In a statement, ATA considers that the new connections between Faro and Ponta Delgada (Azores), New York/Newark (United States of America), Helsinki (Finland), Southampton (United Kingdom), and Brest (France) “confirm the Algarve as an increasingly attractive tourist destination”.

“The Algarve is increasingly a tourist destination of excellence, recognized in all its segments and products, and proof of this is that our region is increasingly connected to the world”, says André Gomes, president of Turismo do Algarve, mentioned in the note.

According to the official, “in recent times, curiosity about the Algarve continues to grow visibly”, highlighting that “this significant number of new routes shows that good work is being done to promote” the region.

For André Gomes, the Algarve “is no longer seen exclusively as a sun and beach destination, managing to respond to a series of other motivations that meet the profile of today's tourists”.

An example of this, he highlights, “is the route now announced by the airline Finnair, which includes the Algarve as a prominent destination for its winter offer next year”.

The Finnish company announced this week that it will start the Faro/Helsinki connection in October 2024 with two weekly flights.

This route joins that of easyJet, which opens, in June 2024, the Southampton (United Kingdom)/Faro connection, with a weekly flight, and the company Volotea, which, next summer, presents a new route from Brest ( France) to the Algarve.

According to ATA, these flights are also added to the new points of connectivity with North America that the region managed to secure, through the reinforcement of the Azores Airlines flight offer between the Azores (Ponta Delgada) and the Algarve ( Faro) and the announcement of the first direct flight between the North American continent and the Algarve, operated by United Airlines, which will connect New York/Newark to Faro from May 2024.

The Algarve Tourism Association highlights that promotional activities to attract new air connections “will continue, not only in the main markets sending tourists to the region but also in several betting markets”.

“The expectation of Algarve Tourism is that this interest from airlines in the destination will continue and that more news may be announced for 2024”, concludes ATA.