great novelties" the launch of the BTL Wellness area, dedicated to well-being, as well as the BTL Weddings area, which she said "arises from the need identified by BTL to keep up with market trends and respond to a growing demand for personalised, quality solutions in the wedding sector."
As part of BTL's aim to promote destinations, this year the organisation chose tourism in Portugal's Alentejo and Ribatejo regions as the 'National Guest Destination of BTL 2025'.
In terms of international destinations, the choice fell on Cuba, "one of the destinations of choice for the Portuguese when it comes to choosing their holidays," she recalled.
The 'Hosted Buyers' programme, which fosters the creation of B2B business - that is, deals between exhibiting companies - will according to organisers this year include 200 buyers from 44 source markets, with a projected 3,000 or so business meetings in just two days.
The fair is open to professionals only on 12 and 13 March and then to the public on Friday 14 March from 5 p.m.
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