Markets
Japan

Market Characterization for Portugal

In 2025, Japan ranked as the 39th largest source market for Portugal in terms of overnight stays (share: 0.3%) and the 27th largest in terms of guests (share: 0.5%). In 2025, the Japanese market recorded approximately 94,600 guests (year-over-year change: +23.0%), who generated 187,600 overnight stays (year-over-year change: +19.1%). It stands out as the 39th largest market in terms of tourism receipts (share: 0.2%) with €52.4 million, a 20.7% increase compared to 2024.

In terms of overnight stays, Lisboa was the main destination for Japanese tourists visiting Portugal (56.4%), followed by the Norte (27.7%), the Centro (5.3%), and the Algarve (4.3%). By accommodation type, hotel stays predominated (76.7%), followed by alojamento local (13.9%) and hotéis-apartamentos (4.8%).

The main airlines that indirectly transported Japanese tourists to Portugal were: Turkish Airlines (14.4%), Lufthansa (share: 13.4%), Emirates Airline (10.7%), TAP (7.2%), and Air France (6.4%). Most flights originated primarily from Tokyo (75.0%), followed by Osaka (19.1%)

According to SIBS data, Lisboa accounts for 63.3% of the €8.8 million in card spending originating from Japan in 2025. The Norte ranks second (share: 26.3%), followed by the Centro region(4.6%).

2025 Position | Year-over-Year Change
Guests 0.1M 27º | 22.4%
Overnight stays 0.2M 33º | 18.8%
Tourism receipts 52.4M€ 39º | 20.7%

Market Profile

Change 25/24
123.4 M Population
-0.5 %
55970.4 USD GDP per Capita
3.3 %
2.1 % Inflation Rate
-0.1 pp
0 Savings Rate
0.0 %

Japan is an Asian country with a population of 124.0 million in 2024 and was the world’s fourth-largest economy.

According to Globaldata, in 2024, Japan was the 17th largest source market for tourists worldwide, generating 22.8 million trips and accounting for 1.4% of total global tourism demand.  The top four regions sending Japanese tourists abroad were: Tokyo (share: 20%), Kanagawa (12%), Osaka (8%), and Aichi (6%).

In turn, 92.0% of overseas trips taken by Japanese tourists in 2024 were by air, and 8.0% by sea.

Team

Market Team Coordinator
Cláudia Matias
claudia.matias@turismodeportugal.pt

Outlook

The IMF’s most recent projections indicate that the Japanese economy grew by 0.1% in 2024, due to the current unfavorable global economic environment, the conflict in Ukraine, the war in the Persian Gulf (involving Israel), and rising costs for energy, other raw materials, and intermediate goods. For 2025 and 2026, higher growth is expected, at 1.3% and 0.8%, respectively.

According to GlobalData estimates, between 2025 and 2028, international departures by Japanese tourists are expected to grow at a CAGR of 2.6%, reaching a total of 24.7 million departures in 2028.

Spending by Japanese tourists abroad is expected to increase at a CAGR of 5.9% over the same period. Factors such as rising airfare and airport tax prices, longer flight durations to avoid flying over Russian airspace, and the depreciation of the yen against the dollar have hindered the full recovery of outbound travel, particularly to more distant destinations; however, forecasts from 2024 onward point to a significant increase in outbound tourism.