Consumer satisfaction with tourism falls 17%, despite historic revenues of 29 billion

The 2025 State of Tourism in Portugal Barometer reveals a sharp decline in consumer satisfaction, with 5,934 complaints recorded throughout the year and a 17.11% drop in average satisfaction to 3.59 out of 10, even as the sector reached record revenues of 29.1 billion euros (+5% compared to 2024). The Consumers Trust Labs study shows that the rise in complaints (+3.36% year-on-year) was concentrated in digital platforms and intermediaries: travel booking sites (46.73% of complaints), airlines (20.48%), and accommodation platforms (12.59%). Among the most mentioned brands are eDreams and Booking, with TAP, Ryanair, and Airbnb also frequently targeted. Financial complaints lead the registry at 50.13%, involving refund issues and lack of cost transparency, followed by customer service failures (18.29%) and security/fraud issues (12.70%). The report highlights that growth in demand has not been matched by proportional investment in customer experience and operational transparency, with Pedro Lourenço, founder of Portal da Queixa, noting that the sector has reached a critical tipping point where digital reputation is now a key determinant of competitiveness.