The National Statistics Institute (INE) recalls that, in March, guests had increased by 12.3% and overnight stays by 12.8%, but emphasises that April's results “will have been influenced by the calendar effect of the associated holiday period to Easter, which in the previous year was concentrated only in April, while this year it was distributed between March and April”.
Resident overnight stays totalled 1.8 million, falling 12.5% (after +9.9% in March) and contradicting the growth trajectory of the last two months.
External markets registered the first decrease since March 2021 (-0.8%, after +14.0% in March), totalling 4.8 million overnight stays in April.
UK main market
The United Kingdom was the main issuing market in April (share of 18.2%), having recorded a slight drop of 0.2%, followed by Germany (share of 11.7%), which grew 2.0%.
The Spanish market (share of 6.9%) stood out for its significant decrease (-42.5%).
In April, there was some heterogeneity in the evolution of overnight stays between regions, with the Azores registering the most significant increase (+7.5%), while in Madeira (+0.8%), in the West and Tagus Valley ( +0.5%) and in Greater Lisbon (+0.1%) the increases were more modest.
In the remaining regions, there were decreases in overnight stays, with greater expression in Alentejo (-11.3%) and Algarve (-9.9%).
Occupancy in tourist accommodation establishments decreased in April, to 47.3% and 57.5%, in net bed occupancy and room occupancy rates, respectively (-3.6 percentage points and -2.7 points, respectively).
Ofcourse it is down the honeymoon phase comes and goes and saturation point arrives for all countries.
Sad reality is that Racism and Xenophobia is all time high in Portugal. I wish government was little more active to counter it, but I know how spacing 3rd country citizens are being targeted or if they’ve specific skin shade.
But worst of all the hate towards Migrants and same level of hate towards Rich Tourists sent a clear message, this country is no longer moving forward, Infact it’s going back to the era of Portuguese dictator Salazar.
And the rise of Chega sent the shockwaves to all the investors, as what future holds in coming days as values of their properties and investments might tank to almost nothing.
By Nitin Kapoor from Lisbon on 01 Jun 2024, 16:38
The number of UK visitors will continue to decline for 2 reasons 1) Portugal is becoming increasingly expensive compared to similar destinations & 2) Portugal Airports of Lisbon & Faro are continually receiving poor publicity in the time it takes to pass through passport control on arrival and departure . Today it took almost 2 hours to get through passport control at departures from Faro .
By alexander birnie from UK on 01 Jun 2024, 22:03
In reply to Nitin Kapoor... by the logic of your comment, all EU countries ( as I'm gladly seeing moving to the right spectrum of politics), will all suffer from tourism. And please the Chega argument is poor and outdated.. immigration yes.. totally uncontrolled with people sleeping in tents of the Portuguese citizen bearing the bill has to stop. Your socialism ideals are passé just like Karl Marxs "wonderful ideas " ... socialism and centre parties have delivered negligible benefits to the Portuguese population... wake up and smell the coffee
By Claude from Other on 02 Jun 2024, 14:56
Nitin Kapoor
You are right! And let’s bring Salazar back! We need Portugal independence from Bruxelas and not a inglês colony!
By Joaquim Costa from USA on 02 Jun 2024, 17:07
Getting rid of all the Graffiti everywhere and tidying up the growing run down areas would help tourist numbers if you want repeat visitors
By David S from Algarve on 03 Jun 2024, 18:24
This might that the new airport is not needed. Portugal doesn't need more tourism, but maybe it needs higher quality tourism. Most of Lisbon doesn't look good at all. Everything is old, run down and largely neglected. Add to that the rising prices and one might see the writing on the wall.
By Tom from Lisbon on 05 Jun 2024, 06:54