Compared to December, the number of guests increased by 10.9%, while overnight stays increased by 8.3%, adds the National Statistics Institute (INE) in quick statistics relating to January's tourist activity.

Overnight stays from residents reversed the growth trajectory of the last three months and fell by 2.6%, to 1.1 million, while those from non-residents slowed down for the third consecutive month, to a growth of 1.2% (2.3 million).

UK market

The 10 main source markets represented 73.1% of total non-resident overnight stays in January, with the UK standing out, with a share of 15.8% and growth of 6.0%.

German market

Also highlighted was the German market, which represents 11.2% of the total and grew 0.3% in January, while the third largest market, Spain (8.8%), recorded the biggest decrease in number of overnight stays, falling 12.2%.

In the month under review, Greater Lisbon accounted for 29.3% of overnight stays, followed by the North (18.2%), Autonomous Region of Madeira (16.8%) and Algarve (16.4%).

The biggest increases in overnight stays were in the West and Vale do Tejo (18.7%), followed by the North (3.7%) and Center (3.3%), against the declines in the Setúbal Peninsula (-9.7 %), Autonomous Region of the Azores (-4.0%), Greater Lisbon (-3.9%) and Autonomous Region of Madeira (-3.1%).

The average stay in January in tourist accommodation establishments was 2.33 nights, 1.9% less year-on-year, with Oeste and Vale do Tejo (2.5%) and Região Autónoma da Madeira (2.3%) having the biggest increases, compared to the decreases in Península de Setúbal (-6.3%) and Greater Lisbon (-3.0%).

In the month under review, both the net bed occupancy rate in tourist accommodation establishments and the net room occupancy rate decreased by 1.3 percentage points, to 28.3% and 36.1%, respectively.

The highest bed occupancy rates were recorded in the Autonomous Region of Madeira (51.6%) and Greater Lisbon (35.8%), while the lowest were in Alentejo (17.5%) and Oeste and Vale do Tagus (18.2%).