Portugal Tourism Announces U.S. Numbers

Friday, 05 February 2010 20:30

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Portuguese Tourism has announced that despite the instability in the world economy, and the until-recently-lopsided dollar to euro exchange rate, U.S. travel to Portugal has remained strong. Overall receipts for U.S. visitors to Portugal rose by +0.1% over 2008 in the first 11 months of 2009 (and 2008 was a record year for Portuguese tourism) - the third best performing market for Portugal in terms of travel.


Overnights stays were flat at an increase of +0.1% for the first 11 months of 2009 compared to 2008, the sixth best return overall in times of inbound markets.

With international markets focusing on the Portuguese economy, Portuguese leaders have responded to speculation about the road ahead.

According to the newspaper Publico, President of the Portuguese Republic, Cavaco Silva, said to an audience in the city of Castelo Branco that it is important for Portugal, which right now is being looked at by intentional investors “to underline the guarantee that the national budget will pass, even before the bill is presented to Parliament. I know these numbers well, and I can say to outside observers that they’re wrong in the analysis they have made. I say to them look at our country and see sustainability of our budget. It is also important to note that it is unfair to compare Portugal with Greece. Portugal’s deficit is much smaller, and we have always acted in a scrupulous and direct way to address it.”

Meanwhile, Portugal’s Minister of Finances Teixeira dos Santos told the Publico in Lisbon that he is working hard to reduce the national deficit to below 3% by 2013: "I reiterate the firm commitment of this government to follow a strategy of deficit reduction to be at lower than 3% of the GNP by the end of 2013.”

Teixeira dos Santos reveled that the Government’s Program for Stability and Growth will be presented to Parliament by the end of February and will outline clear strategies to lower the deficit in sustainable way.

Click here to access Teixeira dos Santos most recent interview to CNN International on this topic.