Algarve hotel occupancy rate for December hit 32.3%, a rise year-on-year of over 11%, according to the Association of Hotels and Resorts in the Algarve.
Turnover also increased compared to last year, by 13.8%.
The Dutch market (+40.5%), German (+25.6%) and Spanish (+22.4%) showed the largest increases in December 2015, with Monte Gordo/VRSA enjoying an increase of 9.3% and Lagos/Sagres and Carvoeiro/Armação de Pêra increasing 4.5%.
Albufeira, in spite of the floods that hit the area on November 1st, managed a rise in hotel occupancy of 4,2%, just as mayor Carlos Silva e Sousa had predicted when he said that "if anything, the effect on tourism will be the opposite. There will be some curiosity and solidarity and people will come to Albufeira to help."
Elidérico Viegas of the Association said to Sul Informaçao in December that he predicted "a rise in occupation, especially from domestic tourists. Instead of the traditional two day break, people will end up staying in the Algarve for four days, leading to a very positive increase in the number of overnight stays."
The Algarve starts 2016 with a room rate price increase of almost 10% compared to last year, according to the Trivago Hotel Price Index.
Albufeira and Portimão are among the Portuguese cities with the largest price increases causing an average price rise nationally of 3.95%.
Oporto’s prices have gone up 20% leading the northern region’s average increase of 14.52%.
The second highest rise in prices is in the Algarve, up 9.68%, followed by the Alentejo up 7.89%, the Cental region, up 6.15%, and the Açores up 4.92%. Lisbon prices have fallen by 1.18%.
The most affordable cities in which to spend the night this month are Fátima, Faro and Peniche (€52), with the top end of the scale represented by Cascais (€107), Funchal (€98), Sintra (€91) and Lisbon (€85) .
