Hotel occupancy levels in the Algarve were up by 1.2% during July compared with the same month last year, according to statistics from the Algarve hotels and resorts association (AHETA).
They show that there has been a marked increase in the number of Spanish (33.4%), Dutch (29.1%) and British (11.6%) tourists staying in the Algarve, with these increases helping to counter the fall in visitors from Ireland (-18.7%) and from other parts of Portugal (-9.1%).
The areas of the Algarve that have shown the biggest increases in occupancy levels in July 2011 in comparison with July 2010 are Lagos and Sagres, which were up by 21.2%, and also had the highest overall occupancy level in the Algarve at 86.4%, and Faro and Olhão, which saw an increase of 15.2%. Areas that have fared less well during July 2011 were Vilamoura/Quarteira/Quinta do Lago, which saw occupancy levels fall by 12.6% and Monte Gordo which was down by 4.8%. The area with the lowest overall occupancy level was Faro and Olhão with 65.2%.
Although there was a higher level of occupancy, the turnover in relation to hotel occupancy was marginally down by 0.8%.
A spokesman for AHETA said: “The increase in occupancy has not resulted in an increase in turnover because of the reduction in prices in this sector.
“It should also be noted that Albufeira, the main tourist area of the Algarve, registered no significant fluctuations in hotel occupancy levels.”
