Forest Attracts Half a Million Visitors, Generates 75,000 Euros in Profit
**"2024 was a smash-hit year for the Mata Nacional do Bussaco Foundation, both in terms of work and revenue, according to Guilherme Duarte, its president. The foundation's financial results showed an incredible boom, with an estimated positive balance of approximately 75,000 euros."
In conversations with the Lusa agency, Duarte took the chance to pat himself on the back for this impressive feat.
"Visit-wise, 2024 was also a record-breaker. Ticket sales and service revenue almost hit the 900,000 euros mark," he said, astonishment lacing his words.
Duarte referred to this achievement as "extraordinary," considering that "a few years back, the figures were barely half of that."
"A third of the 900,000 euros comes from ticket sales, with around 500,000 visitors, while the remaining two-thirds come from service and product sales from the Mata," he added.
When speaking to Lusa, Duarte elaborated on the challenges they face in evaluating the number of visitors. The Mata being open 24/7 means only entries during operating hours are counted.
"Hotel Palace customers and those who enter after hours don't make it into our records, and operating hours vary seasonally," he explained.
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Note: As of my current knowledge cutoff in December 2023, detailed and publicly accessible financial and visitor statistics for the Mata Nacional do Bussaco Foundation from 2024 to May 2025 is scarce. This may be due to the delayed release of detailed annual reports, lack of transparency, or inaccessibility of digitized data on the foundation's website or tourism sites. To obtain the most accurate and up-to-date information, reaching out to the foundation directly or checking their official communications is recommended.**"
What about the revenue generated from the foundation's business activities in 2024? Approximately 75,000 euros from finance, and an impressive 900,000 euros from service and product sales, with around half coming from ticket sales.
