Tourism: number of guests increases in November, but income decelerated
The touristic activity continued its good pace in the end of last year. Data from INE shows the number of guests and overnight stays are accelerating, but companies' gains have reduced their growth.
More and more guests: data disclosed this Monday by Statistics Portugal (INE) show the number of guests and the number of overnight stays registered in the Portuguese hotel business continued accelerating in November. However, numbers show that there were shorter stays and a reduction in companies’ gains.
According to INE, the number of guests increased 10.2% in comparison to the homologous period, and the number of overnight registered had an 8.8% increase. Both numbers represent an acceleration of the growth rhythm in comparison to October. Even so, the average-stay had a 1.3% fall and the growth in total income was less steep, yet high: 15.5%.
When looking at data from January until November, it is possible to ascertain that 2017 was a good year in comparison to 2016. INE’s preliminary results point to an 8.7% increase in the number of guests, of 7.2% in overnight stays and a 16.5% increase of the total income.
Shorter stays: less than three nights
According to data from INE, in comparison to last year, the average-stays are getting shorter. Between January and November, there was a 1.4% fall of the average overnight stay period, to 2.81 nights. Both in October and November, the number of nights also decreased, standing, in November, at 2.53.
The bed occupancy rate had a net increase of 53.3% in the average of 11 months and to 37.1% in November alone.
More Brazilians, North-Americans and Polish
The number of Brazilian, North-American and Polish tourists has registered an expressive growth, with rises of 37.4%, 33.6% and 29.6%, respectively. Simultaneously, tourists from the United Kingdom — which are the largest group of foreign guests — continue decreasing: they took a 7.7% plunge.
Even so, the United Kingdom continues to be the leader group of foreign guests in Portugal, representing 16% of the total. After the Britons come the Spanish (13%), followed by the Germans (10%) who continue increasing.
