Home to historical sites, colorful streets, and appetizing food, Lisbon is a central part of Portugal's economy. As the nation's capital city, it also manages to attract a growing number of American homebuyers and tourists worldwide.

With many travelers eager to explore Lisbon year-round, officials have begun reviewing different aspects of the city that are most appealing to foreigners. At the top of the list is real estate, as US investors feel their dollars go far not just in Portugal's capital city, but also in other hotspots like Cascais and Porto.

Traditionally, December and January were regarded as the off-season months when tourism lagged a bit. However, that could be changing, according to the president of the Baixa Pombalina Dynamization Association (ADBP).

Christmas lights regarded as a notable tourism magnet

Downtown Lisbon, in particular, has seen an uptick in folks looking for Christmas lights, trains, and other seasonal decorations. In turn, businesses nearby are more likely to get tourists coming in for shopping or a bite to eat.

ADBP president Manuel de Sousa Lopes recently weighed in on how all of this impacts the local economy.

Sousa Lopes lauded a "strong Christmas" in Lisbon while stating much of the foot traffic is benefiting the city's Baixa Pombalina neighborhood. He then stressed the importance of strong tourism, explaining Baixa Pombalina needs the extra business from travelers to remain financially afloat.

Spending the Christmas season in Portugal

Lisbon-centered travel pages on Instagram have done a wonderful job of promoting the city as a great place to visit in December and January.

Instagram accounts like @lisbon.travel and @portugal.explores boast hundreds of thousands of followers, showing snapshots and videos of a stunning Lisbon with breathtaking city views, an exciting nightlife scene, and other compelling attractions.

With more people using social media to conduct research and document their travels, these accounts will be vital to tourism in Lisbon and other Portuguese cities. Cascais and Porto, for instance, also have Instagram accounts solely dedicated to promoting their communities.

Travelers seeking a warmer country to enjoy Christmas may very well love Portugal. Compared to many other European nations, Portugal's average temperatures (ranging from 8°C to 15°C) are a walk in the park.