Easter Spending in Portugal Jumps 16 Percent as MB WAY Payments Surge and Tourists Flock to Restaurants

Consumer spending across Portugal during the Easter holiday period rose sharply compared with a year earlier, driven by strong gains in digital payments, tourist activity and a noticeable shift in spending away from Lisbon toward regional districts, according to SIBS Analytics.

Between April 2 and 5, covering the core Easter weekend, the total number of transactions climbed 16 percent year on year, while the overall value of those transactions increased 15 percent. The average purchase came in at 38 euros.

What the Numbers Show

The most striking trend was the continued acceleration of MB WAY, Portugal's dominant mobile payment platform. Transactions made through MB WAY jumped 36 percent in volume and 46 percent in value over the same Easter period in 2025, with an average ticket of 25 euros. The figures underscore how rapidly contactless and app-based payments are displacing traditional methods in everyday commerce.

Supermarkets recorded their busiest day on Saturday, April 4, when transaction volumes surged 48 percent above the daily average for the preceding week. The average weekly supermarket ticket stood at 31 euros, reflecting the familiar pattern of households stocking up ahead of the holiday.

The restaurant sector posted robust Easter Sunday results:

• Operations rose 20 percent compared with a typical day
• Transaction value climbed 12 percent
• The average meal ticket reached 30 euros, seven euros higher than the prior week
• One in four restaurant purchases was made by a foreign visitor

Regional Patterns

The data revealed a clear redistribution of spending across the country during the long weekend. Lisbon saw local transaction activity fall 10 percent, while the Setubal district dipped 3 percent, suggesting residents of the capital region travelled elsewhere for the holiday break.

The beneficiaries were spread across northern and central Portugal as well as the Algarve. Viana do Castelo led the gains with a 19 percent rise in local spending, followed by Faro at 17 percent, Viseu at 13 percent, and both Aveiro and Leiria at 9 percent each. The pattern points to strong domestic tourism flows toward coastal and interior destinations over the holiday.

Cross-Border and Inbound Tourism

Portuguese consumers also spent more abroad during the period, with overseas transactions rising 22 percent. Spain accounted for the largest share at 39 percent of foreign spending, followed by France at 17 percent. The average purchase made outside the country reached 43 euros.

Inbound tourism spending proved equally buoyant. Foreign visitors to Portugal increased their transactions by 25 percent in number and 22 percent in value, with an average ticket of 36 euros. Spanish tourists represented the largest contingent at 21 percent of foreign card activity, followed by British visitors at 14 percent, French and German tourists at 9 percent each, and Americans at 8 percent.

Taken together, the figures paint a picture of a Portuguese economy where consumer confidence held firm over Easter, digital payments continued to gain ground at pace, and the tourism sector delivered a strong start to what is traditionally the opening stretch of the high season.