In total, car rental companies were responsible for the sale of 25,655 new cars between January and May this year, with almost a third of these being sold in May alone.
According to Car Hire Association, ARAC, there is definitely a strong and persistent rise in demand from visitors seeking complete mobility during their visit.
ARAC President, Joaquin Robalo de Almedia, this week told Diário de Notícias that an increase in tourist numbers of over ten percent is forecast for the peak summer months, with car hire companies expecting to see a rise in rental of around eight percent.
Tourism represents around 60 percent of the national car rental market. In July and August, the keys to around 90,000 cars are handed over to tourists.
ARAC meanwhile explains that purchases by car hire companies are currently double that of the regular market.
The strongest growth in the car rental market is expected in Lisbon, where a double-digit increase is forecast, followed by Porto and the Algarve with similar levels.
ARAC also says that the British tourism market is the cornerstone of the national car hire industry, and enjoys a 40 percent share of the market.
French nationals follow Britons, with 15 percent of the market, followed by Germans with a 12 percent share and Italians in fourth with ten percent.
Joaquin Robalo de Almedia, however, warns that despite the substantial reinforcemt in company fleets, tourists will be hard-pressed to find cars in the coming two months due to record numbers of visitors expected in Portugal this summer.