Porto & North of Portugal: Tourism Growth Meets Global Events

Northern Portugal is breaking records and on track for a landmark 2025 – already outpacing last year’s 7.4 million visitors and nearly doubling its 2019 revenue. But the real difference lies in the strategic focus on the business events segment: conferences, meetings and corporate events that help distribute visitors throughout the region, enhancing cities such as Porto, Braga and Guimarães.

At the Congress, our Manuel Fernandes sat with Luís Pedro Martins, President of Associação de Turismo do Porto e Norte - Porto Convention & Visitors Bureau (ATP/PCVB) and what emerged is clear: Northern Portugal is not just chasing numbers, it is challenging the global events circuit to recognise its full potential.

How would you describe the region’s current tourism performance, and what are the growth prospects for 2026?

First, it is important to outline the region’s current situation. In 2024, we received 7.4 million tourists, who generated nearly 14 million overnight stays and €1 billion in revenue mark. For 2025, according to current figures, everything indicates that we will break records in all three indicators — guests, overnight stays, and revenue — growing above the national average, although not reaching the levels of 2019. At the moment, we are growing by around 5% in the number of guests and even more in revenue, which is excellent. Compared to the national average, we are seeing growth of about 10% year-on-year. For reference, in 2019 we were close to €600 million, which means we are now almost doubling that figure.

Where do business events, conferences, and exhibitions fit within this broader framework? And what goals has the local Convention Bureau set to help rebalance the scales?

As part of our work, we see the meetings industry as a highly valuable asset, closely linked to high-spending visitors. To become more competitive in this segment, we needed more visibility — something we still lacked at a global level. That is why hosting the ICCA Congress is so crucial for positioning ourselves alongside the major players in this sector. We know we have a very strong offering to attract major events, but we do not want this to be limited to the city of Porto alone.

That is precisely why we embraced the challenge put forward by ICCA: becoming the first destination in 64 editions of the Congress to deliver a fully multi-venue event — an idea that has sparked considerable curiosity among everyone we have spoken with. For this nine-venue event, we wanted to go beyond the municipality of Porto, reaching neighbouring cities such as Matosinhos and Vila Nova de Gaia. But our strategy goes further. We aim to create meaningful impact in municipalities such as Braga, Guimarães, and Viana do Castelo through meetings and events.
 

As you mentioned earlier, Porto has undergone rapid transformation in recent years, marked by a substantial rise in arrivals and overnight stays. In your view, can the events industry act as a buffer — or even an alternative — to mass tourism?

When it comes to tourism pressure, we represent a region spanning roughly 21,000 km², and fortunately we have ample capacity to disperse visitors. I should also say that I am entirely opposed to the idea that any city in our region is experiencing some kind of overtourism. True tourism pressure is what some European capitals face, welcoming millions of visitors every single day of the year. In our case, there is some strain in Porto’s historic centre during the peak of August, but beyond that, we have little reason to complain. In recent years, the city has also undergone several public works which helped reinforce that perception, as they created temporary congestion in some areas. Once these improvements are completed, I am absolutely certain this notion will fade. I believe that this narrative is dangerous since Porto is the main gateway for visitors to the entire region. It is our flagship destination — the anchor that attracts travellers. To suggest we should turn away tourism flows would be to undermine the North’s potential for sector-wide growth. For international operators, Porto is the benchmark that gives visibility to the region; denying that would risk removing the entire North of Portugal from the global map.
 

Check out our HQ report on Porto with the framework of the EU CVB Network Partnership

Do you believe that business events could generate fresh momentum for broader economic development across Porto & North of Portugal?

Absolutely. The impact is overwhelmingly positive. Our intention is to encourage a more balanced distribution of visitors throughout the region. We are fortunate to represent a territory that is both rich and diverse, extending far beyond the metropolitan area. Within Turismo de Portugal 22 strategic assets, we hold the vast majority. We offer nautical tourism, thermal experiences, wine tourism across four distinct wine regions, the Camino de Santiago routes, five natural parks, a national park, two geoparks, and an extraordinary biodiversity landscape. There is a wealth of opportunities to explore from Porto outward.

That said, there is still considerable work ahead. It is unrealistic to expect travellers to arrive through a different airport, just as it would be unthinkable to shield our monuments — such as the Clérigos Tower or Porto Cathedral — from the gaze of those who come here. What we must do is demonstrate that there is far more to discover beyond the familiar landmarks. This will also help us increase our average length of stay, which is another major key indicator for us. I have already spoken with the new Mayor, and I know he shares this vision of Porto as an essential gateway for the whole region. Within this sector, Porto is already the primary magnet for business travellers, yet it can do even more to reinforce territorial and social cohesion across Northern Portugal.
 

Is there a coordinated strategy with other municipalities—through their venues and multi-purpose centres, such as Forum Braga or the Multiusos de Guimarães—to channel different products and services across the wider region?

