Markets

Switzerland

Market Characterization for Portugal

In 2025, Switzerland ranked as the 13th largest source market for Portugal in terms of overnight stays (share: 2.0%) and ranked 12th in terms of guest numbers (2.0%). In 2025, the Swiss market recorded approximately 399,500 guests (year-over-year change: +1.5%), who generated 1,119,800 overnight stays (year-over-year change: +1.5%). It stands out as the 9th largest market in terms of tourism receipts with €959.4 million (share: 3.3%), up 5.0% compared to 2024.

In terms of overnight stays, Lisboa was the main destination for Swiss tourists visiting Portugal (25.3%), followed by the Algarve (24.3%) and the Norte (17.2%). By type of accommodation, hotel stays predominated (59.7%), followed by alojamento local (16.5%) and hotéis-apartamentos (8.6%).

Portugal ranks 4th in total outbound air traffic from the market; during this period, the airlines that carried Swiss tourists to Portugal were: EasyJet (share: 62.9%), Swiss (16.7%), TAP (10.9%), Edelweiss Air (8.2%), and others (1.3%). Most flights originate from the cities of Geneva (share: 44.4%), Zurich (35.8%), and Basel (19.8%).

It is worth noting that Swiss tourists stay an average of 7.0 nights in Portugal (ForwardKeys); the main reason for travel was leisure (98.7%); and they travel as couples (36.0%).

According to SIBS data, the Norte accounts for 29.4% of the €245.5 million in card spending originating in Switzerland in 2025. The Algarve ranks third (share: 16.0%), behind Lisboa (27.2%) and the Centro region (10.5%).

2025 Position | Year-over-Year Change

Guests 0.4M 12º | 1.3%

Overnight stays 1.1M 13º | 1.5%

Tourism receipts 959.4M€ 9º | 5.0%

Disembarked passengers 1.8M 6º | 4.0%

Market Profile

Change 25/24

9.1 M Population

1.0 %

94148.2 USD GDP per Capita

2.4 %

1.2 % Inflation Rate

-0.3 pp

36.7 % Savings Rate

0.1 pp

Switzerland had a population of 9.0 million in 2024 and was the 20th-largest economy in the world. According to Globaldata, in 2025, Switzerland was the 15th largest source market for tourists worldwide, generating 27.1 million trips and accounting for 1.7% of total global tourism demand. Approximately 93.3% of tourist flows are concentrated on the European continent. The main regions sending Swiss tourists to Portugal were: Geneva (share: 44.5%), Zurich (38.3%), Basel (17.1%), and others (0.1%).

In turn, 45.0% of trips abroad made by Swiss tourists in 2025 were by air, 54.1% were by land, and 0.9% by sea.

Tourists from Austria traveling as couples, families, individuals, and in groups accounted for 30.2%, 25.2%, 23.4%, and 21.1%, respectively, of total trips abroad. In that year, the 35–49 age group was the largest (20.1%), followed by the 50–64 age group (19.5%).

Team

Market Team Coordinator

Claúdia Miguel

info.germany@turismodeportugal.pt

Outlook

IMF data indicate that Switzerland’s economy grew by 0.9% in 2024, due to the current unfavorable international economic climate, conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, and rising costs for energy, raw materials, and intermediate goods. For 2025 and 2026, growth is projected to be around 1.3% and 1.1%, respectively. According to GlobalData estimates, between 2026 and 2029, international departures by Swiss tourists are expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.7%, reaching a total of 31.2 million departures in 2029. Spending by Swiss tourists abroad is expected to increase at a CAGR of 7.5% over the same period.

According to projections from OAG Schedules Analyzer data, based on the 2025 summer season compared to 2024 for the period from April 1 to September 30, 2025, the number of available airline seats from Switzerland to the main European destinations in the Mediterranean Basin was as follows: Spain: 2.5 million seats (+3.7%), Italy: 1.5 million (+0.2%), Portugal: 1.1 million (+6.2%), Turkey: 1.0 million (+6.0%), Greece: 800,000 (+4.1%), and Croatia: 200,000 (+3.9%).

According to estimates from the OAG Schedules Analyser for the 2025/2026 winter season compared to the 2024/2025 season (October 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026), the number of scheduled available seats is led by Spain with 1.8 million seats (+2.8%), followed by Italy: 990,000 (+4.4%), Portugal: 860,000 (-0.1%), Turkey: 810,000 (+15.6%), Greece: 390,000 (+5.3%), and Croatia: 150,000 (+18.3%).