Amid historic growth in American travel to Portugal, TAP is doubling their gateways to Portugal from the US with the addition of New York’s JFK and Boston to Newark and Miami. And, American travel to Portugal hit record numbers last year, with an 18.1% increase in overnight stays, becoming one of Portugal’s fastest growing inbound markets in what was a record year overall.

Recent figures also show that the American boom has spread around the whole country, not only Lisbon. The southern region of the Alentejo was up 44%, the Azores 30.8%, the North 25.4% and Lisbon 16.8%. Not only is the US one of Portugal’s fastest growing markets, but American visitors’ spending, per capita, far outpaced other foreign visitors.

New numbers for the three months of this year, and in comparison with the same period in 2015, show that American visitors went up 23% and overnights almost 30%. As for the US visitors’ spending, the increase was 11.8% over the previous year.

At the same time, there are now seven US cities with direct non-stop service to Portugal, an all time high. TAP and Turismo de Portugal are positioning Portugal as a unique, authentic international destination.

TAP, which has long had service from Newark to Porto and Lisbon as well as Miami to Lisbon, is adding New York JFK and Boston, with a commitment to more gateways in the coming years. TAP has added two new Airbus A330’s to its long haul fleet of 20 aircraft to serve the US market.

Recent media coverage introduced many Americans to Portugal with major articles in Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, NY Times, AFAR and other outlets.

Portugal is one of the most dynamic emerging destinations in the world, “With almost nine hundred years of history, Portugal is authentic – offering unique experiences that Americans will find nowhere else. We look forward to helping more American guests discover and explore our country."

Portugal is the closest European nation to America, offering some of the best values in Europe. The country is attracting American visitors at a brisk pace not only because they get more for their money, but travelers also get a fresh and “real” experience. It has a culture and history uniquely its own. Portugal offers numerous options for the ultimate vacation: New resorts, hotels, bed and breakfasts, and inns are opening north to south, including five-star luxury hotels and resorts, many of them incorporated into and preserving historic sites. For the outdoor adventurer, new infrastructure across the county allows access to Portugal’s mountains, coast, and hill country. Portugal has miles of Atlantic beaches coupled with Europe’s mildest climate. Today’s Portugal welcomes the traveler looking for the authentic with an inviting mix of the traditional and the modern. More information at www.visitportugal.com