Portugal’s First Post-Pandemic Roadshow Celebrates Soaring Canadian Visitor Numbers

For the first time since before COVID, Visit Portugal has hit the road across Canada and the travel trade couldn’t be happier.

This week’s three-city roadshow, with stops in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, marks a major return to in-person engagement between Portuguese suppliers and Canadian travel professionals.

“We’ve done roadshows before, but this is our first since the pandemic,” said Inês Almeida Garrett, Director of Visit Portugal for Canada. “I arrived three years ago, and this is my first one — it’s wonderful to finally bring everyone together again and share a meal, a conversation, and a little Portuguese hospitality.”

The Toronto event at Hotel X featured 20 suppliers from Portugal, including DMCs and hotel representatives, who met one on one with 24 Canadian tour operators in the morning before hosting a larger afternoon session for more than 120 travel advisors.

Representatives from Air Canada, Air Transat, TAP Air Portugal, and Azores Airlines, the four carriers currently offering direct service between Canada and Portugal, were also on hand.

“Canada is one of our fastest-growing markets,” Almeida Garrett noted. “What’s remarkable is that Canadians travel in the winter, which helps us balance seasonality and sustainability. The weather back home is pleasant all year, and Canadians are beginning to take notice.”

2024 was Portugal’s best year ever for Canadian arrivals, with visitation more than doubling pre-pandemic levels.

Approximately 600,000 Canadians visited the nation last year, generating nearly 1.7 million bed nights, an impressive number for a destination competing against much larger European and Caribbean markets.

Portugal’s appeal, Almeida Garrett added, lies not only in its landscapes and affordability, but in its warmth and accessibility.

“We’re one of the oldest countries in Europe, rich in heritage and culture, and among the safest in the world. Our people are easygoing, and English is widely spoken — from hotels to cafés to the countryside.”

That sense of accessibility extends beyond language. The country’s infrastructure is world-class, its roads well maintained, and its rail network connects major regions with ease.

Whether clients are seeking a golf getaway in the Algarve, a cultural escape in Lisbon, or a wine-tasting journey through the Douro Valley, advisors can confidently sell Portugal as effortless to navigate and deeply rewarding.

Air capacity continues to expand as well. Air Canada has launched a new Montreal–Porto route, joining its Lisbon service, while Air Transat, TAP, and Azores Airlines have all boosted schedules.

While WestJet and Porter Airlines have yet to enter the market directly, both are seen as potential contenders given their equipment and growing European ambitions.

For Canadian travel advisors, Portugal remains one of Europe’s best-value, highest-satisfaction destinations offering exceptional food, wine, safety, and warmth at a fraction of the cost of comparable markets. As Almeida Garrett summed up:

“We spend a lot of time at the table in Portugal because we believe relationships are built when you share a meal. That’s what this roadshow is about: reconnecting, sharing, and reminding Canadians they’ll always be welcome with a smile.”