The overall occupancy rate has gone up, as compared with the same period last year. There is a degree of optimism in the air about the forthcoming summer season. According to figures from AHETA, the Algarve Hotel and Tourist Resort Association, average occupancy per room in accommodation units in the Algarve in February was 49.1%, 1.7% higher than that recorded in the same month in 2006.

As regards the overall occupancy rate, the average per bed was 37.4%, 2.9% higher than that recorded in the same month in 2006.

Carvoeiro, Armação de Pêra, Lagos, Sagres and Albufeira were the places where the biggest increases were recorded, in contrast with the Vilamoura/Quarteira/Quinta do Lago triangle, where a fall of 3.5% was recorded.

The area which saw the highest occupation rate was Faro/Tavira/Monte Gordo, with 62%, while the lowest rate occurred in Portimão/Praia da Rocha, with 38.9%

The biggest increases were recorded in three-star hotels and aparthotels (11.5%) and in 2- and 3-star tourist villages and apartments (5.5%). Five-star hotels saw a fall of 2.7%.

2-star hotels and aparthotels recorded the lowest occupancy rate, with 35.4%, while the highest occurred in those with three stars, 66.5%.

The British Market accounted for almost half the total number of overnight stays, with 44.7%, followed by Portuguese tourists with 15.4% and the Dutch market with 14.9%.

Better days in the Summer.

Helder Martins, president of the Algarve Tourism Board, told the online site PressTUR that this summer would be better than last year, referring to the region’s expectations for this year’s tourist high season.

He added that, from the opinions he had heard two days ago in Berlin, businesspeople have high hopes and think that things would go well.

According to him, a number of establishments offering different products are already full for August, “which is the month that gets booked up first”.

source: algarve observer