BTL 2026 exceeds expectations and strengthens its international standing

# tags: Events , BTL , Exhibitions , Tourism

The 36th edition of BTL – Better Tourism Lisbon Travel Market exceeded expectations and further strengthened its international standing.

With around 85,000 visitors, the 2026 edition achieved its highest ever attendance, highlighting the strong support from the public and industry professionals, and its ability to attract an increasing number of destinations, companies and professionals from different markets.

Over five days, BTL established itself as one of the key moments for tourism-related consumer decisions in Portugal, bringing together thousands of Portuguese people to choose and book their holidays – which generated a turnover of several million euros.

The strong commercial element was once again in the spotlight, with over 300 direct sales counters operating continuously and attracting constant interest from visitors. The diversity of domestic and international destinations, combined with exclusive promotional campaigns, generated a buzz of activity across all the exhibition halls.

“This was the biggest edition of BTL ever, a milestone that reinforces the event’s growing relevance both nationally and internationally. This result also brings with it an increased responsibility for the next edition, in terms of continuing to raise the quality of the offering, maximising business opportunities and exceeding the expectations of all participants,” said Dália Palma, the event’s coordinating manager, in a press release.

Scale and sustained growth

The 2026 edition featured 1,700 exhibitors and 125 international destinations, recording a 20% increase in the international sector. The fair occupied five halls and a total area of 60,000 square metres, reflecting strong demand from public bodies, companies and destinations. This broad-based demand also translated into significant growth in key sectors, such as hospitality (+30%), services (+15%) and distribution (+10%).

Also noteworthy is the high level of satisfaction among participants: 88% stated that BTL met their expectations and over 80% indicated that they would recommend the fair to other industry professionals, according to a survey conducted during the event.

Hosted Buyers Programme exceeds expectations

The Hosted Buyers Programme, developed in partnership with TAP Air Portugal and Turismo de Portugal, and with the support of other organisations, notably ACISO, exceeded all expectations by facilitating over 3,800 business meetings between more than 200 international buyers from 42 source markets and over 500 participating companies.

Organised by the AIP Foundation, the next edition of BTL – Better Tourism Lisbon Travel Market will take place from 3 to 7 March 2027, promising to continue raising the bar for tourism in Portugal and to establish Lisbon as an unmissable international hub for the sector.