In an interview with Lusa, regarding the tourist prospects for the Porto and North region for the summer season, the president of Turismo do Porto and Norte de Portugal (TPNP), Luís Pedro Martins, said that for 2024 there is a “new perspective” of a market that was very important in the region until 2019 and that with the pandemic had disappeared.

“This year, for 2024, we have a new perspective on a market that was very important until 2019, which disappeared after the pandemic and is now returning, which is the Asia-Pacific market”, namely the markets in China, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore.

“We were on a big road show a month ago in China. We were in Beijing, in Shanghai, in Macau, in Hong Kong, and the result of this ‘roadshow’ with Turismo de Portugal and with colleagues from other external promotion agencies was truly excellent.”

"We want to believe that any reduction that may exist in other markets, namely in European markets and even, eventually, in the national market, can be overcome by this growth that we now want to have in the Asia-Pacific markets, markets that were important until 2019 and that now they are back.”

In Asian markets, Luís Pedro Martins highlighted that the Porto and North region is making “a very big effort in external promotion in China, but also in Japan, South Korea, and Singapore”.

The Latin American and African markets are also not forgotten.

Asked by Lusa about which countries the TPNP is aligning more external promotion efforts in, the president of the TPNP highlighted the Angolan market, on the African continent, but also in Mexico and Argentina.

Aware that the region did not attach much importance to South American destinations, Luís Pedro Martins says that for the first time in 2024, he will advance to Mexico and Argentina.

“Mexico has had a very strong performance with our Spanish neighbours and we now also want to attract it to Portugal, especially because we know that those who travel long distances are not just looking for one country and here the idea is to give more options and include a visit to our country,” he said.

Regarding the African market, Luís Pedro Martins explained that a series of meetings have been developing not only with a view to external promotion but also some bilateral cooperation, namely with Angola, scheduled for next week, at the Angolan consulate in Porto, a meeting in this regard.

“We would like to be able to participate in the Angola Tourism Fair next year and for the first time. Turismo de Portugal was already present there this year and we want to consider the possibility of being able to be there as a region”, he declared, noting that it is a niche market with high purchasing power, important for shopping tourism.