Portuguese tourists meanwhile spent 2.422 billion euros internationally in this period, a figure up 9.2 percent on last year with the positive tourism sector trade balance correspondingly advancing to 5.19 billion euros in the first eight months, up 11.6 percent year-on-year.
August alone accounted for some 1.61 billion euros in tourism expenditure, up six percent on 2014.
The Ministry of the Economy statement also cross referenced the rise in the number of nights spent by international arrivals, up 6.7 percent, with the 11 percent rise in revenue from this group to conclude that “each international tourist arrival today generates more revenue than a year ago.”
The Ministry furthermore maintained that the statistics “counter the idea that the growth in tourism in Portugal is based only on the increase of tourism activities” with the 31 million euros spent daily by international tourists up from 28.2 million euros in 2014.
On average, that represents each international tourist spending a daily total of 321 euros whilst visiting the country.
The Economy Ministry statement also made the point that in relation to Spain, the key national competitor market, “the rate of growth in tourism revenues in Portugal is three times higher.”