Tourism, a key driver of Portugal's economy, accounted for almost 15% of gross domestic product before the pandemic. The INE earlier on Friday said Portugal's economic growth accelerated sharply to 1.6% in the first quarter from the previous three-month period, stoked by net exports that include revenue from tourism. In March alone, more than 1.2 million guests entered the country, with visitors from Britain accounting for the largest share of arrivals, followed by neighbouring Spain and the United States, which has recently grown as a source of tourism to Portugal.
It may also have received an additional inflow of visitors
after February's devastating earthquake in Turkey - a major
tourism destination - and thanks to the general perception of
Portugal as a safe place, far from the war ravaging Ukraine.
(Reporting by Patricia Vicente Rua; Editing by Andrei Khalip
and Bill Berkrot)
