In the 3rd quarter of 2021 alone, residents in Portugal made 7.7 million trips, the highest value since the beginning of the pandemic. The number, although very expressive, is still 11.1% below 2019, a period during which 8.7 million trips were made, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE).
Considering the entire pandemic period, making an analysis only of the 3rd quarter of 2021 and comparing it with the same period in 2019, we present below some data from the INE to understand that although we have not yet reached the same values of 2019, we can consider that we are experiencing an important recovery for the sector.
In fact, the year 2021 as a whole was very important for LovelyStay. We achieved historic results. See more at the link!
Domestic trips grew 17.1% (-4.6% compared to the third quarter of 2019) totaling 7.3 million, which corresponded to 94.1% of total trips by residents in Portugal in this period. On the other hand, 454.8 thousand trips were made to foreign destinations, corresponding to 5.9% of the total, and representing -57.2% when compared to the third quarter of 2019.
“In both cases the values recorded in the third quarter of 2021 corresponded to the highest since the beginning of the pandemic,” highlights INE.
In the period under review, “leisure, recreation or vacations” remained the main motivation for travel (5.4 million trips, being -6.2% compared to the third quarter of 2019). “Visiting family or friends” was the second main reason for the trips made, corresponding to 1.9 million trips, -16.2% compared to the same period of 2019. Travel for “business or professional” reasons, meanwhile, reached the figures of 206.2 thousand trips, which represents -40.8% compared to 2019.
“Hotels and similar” concentrated 29.3% of overnight stays resulting from tourist trips in the third quarter of 2021, strengthening its representativeness. In total, each of the Portuguese residents who traveled during this period, slept, on average, 8.24 nights away on their trips.
And, in a more informative note, according to INE, the Internet was used in 25.3% of the cases in the process of travel planning, with this resource has been the preferred choice in 65.4% of the trips abroad and 22.8% of domestic trips.
For more information, access the INE website on the link.
Translated by Miguel Marinho Soares
