"Tourism is once again (this year) driving the country's growth and helping an old world, characterised by fear of differences, to modernise and bring people together. It's been a happy year", said the president of the Portuguese Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (APAVT), Pedro Costa Ferreira.

A celebration that, for the president of the Portuguese Hotel Association (AHP), takes place with all those who work in this growing sector.

"Celebrating World Tourism Day is celebrating with more than five hundred thousand Portuguese people who decided to make a career in this sector. Celebrating this day is celebrating an activity that is absolutely instrumental in the recovery of our country", said Bernardo Trinidad.

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) estimates that the travel and tourism sector in Portugal will contribute 40,400 million euros to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2023, surpassing the record of 40,100 million in 2019.

According to the WTTC's Economic Impact Research (EIR), released on July 18, the sector is expected to create around 30,000 jobs this year, reaching 950,000 workers and leaving just 68,000 jobs below the level of just over a million in 2019.

The global tourism entity predicts that the sector will increase its contribution to GDP to 56,400 million euros by 2033, representing more than a fifth (21.1%) of the Portuguese economy.

Over the next decade, travel and tourism could employ more than 1.2 million people across the country, with one in four people working in the sector, they predict.