Yes, that is precisely what we are working on now. Cities such as Braga and Guimarães, which already have the capacity to host events, are full members of the ATP/PCVB. Each, in accordance with its scale, is already collaborating with us in bidding for strategic events. Internally, we are also carrying out a comprehensive assessment of the state of the meetings industry across the region — identifying key stakeholders, mapping responsibilities, understanding our full offering, and determining where we can best leverage our strengths.

The reality is that we are not yet in a position to bid for every type of event. There are gatherings of 50k to 100k participants that require large-scale facilities which we still lack. Within this strategic framework, our proposals may ultimately be presented to municipal and regional authorities to lay the groundwork for infrastructure that raises our competitiveness. We may even conclude that it is in our interest to specialise in particular segments where we can excel and truly stand out.

If we consider the nature of associations and specific industries, where do you see Porto and the North having the vocation and ecosystem to attract international events?

Although we know that, for instance, scientific congresses have grown significantly here, we are not yet analysing it in such a compartmentalised way. Certain fields are already part of our organisational planning, and we are also testing other types of events, including those with a sporting profile. Several ATP members have been encouraging us to move in that direction — Futebol Clube do Porto among them. Ultimately, we must capitalise not only on the potential of our venues, but also on the strength of our hotel infrastructure. It is also important to highlight that Portugal is perceived as a safe country with a pleasant climate — factors that greatly enhance our position. Our aim is to complete the study we are currently conducting and come away with a precise understanding of our strategic positioning.

The Porto & North Forever Pact (PNFP) initiative is built on the foundations of innovation, well-being, and inclusion. Could you elaborate on this? Are there already local partners working with you within this social framework?

The Forever Pact emerged from our own challenge: to consider the impact of events beyond traditional metrics. We aim to measure success not only in terms of overnights, delegates, or direct and indirect revenue, but also through less visible dimensions, which we consider equally (or even more) significant. Through this project, we highlight the social impact of events by engaging the community and its stakeholders in initiatives that contribute to societal improvement. A notable example is the participation of CAIS — a local non-profit supporting people experiencing homelessness — which allowed its volunteers to collaborate on the congress while receiving training in international best practices, actively taking part in skills development initiatives within this legacy blueprint.

Sustainability, already a focus in previous ICCA congresses, was further reinforced in this edition. Similarly, values such as innovation, social impact, and community engagement, first highlighted in Abu Dhabi, were symbolically handed over through the Forever Pact to ensure these principles continue with our colleagues in Panama at the next edition. One of the key objectives of the Council meeting held here was to transform the Forever Pact into a commitment for the entire global industry, while also encouraging local partners to adopt these standards as a guiding framework for events co-hosted with the ATP. To implement this effectively, we have been supported by the Canadian consultancy, #Meet4Impact, and the Portuguese social consultancy firm, ValeConsultores.
 

Porto & North of Portugal: Time to Wake up Again!

In your opinion, what are the main challenges for Porto and the North to advance towards a truly sustainable transformation? How can the environmental dimension be balanced with the necessary shift in awareness so that events can have a neutral ecological footprint?

First and foremost, it is crucial to take a clear stance against greenwashing and superficial certifications that undermine genuine efforts. At one point in Portugal, there was a trend of questionable “stamps” used to legitimise inconsequential practices. Secondly, it is essential to avoid false promises, as those who promise what they cannot deliver quickly lose credibility. The spell backfires against the sorcerer. Our call is to make this agenda more transparent and serious, continuing the awareness-raising efforts with all stakeholders.

Even before this congress, ATP had already launched the I'm In Sustainability movement, mobilising companies to obtain credible certification. We invite these companies to carry out internal audits to later classify the region as a sustainable destination according to the Global Sustainable Tourism Council standards, ensuring rigour and international recognition. Today, only through distraction or ignorance could anyone fail to grasp the importance of this cause, as the alerts have already reached everyone. Another important point is that we do not see this as merely an economic issue. It is true that this aspect is increasingly decisive in winning bids, and many travellers today are willing to pay more for destinations that embrace this agenda — take Costa Rica as an example. But above all, it is a matter of humanity: if we do not act now, we are effectively jeopardising our future.
 

In your estimation, does Porto currently need a large convention centre to scale its activities, or is the existing infrastructure sufficient to host the international events of interest?

This will be determined by the study mentioned earlier, which will assess both the current capacity of our infrastructure and the types of events we aim to attract. Should we conclude that the city can accommodate major events, it may be necessary to add a new asset to our portfolio. At present, we are examining two large metropolitan facilities: Exponor, which requires some investment, and Europarque, which needs some mobility solutions. Both, however, have the potential to strengthen the region’s position in this segment and have fulfilled their role over the years.

On the other hand, we know that private institutions are also considering Porto for a new large-scale infrastructure. The city is drawing attention due to its strategic location in the North Atlantic of the Iberian Peninsula, serving not only northern Portugal but also our central region and the Spanish areas of Galicia and Castile and León. Porto Airport illustrates this potential: in 2024 it handled 16 million passengers, compared with just five million across the three Galician airports. In other words, investors know that within roughly 90 minutes they can reach 5 million potential clients.
 

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