Ocuppancy rates 2016
For this year, and mainly for the Algarve, expectations are even greater. This is in part due to the widespread levels of uncertainty with regards to safety on an international level, as well as, according to the director for tourism in Portugal, «a work in progress to make the Algarve a destination of reference, not only for the quality of services but also from a safety aspect», which has contributed to an increase in demand for the region. This backs up what is already anticipated: occupancy in the Algarve will reach historical highs this year.
A survey carried out by the Travel Zoo and mentioned in the Diário de Notícias, concluded that security is the most important thing to the British tourists when choosing their holiday destination. And it is based on this revelation that the number of reservations in Portugal, Greece and Spain are the increasing.
Advanced bookings made for this coming summer have increased more than 15% in relation to the previous year, which reflects the tourists’ concern in making sure they have a “place in the sun”, in the south region of Portugal.
The occupancy rates in the Algarve increased to 56.6% during the Easter period, an increase of more than 16% in relation to the same period in 2015. According to AHETA (the association of hotels and resorts in the Algarve), those who have contributed most to this increase were the Dutch, Spanish and British.
At the time of publishing this article, there are some hotels that are already fully booked for the peak season. At Casas do Barlavento the majority of villas and apartments are also already booked for the busier months of the summer. Even if the visitors are attracted to Portugal for reasons of force majeure, when they get here their enjoyment of everything the Algarve has to offer is a given. This will hopefully mean they’ll come back again without any other motive other than it is the place they wish to spend their holidays.