Pousadas de Portugal performed better last year than its management expected.
Miguel Velez, the man at Pousadas de Portugal which is managed by the Pestana Group, said the results were "very encouraging,” with national and foreign client numbers up showing results that were "better than initial expectations."
Pousadas de Portugal reports that it made around €3 million to November last year and that also it had a good December 2014 trading period.
Today’s press announcement twice revealed that these figures were only achieved by removing trading results from the Freixo and Cascais pousadas. No explanation was given.
Miguel Velez said that New Year 2015 was a blast too and that in general that "the year 2014 saw gross operating profit up by 51% and turnover up by 9.3%,” but only if you exclude the figures from the Freixo Palace Hotel in Oporto and the Pousada de Cascais.
Guests from within Portugal increased in number by 26% but "it was in the international market that growth was more significant: the French market grew by 25%, the Spanish grew 14% and the German and the US market reached a growth of 6%."
Within the network, Viana do Castelo, Obidos, Evora, and the Algarve's Tavira and Sagres pousadas recorded the best results.
For 2015, the aim is to implement a new strategy launched last November, focusing on quality accommodation and aiming to be ambassadors of Portuguese cuisine.
Last year Pousadas de Portugal made a key appointment and welcomed Isabel Froufe as the new commercial director of Pousadas de Portugal who became responsible for implementing the commercial strategy for the 27 Pousadas under contract to Pestana.
Miguel Velez, commented that Isabel Froufe "has the ideal profile to lead the Pousadas de Portugal project at a time of profound transformation based on three different types of experiences; monuments, history and charm."
The 2014 year end figures for Pousadas de Portugal under Pestana's mnagement, including the figures from the Freixo and Cascais pousadas, will make interesting reading as the Pestana Group is intent on getting its hands on the 51% of the shares in the Pousadas business that are still owned by Enatur on behalf of the taxpayer.
On the one hand Pestana wants to look good with buoyant sales and profit figures at its Pousadas subsidiary, on the other hand it wants to buy the remaining shares at as much of a discount as it can wangle from a cash-strapped government.
