Turism in Portugal is living the best moment ever and its effects on economy are undeniable.

In the last year, the foreigners’ expenses that visited Portugal exceeded for the first time, the barrier of 15,1 billion euros. This means that, between trips, hotels and shopping, the tourists left, for each day, 41,5 million euros in Portugal.

The revenues in trips and tourism, announced by the Bank of Portugal, accompanied the sector’s expectations and confirmed 2017 as the best year ever for tourism.  This, after INE had disclosed the touristic sector’s data that “broke all records” – almost 21 million guests and more than 57 million overnights -, recalls the Ministry of Economy.

North-American, Chinese and Brazilian tourists are the ones that spend the most when on trip. Now, it is necessary to move forward, says João Vasconcelos, President of the organizing committee of Summit Shopping Tourism & Economy Lisbon 2018. “The trade can become the biggest expense of the tourists when on holidays. And this will influence many things. When we realize that they can spend more in shopping than in the hotel, everything changes: the way we promote, to whom we promote, the way we communicate the country, inside the cities”, points to DN/Dinheiro Vivo.

Portugal was the European country with the biggest growth in tax free shopping in 2017, as demonstrates the consultant Global Blue. The extracommunitary tourists spent in one-day shopping, the same as the Europeans in a week. The values are rising: the Chinese presents an average shopping value of 642 euro/per day, being the tourists that spend the most in Portugal. Close behind are the North-Americans (506) and, after them, the Angolan tourists (252).

The Shopping Tourism & Economy Lisbon 2018, the will take place in March 16^th, will gather, for the first time in Portugal, government members and public and private entities to debate the creation of sustainable models that allows to increase competitiveness.