Portugal: Ideal Destination for Motorhome Vacations
In the summer of 2025, Europe is witnessing a significant surge in itinerant tourism, with motorhome travel becoming an increasingly popular choice for tourists. According to a report by Publituris and the "Travel Tourism Barometer for the 2025 summer season" by Camping-Car Park, Italy, Portugal, and Spain are the top preferred foreign destinations for European itinerant tourists.
Italy leads the pack with 25% of itinerant tourists choosing it as their preferred foreign destination, followed by Portugal with 18%, and Spain, although moving down from first place, still attracts 15% of itinerant tourists.
The economic impact of this growing trend is substantial. The estimated economic contribution of itinerant tourism for the summer of 2025 is €1.54 billion, marking a 10.3% increase compared to the previous year. Despite a decrease in average nightly expenditure, which stands at €52 per night, down from €56 in 2024.
Olivier Coudrette, the general manager of Camping-Car Park, commented on the growth of itinerant tourism, stating that it plays an important role in the tourism landscape. He also emphasised that the challenge goes beyond the numbers, highlighting the need to rethink reception, deseasonalise tourism activity, and strengthen local economic impacts.
This trend of traveling outside the busiest months is a sign of a desire to better distribute flows and adopt smoother mobility. More than 64% of itinerant tourists plan to travel in September, and 58% plan to travel in June. Conversely, only 50% of itinerant tourists plan to travel in August, and 47% plan to travel in July.
The growth of itinerant tourism is not limited to a few countries. Portugal, for instance, boasts more than 13,000 registered motorhomes, and Europe is home to approximately 3 million motorhomes.
In terms of length of stay, almost 70% of itinerant tourists plan to travel for three weeks or more, and 44% plan to stay more than a month in the same place. This suggests a shift towards longer, more immersive travel experiences.
In conclusion, itinerant tourism is not just a passing fad but a transformative force in the tourism industry. As more tourists opt for this mode of travel, it presents opportunities for destinations to rethink their approach to tourism, aiming for a more sustainable and locally beneficial model.
- In the summer of 2025, Portugal is one of the top preferred foreign destinations for European itinerant tourists, attracting 18% of this growing demographic of travelers.
- The surge in motorhome travel, evident in the growing trend of itinerant tourism, has led Europe to witness an economic contribution of approximately €1.54 billion for the summer of 2025.
- In line with this trend, Portugal currently has over 13,000 registered motorhomes, indicating a significant presence of electric vehicles in their tourism landscape.
- As a result of the shift towards itinerant tourism, tourists are now planning longer, more immersive travel experiences, with almost 70% planning to travel for three weeks or more and 44% planning to stay more than a month in the same place.
