Portugal on Americans’ travel plans wishlist for 2026 – but slightly sliding in popularity
US tourists will continue to consider Portugal as part of their European holiday options in 2026 according to a report from the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA).
According to its annual report on tourist intentions for holidays and travel for 2026, Portugal is once again firmly on the list of countries to visit.
However, Portugal has slid down a few places compared to last year when it was in second place of the most desirable countries to visit in 2025 – Italy having been in pole position.
This year Portugal has slipped down to fourth place.
Nevertheless, operators guarantee that US citizens are interested in discovering Portugal. “Portugal is being heavily plugged by our tour operators because of its status as a “must visit” country and its appeal beyond the run-of-the-mill popular destinations.
“It offers something new and different for those who have already experienced many of the classic European destinations”, says the President and CEO of USTAO, Terry Dale, quoted in a communiqué.
“Today’s tourist is driven by value and is looking for experiences. They want enriching experiences, but good value for money and a sense of security are shaping their decisions,” he adds.
The increased routes and numbers of flights that airlines have made between the United States and Portugal, whether Lisbon, Porto, Faro or Terceira, seem to be yielding some results, with the country standing out because it is different from the “traditional offer” from European countries.
Data collected by the business daily Negócios from the latest available statistics show that Americans were the second largest group of overseas tourists in Portugal, with a total of 2.11 million visitors between January and October. It was the nationality that visited the country the most in September and October, with a total of 289,400 and 270,700 visitors, respectively.
