Europe’s "most famous secret": Visit Algarve & SATA celebrate Canadian growth in Toronto

The Algarve Tourism Bureau (Visit Algarve) and SATA Azores Airlines (SATA) welcomed just over 60 travel advisors and suppliers to The Old Mill in Toronto Monday afternoon (May 4) to celebrate a destination described as "Europe's most famous secret."

The luncheon and workshop brought together a delegation of 12 DMCs, hoteliers, and tourism suppliers from Portugal’s Algarve region, alongside executives from Visit Algarve, SATA (including Discover the World, the airline’s GSA in Canada), and Visit Portugal.

The format included a trade shop with attendees visiting each delegate’s table and collecting stamps on event passports, with prize draws ranging from golf rounds to multi-night hotel stays.

Canada visitation on the rise

In a joint interview with PAX, Hugo Nascimento, Visit Algarve's executive director, and João Ferreira, head of international markets for SATA, shared that the Canadian market has shown strong growth over the past two years.

"We've seen a slight change between the U.S. and Canada, and there is a huge potential for the Canadian market," he said.

"The Canadian market is our seventh market at the moment," Nascimento added. "And with the numbers that we are seeing, probably they will be going to sixth quite soon."

According to Visit Algarve, visitation from the Canadian market grew approximately 12 per cent in the past year.

Even with an unusually rainy start to 2025, growth held firm. "The numbers still surprised us, and we also were growing double digits, by 11, 12 per cent," Nascimento noted.

Ferreira added that SATA has been responding to the growing demand. "We have been performing quite well, and that's why we are adding capacity to Canada, and we are rethinking our operations based on the demand and on the numbers we have seen."

"For our point of view, I think there (are) two kinds of profiles in the Canadian market," Nascimento told PAX. "One of those, the snowbirds - they tend to spend a lot of months and weeks in the Algarve, due to the weather."

He pointed to the region's mild winters averaging around 15 degrees celsius as a key driver for long-stay travellers, noting that the cost of a rental in the Algarve can compare to running central heating back in Canada.

The average length of stay across all visitors sits at 5 to 6 nights, but snowbird stays run considerably longer.

The second profile, the "younger traveller" or millennial, is one both executives are watching closely, with Nascimento noting they want to explore and "don't want to just stay in the resort."

Ferreira linked this to a broader shift in Canadian travel behaviour, noting that political tensions and global uncertainty may be prompting many Canadians to pivot to other destinations.

"They are now looking for sustainable destinations, enjoying experiences, authenticity - and that's, I believe, what the Algarve has to offer to those who are willing to have something different, escaping to a safe destination, and willing to be in Europe, but not in the famous cities. Not the clichés," he told PAX.

According to Nascimento, the Algarve isn't positioning itself as an all-inclusive destination, even if that product exists there. "We are a year-round destination. We have a lot to explore," he said.

With regards to capacity, Ferreira said if they had more planes, “we would definitely have more capacity out of Canada." 

He confirmed that SATA is working through its summer 2027 schedule and expects to add one or two additional frequencies out of Canada, though nothing is yet finalized.

Sun, sea, & more

Visit Algarve’s product manager, Patricia Ponte gave the trade a destination overview that went beyond the beaches the region is famous for, though she pointed out there's no shortage of those either.

"There's no best beach in the Algarve," she told attendees. "We have more than 100, so explore as much as you can, and you'll find one (to) your taste."

Ponte shared that the region logs approximately 300 days of sunshine annually, 88 blue flag beaches, 43 golf courses, and over 40 spas. Iconic natural landmarks include the Benagil Cave, accessible by boat or kayak, and the Ria Formosa Natural Park, a coastal lagoon and nature reserve that is visible on approach to Faro Airport.

The fine dining scene holds seven Michelin-starred restaurants with nine stars in total, the highest concentration in Portugal, while the wider food and wine scene reflects a Mediterranean diet that is UNESCO recognized as intangible cultural heritage.

For active travellers, the Algarve delivers on outdoor adventure too, with scenic walking and cycling trails, protected nature parks, birdwatching, water sports, and cultural experiences ranging from historic castles and Roman bridges to art galleries and festivals.

Accommodation ranges from luxury resorts and boutique hotels to private villas and rural properties at various price points. 

According to the tourism bureau, the Algarve remains one of the most affordable destinations in western Europe without compromising quality.

SATA's year-round lift 

Andrea Thornton, national manager for SATA, represented by Discover the World Canada, brought attendees up to speed with the airline's network and product. SATA is Portugal's oldest airline and is celebrating its 85th anniversary this year.

SATA is the only carrier offering year-round nonstop service from both Toronto and Montreal to the Azores, with onward connections to Faro, the gateway airport for the Algarve. Connections across Canada are available through code-share partner WestJet and interline partner Porter Airlines.

For summer 2026 (May 31 - Oct 2), SATA operates six weekly flights from Toronto (YYZ) to Ponta Delgada (PDL) and four weekly from Montreal (YUL) to PDL, plus a seasonal weekly flight from Toronto to Terceira (TER).

Beyond service out of Ponta Delgada includes 30 weekly flights to Lisbon, 18 to Porto, 10 to Funchal, and three times weekly to Faro, Barcelona, Paris, Frankfurt and Cape Verde, giving travel advisors strong multi-destination itinerary options throughout Portugal and Europe.

The free stopover program allows passengers to add up to seven days in the Azores, in either or both directions, at no extra airfare cost, giving travel advisors a simple way to build a two-destination Portugal itinerary.

Travel advisors earn two per cent upfront commission on all published fares ticketed through GDS. Agents can also register at SATA4Agents.com for the Agent Reward Program, where miles are earned on every ticket issued by inserting their PIN, along with access to the latest news, reduced rate fares and group requests.

"Come down, explore - it's easy to move around. (The Algarve) is a safe destination, and it's pretty much affordable,” Nascimento urged attendees.

"The Algarve and the other regions of Portugal are ready to provide experiences, and all travellers need to feel that. And of course, try to escape the snow, and the Algarve is the perfect fit for them,” Ferreiro added.

For more information on the Algarve, visit here.

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