The 36th edition of Portugal’s flagship tourism fair BTL – Bolsa de Turismo de Lisboa is being billed as the “biggest ever”, bringing together 1,700 exhibitors, 125 international destinations and around 600 events until Sunday, March 1.
Held across five pavilions at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL) in Lisbon’s Parque das Nações, the first two days are reserved for industry professionals, including travel agents, tour operators and media. The doors open for the general public this Friday (February 27).
This year, the Algarve has been named national guest destination, while Figueira da Foz is the invited national municipality. Both will host dedicated programmes focused on promoting their territories, tourism offer and sustainability efforts. Internationally, Brazil is the guest destination.
Organisers say the 2026 edition covers 60,000 square metres, reflecting what they describe as strong demand from public bodies, companies and destinations that see the fair as a key platform for business, promotion and networking. International participation has grown by 20% compared to previous editions.
The fair is divided into ten thematic areas, including Cultural Tourism, Employment, Religious Tourism, Weddings, Wellness, the Meeting Industry, Wine Tourism and LGBTQIA+ tourism.
In the B2B segment, the event will host over 200 buyers from 42 source markets and around 500 national and international companies. Organisers say the setting is designed to encourage partnerships and open new markets. Key sectors have also recorded growth, with hospitality up 27%, services 25% and distribution 10%.
“BTL continues to grow consistently, reinforcing its role as a unique platform for business, networking and destination promotion. These results demonstrate not only the vitality of the tourism sector, but also the confidence of national and international players in BTL as a privileged space to generate value, innovation and competitiveness,” said Dália Palma, coordinating manager of the event.
The tourism fair is promoted by the Fundação AIP.
