The overall average occupancy rate in the Algarve this October was 67.9%, representing a rise of 6.4% from the figure last year.
The October figure is the best in the past 15 years and the second best the past 20 years but has had to rely on the fickle French market to reach these levels.
According to the Algarve hoteliers’ association AHETA, the best October on record for tourism was in 1999 (77.4%) and in 2000 (73%).
The British have been solidly behind the resurgence, up 18.5% on last year, with the Irish up a welcome 10.5%.
The sharpest increase has been from the French who have slipped out of their high tax homeland and, in the last two years, have shown the highest increase in the Algarve’s hotels with 29.7% more visiting this October compared to last year.
Ovewrall, tourists were spending more as well, with hotel turnover up 11.9%.
All of this has led the regional tourism boss to comment,
"The October and September occupancy rates have been very positive and, accordingly, when we do the sums at the end of the year, we will have had more overnight stays than last year. But the important thing is not only the nights, but also the income," said Desidério Silva, the former mayor of flooded out Albufeira who will be checking through his meeting notes to see if he is personally liable for any of the botched flood relief works installed without license under his tenure.
