The increase was calculated after "consulting the airlines" about movements over the Chinese New Year, which begins on 19 February under the sign of the goat.


"The available data is not definitive", but the consultation "points to Portugal may be benefitting from increased demand by Chinese tourists", Cotrim de Figueiredo said.


In January, Chinese TV broadcast a report called “With the yuan rising against the euro, it’s time to visit Europe". (In 2008, a euro was worth 11 yuan; today it is not even seven).


"It can be expected that the exchange rate stimulates the consumption of Chinese tourists when they visit Portugal", the tourist boss said.