Pipadouro records three consecutive years of growth

Pipadouro, an operator specializing in luxury river tourism on the Douro, ended the year 2025 with 2,353 passengers, representing growth of approximately 14% compared to 2024, when it recorded 2,064 passengers. This performance allowed the company to achieve, for the third consecutive year, a new occupancy record, reinforcing its position in the premium tourism segment in Portugal.

Throughout 2025, 486 programs were held aboard the classic yachts Friendship I and Pipadouro II. In line with the defined strategy, the company reduced the number of regular departures, registering significant growth in exclusive programs. Tailor-made experiences established themselves as the brand’s main product, followed by the “One Day on the Douro” (Um Dia no Douro) program.

The passenger profile confirms Pipadouro’s strong international projection, with clients from 24 nationalities. The United States solidified its position as the main source market, representing 56% of total passengers, followed by Brazil (14%) and Portugal (10%). The top 10 markets also include the United Kingdom, Mexico, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, and Austria, with the latter two being new relevant markets for the operation.

According to Ana Clara Silva, Operations Director at Pipadouro, the results reflect a consistent strategy. “Our growth stems from a combination of passion, rigor, strategic vision, and professionalization. 2025 was the year this positioning was clearly consolidated in the market,” she highlights. Among the main milestones of the year was the launch of Pipadouro Excellence, a package of premium services designed to elevate the luxury river tourism experience on the Douro. This concept includes features such as butler service, onboard babysitting, massages, live music, à la carte chef, private driver, professional photographer, certified local guide, and wine educator, allowing for the creation of fully personalized experiences.

Another highlight was the debut of Exclusive Nights, a series of six nighttime events aboard the yacht Friendship I, anchored in Pinhão. These experiences combined live music with wine and gastronomic offerings, including Port wines, still wines, and creations by local producers, introducing a new cultural and sensory dynamic in the region during the night period.

In 2025, Pipadouro also launched the “Douro from end to end” program, created to mark the 269 years of the Douro Demarcated Region, proposing a full crossing of the river, from Barqueiros to Barca d’Alva. The initiative reinforced the connection between tourism, heritage, culture, and landscape, asserting the river as the central element of the experience in the territory.

The year was also marked by recognition from the sector, with Pipadouro winning the APENO – Ageas Seguros National Wine Tourism Award in the Best Tourism Company category, and being internationally distinguished with the People’s Choice Award at the Best of Wine Tourism Awards, promoted by the Great Wine Capitals Global Network, in the Best Innovative Experience in Wine Tourism category.

For 2026, the company enters with a strategy focused on geographic expansion and sustained growth, maintaining authenticity as a central pillar. “The essence of Pipadouro remains: intimate, authentic experiences deeply connected to the territory,” states Ana Clara Silva, adding that the ambition also involves reinforcing the company’s role as a link between quintas (wine estates), producers, partners, and visitors, with the Douro River as the central axis of the experience.