The Algarve maintains an outstanding leadership as the largest Portuguese tourist region, having been responsible for 33.1% (about a third) of overnight stays by tourists last July.

According to the number of estimates such as quick estimates released by the National Statistics Institute (BdP) and the Bank of Portugal BdP, July is always the best month in terms of guests and overnight stays in our country.

Followed by the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (22.7%), the North (15.6%), the Autonomous Region of Madeira (10.5%) and the Center with 10.0%.

In percentage terms, the most significant increases are in Madeira (+21.0%), in the North (+14.9%) and in the Center (+10.6%).

The Ministry of Economy and the Sea, in a statement sent to the actions, highlighting that “the estimate indicates 3,029.1 thousand guests and 8,628.4 thousand overnight stays in the total of tourist accommodation last July, when in July 2021 there were 1,633 , 8 thousand guests (+85.4%) and 4,538.6 thousand overnight stays (+90.1%)».

Compared to July 2019, pre-pandemic month, the evolution at national level is 6.3% more for guests (+179.8 thousand guests) and 4.8% more for overnight stays (+397.2 thousand overnight stays).

«The forecast also states that 2,906 thousand overnight stays will be from residents (2,663.9 thousand in July 2021, that is, +9.1%) and that 5,722.4 thousand will be from non-residents. Which translates to a year-on-year growth of 205.2% (1,874.8 thousand in July 2021)”, summarizes the note from the Ministry of Economy.

The share of overnight stays from non-residents, which was 41.3% in July 2021, now rises to 66.3%, restoring the natural structure of the Portuguese tourist market.

In terms of the main markets, the estimate indicates that all will evolve positively and that their share of total overnight stays from non-residents will be 87.6%.

The British market predominates and registers a share of 19% of overnight stays from non residents and an increase of 1.0% compared to July 2019, with the Spanish market also standing out (share of 12.6% and an increase of 2. 3%) and the North American (share of 7.6% and +35.9% in overnight stays).

In accumulated terms, in July of this year, it is estimated that 14,259.4 thousand guests even stayed in the accommodation units, giving rise to 37,229.1 thousand overnight stays.

Comparing with the same period in 2021, there will be an increase of 194.3% in total overnight stays, resulting from the expected increase of 58.5% in residents (+4,513.3 thousand overnight stays) and of +406.2% for non-residents (+20,066.4 thousand overnight stays).

Finally, tourism revenues continue to grow, above 2019 (+11% in July), confirming how the Bank of Portugal in this expressive matter, which points to non-resident spending in 2022 to exceed by 4.2% of the 2019 values.

For Rita Marques, Secretary of State for Tourism, Commerce and Services, “these numbers show that the tourism sector is, today, again, an indispensable engine in our economy”.

“Thanks to the Governments, but also support and mainly to the sector’s spirit of resilience and creativity, our are located in two years responding to demand after two years responding to demand after two years responding to demand after two many years respond to the demand and, today, Portugal to stand out as one of the most competitive destinations internationally”, concludes a government official.