BTL reaches historic high with 85,000 visitors

The BTL – Better Tourism Lisbon Travel Market concluded its 36th edition this year with a record 85,000 visitors, as announced by the organisation in a statement released on Monday, March 2. According to the note, BTL strengthened “its international positioning and its ability to attract more destinations, companies, and professionals from different markets.” In line with expectations, this year's edition, with around 85,000 visitors, “achieved the highest number ever, highlighting the strong engagement from the public and industry professionals.” On February 24, BTL's managing coordinator, Dália Palma, stated in a written response to Lusa that BTL, the largest tourism fair in Portugal, anticipated a record edition, estimating more visitors, greater economic impact, and increased internationalisation. In today's statement, the entity highlighted that this edition “generated a business volume of several million euros,” pointing to the “strong commercial component,” with “over 300 direct sales points in continuous operation, registering constant demand from visitors.” According to Dália Palma, “this was the largest edition of BTL ever, a milestone that reinforces the growing relevance of the event nationally and internationally.” She indicated that “this result also brings added responsibility for the next edition, in terms of continuing to elevate the quality of the offering, enhancing business opportunities, and exceeding the expectations of all participants.” The 2026 edition of BTL featured 1,700 exhibitors and 125 international destinations, marking a 20% growth in the international area. The fair occupied five pavilions - a first - and a total area of 60,000 m², recording “significant growth in key areas, such as Hospitality (+30%), services (+15%), and distribution (+10%).” The Hosted Buyers programme facilitated “over 3,800 business meetings between more than 200 international buyers from 42 source markets and over 500 participating companies,” they report. Next year, BTL will take place from March 3 to 7.