“In 2024, river tourism on the Douro Waterway continued to grow, consolidating the recovery after the challenges imposed by the [covid-19] pandemic,” an official source from APDL told Lusa news agency.

The Douro Waterway is about 200 kilometres long in Portugal, and flows from the mouth of the Douro, in Porto, to the border of Barca D'Alva. It has been navigable along its entire length since 1990 and, since then, the river has become one of the main tourist attractions in this region.

According to APDL, in 2024, 1,377,858 passengers were registered, 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,” highlighted 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, registering an increase of 14.67% compared to the previous year”.

There were, however, decreases in one-day cruises, with a reduction of 11.96%, to 149,467 passengers, and in pleasure vessels, which registered a total of 9,178 passengers, a drop of around 11%.

APDL said 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.

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 ongoing projects, he highlighted the Management and Exploration Plan for the route, 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 'Roadmap' of Energy Transition.

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 the main tourist destinations in Europe”.