Vila Real, Portugal, Jan. 14, 2025 (Lusa) - Tourism on the River Douro waterway in northern Portugal grew in 2024, reaching 1,377,858 passengers transported, 10.64% more than in 2023, the Douro, Leixões and Viana do Castelo Ports Administration (APDL) said on Tuesday.
"In 2024, river tourism on the Douro waterway continued to grow, consolidating the recovery after the challenges posed by the [Covid-19] pandemic," an official APDL source told Lusa news agency.
The Douro waterway is around 200 kilometres long in Portugal, from the Douro bar in Porto to the border at Barca D'Alva, and has been navigable along its entire length since 1990 and, since then, the river has become one of the main tourist attractions in this part of the country.
According to APDL, 1,377,858 passengers were registered in 2024, representing an increase of 10.64% compared to 2023, when the total was 1,245,314 passengers.
"This growth reflects the growing attractiveness of river cruises in this region, one of the most sought-after destinations in Europe," emphasised the route manager.
According to the information provided, the "most popular segment was tourist cruises operating within the same reservoir and between bridges, with 1,099,063 passengers, an increase of 14.67% on the previous year".
In turn, hotel ships saw an increase of 12.46%, totalling 120,150 passengers.
There were, however, decreases in day cruises, with a reduction of 11.96%, to 149,467 passengers, and in pleasure boats, which registered a total of 9,178 passengers, a drop of around 11%.
The APDL pointed out that, in total, the number of river tourism stopovers increased by 7.62% compared to 2023, reaching 27,916 stopovers, which represents a significant growth of 190.40% compared to 2021.
Currently, the APDL added, the Douro River "has a diverse range of tour operators in the various segments", and with regard to the markets from which passengers come, particularly in the hotel ship segment, the United States (USA) stands out.
The Administration of the Ports of Douro, Leixões and Viana do Castelo said that, for 2025, it is developing strategic initiatives "to respond to the increase in demand and promote the sustainability of the Douro Waterway".
Among the projects underway, it highlighted the management and operation plan for the waterway, which assesses the carrying capacity of the river and its banks, and investments in the electrification of port operations and in infrastructure for alternative fuels, as part of the energy transition roadmap.
Improvements to port infrastructure and the implementation of technologies to decarbonise operations are also planned, it added.
River tourism in the Douro, according to APDL, "continues to play a significant role in the local economy, generating direct and indirect jobs and positioning the region as one of Europe's main tourist destinations".
Finally, the organisation stressed that it maintains its commitment "to guarantee sustainable, long-term management of the Douro Waterway".
PLI/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
