The number of foreign tourists visiting Portugal increased by 7.5% from January to June, marking the best first half on record and setting the stage for another record-breaking year, according to official data released earlier this week.

Portugal’s National Statistics Institute (INE) reported that over 8.8 million foreign tourists stayed in Portuguese hotels during this period, and in June alone, nearly 2 million guests visited the country, a new monthly record, reflecting a 6.9% rise compared to the same month last year.

Tourism has been a vital contributor to Portugal's economy, with foreign tourism reaching a record of over 18 million guests last year, Reuters news agency reports.

According to INE data released earlier this month, tourism-related spending totalled €43.7 billion, representing 16.5% of last year's GDP and driving nearly half of the 2.3% economic growth.

In addition, Portugal's reliance on tourism is among the highest in the continental European Union, second only to Iceland, as per the INE data.

Furthermore, in the first half of 2023, visitors from the UK made up the largest share of total arrivals, closely followed by tourists from the United States, both exceeding one million guests. Visitors from neighbouring Spain accounted for the third-largest share of arrivals.

The INE also reported that the hotel sector in Portugal accommodated over 14 million guests, including domestic travellers, with total hotel revenues rising 12.3% year-on-year to €2.8 billion. 

In a separate report, the INE also noted that the number of people passing through Portuguese airports in June increased by 5.6% to 6.7 million compared to the previous year.