Tourism continues to set records in Portugal

2016 is the best year in the history of the hospitality sector in Portugal

Portugal never received so many tourists as of the year 2016. The figures speak for themselves: in the first half of this year Portugal received more than 10.6 million tourists in Portuguese cities, according to the National Statistics Institute report (INE) . June was the best month there is, reaching about 1.89 million tourists.

Also overnight stays registered record, pointing to 29.6 million by July, 10.9% , which is more than in 2015. The Portuguese hotel industry recorded a growth of 3.64% in September over the same month last year, which makes Portugal to get ahead of countries like Spain, Italy, France and the United Kingdom with regard to the growth in hospitality sector.

This growth was felt in nearly all parts of the country, especially in the Algarve, which this summer had the best year ever to tourist level. The occupation has reached almost 100%, both of Portuguese tourists and foreigners.

Also the cruise market was not foreign to this trend, and the port of Lisbon hit its record in July. In total there were more than 45 thousand passengers disembarking in Lisbon, mostly passing by . Over the first seven months of the year, during which 153 ships passed through the city, the variation is  + 2%.

Source: I Online