3 de August, 2026
Portugal has once again been recognized as Europe’s Best Destination by the World Travel Awards, one of the most important international awards in the tourism industry.
In the 2025 European edition, the country received more than 30 distinctions, considering the awards given to Portuguese destinations, regions, companies, attractions, products, and services. This was the seventh time Portugal has won the awards’ main European title, following wins in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023. Founded in 1993, the World Travel Awards annually recognizes destinations, companies, and institutions that stand out in the tourism, airline, and hospitality sectors.
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Among the Portuguese highlights in the 2025 European edition, Porto was named Europe’s Leading City Destination, while Lisbon won the award for Europe’s Leading City Break Destination. Madeira also received two major distinctions: Europe’s Leading Island Destination and Europe’s Leading Tourist Board, an award presented to the Madeira Promotion Bureau.
Portuguese tourist attractions also gained prominence. Dark Sky Alqueva was recognized as Europe’s Leading Tourist Attraction and received the Europe’s Responsible Tourism Award. The Paiva Walkways retained the title of Europe’s Leading Adventure Tourism Attraction, while the immersive Ah Amália experience in Lisbon was named Europe’s Leading New Tourist Attraction.
The World Travel Awards have been held since 1993 and are divided into different regional stages, with the aim of recognizing excellence and promoting competitiveness and quality in the tourism industry. The European ceremony of the 32nd edition was held on October 22, 2025, at Forte Village Resort in Sardinia, Italy.
The grand world final took place on December 6, 2025, in Bahrain. At this stage, Portugal won 12 awards. Among the main highlights, the Algarve was named the World’s Leading Beach Destination, while Madeira received the title of World’s Leading Island Destination for the 11th consecutive time.
The Paiva Walkways were also awarded as the World’s Leading Adventure Tourism Attraction; Dark Sky Alqueva received the World’s Responsible Tourism Award; and Parques de Sintra – Monte da Lua was named the World’s Leading Conservation Company for the 13th consecutive time. TAP also received the titles of the World’s Leading Airline to Africa and the World’s Leading Airline to South America.
Main awards won by Portugal
See the complete list of World Travel Awards winners from around the world.
In 2025, Portuguese tourist accommodation establishments recorded 32.5 million guests and 82.1 million overnight stays, record figures representing increases of 3% and 2.2%, respectively, compared to the previous year. International markets continued to account for the majority, being responsible for 57 million overnight stays.
The performance was also reflected in revenue: the sector reached approximately 7.2 billion euros in total revenue, while international tourism revenue reached 29.1 billion euros, an increase of 5% compared to 2024. The data, released by Statistics Portugal, Banco de Portugal, and Turismo de Portugal, show that the country continues to consolidate its position among Europe’s most sought-after and competitive tourist destinations.
The positive trend continues in 2026. Between January and May, tourist accommodation establishments welcomed 12 million guests, who accounted for 28.7 million overnight stays. During the same period, tourism revenue reached 10.3 billion euros, an increase of 4.5% compared to the first five months of 2025.
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Portugal continues to stand out not only as a tourist destination, but also as an excellent country in which to live, work, and build new projects. In 2025, the country entered the top 20 of InterNations’ ranking of the best countries for expats. If you intend to live in the country, learn about the main visas for Portugal and discover which option best suits your profile. Those with Portuguese ancestry can also check whether they may be eligible to apply for Portuguese citizenship.
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Author:
Atlantic Bridge
