Summary
In the first three months of 2014, residents in Portugal made 3.56 million tourist trips, a 3.5% reduction when compared with the same period of 20131 (-3.6% in the 4th quarter 2013). This result was partly influenced by the Easter period which occurred in the 1st quarter 2013, while in 2014 it was celebrated in the 2nd quarter.
Trips made to “visit relatives or friends” corresponded to 58.6% of the total trips made during the period under analysis (55.2% in the same quarter of 2013). There was a decline of 8.0% in the number of trips made to foreign destinations in the 1st quarter 2014, contrary to the outcome of the previous quarter (+0.3%).
Trips made by “private car” reached 82.0% of all tourist trips, which stood for a 0.6 p.p. increase in its weight, on a par with a reduction of 0.8 p.p. when considering trips made by air. The “free private accommodation” was the predominant means of accommodation chosen in 76.0% of overnight stays related to tourist trips made by residents (78.9% in the 1st quarter 2013).