The tourist accommodation sector registered 1.8 million guests and 4.3 million overnight stays in February 2024, corresponding to increases of 7% and 6.4%, respectively (+1.9% and -0.3% in January 2024, in the same order) compared to the same period in 2023, reveal the data released by the National Statistics Institute (INE).
Resident overnight stays totaled 1.4 million (+3.1%), reversing the downward trend of the previous month (-3% in January). External markets recorded growth of 8.1% (after +1.1% in January), countering the slowdown of the last three months, recording 2.9 million overnight stays.
Poland, Canada and the USA grow at double digits
The 10 main issuing markets in February represented 73.2% of total non-resident overnight stays this month, among which the one with the greatest weight stands out, the British market (17% of total non-resident overnight stays in February), with an increase of 9.4%.
Overnight stays from German guests (11.4% of the total), the second main market, grew 8.5% in February. This was followed by the Spanish market, which originated 8.7% of overnight stays from non-residents, continuing to record a decrease (-6.8%).
The French market (7.5% share) recorded the biggest decrease (-13.3%) among the 10 main markets in February.
In the group of 10 main issuing markets, the Polish, Canadian and American markets also stood out (shares of 3.3%, 3.8% and 6.6%, respectively) for the most significant growth, +25.6%, +23.2% and +19.1%, in the same order, compared to the same month of the previous year.
Trending regions
In February, all regions recorded growth in overnight stays. The most significant increases occurred in the West and Vale do Tejo (+17.2%), in the Azores (+14.0%) and in the Setúbal Peninsula (+9.1%), having been more modest in Alentejo ( +1.5%) and in the Center (+1.7%). The regions that concentrated the highest number of overnight stays were Greater Lisbon (29%), followed by the Algarve (19.1%) and the North (17.6%).
Resident overnight stays increased in all regions, with the exception of Madeira (-9.8%). The West and Tagus Valley stood out with the highest growth (+11.1%), followed by the Azores (+8%). The Greater Lisbon and Centro regions grew the least (+0.1% and +0.2%, respectively).
Regarding the average stay in tourist accommodation establishments (2.43 nights), this decreased by 0.6% in February (-2.1% in January). This indicator recorded growth in the Azores, Madeira and the West and Tagus Valley (+5.6%, +5.3% and +1.7% respectively), while decreases were seen in the remaining regions, the most significant being in Alentejo (-5.3%).
The highest values of this indicator continued to be observed in Madeira (4.72 nights) and the Algarve (3.93 nights), with the shortest stays occurring in the Center (1.64 nights) and in the West and Tagus Valley (1.70 nights).
Non-resident overnight stays also grew more significantly in the West and Tagus Valley (+26.5%) and in the Azores (+25.2%), with the only decrease occurring in Alentejo (-8.9%).
In February, the average stay for residents (1.74 nights) decreased by 0.2% and that of non-residents (3.0 nights) decreased by 2%. The average stay of non-residents was longer than that of residents in all regions, with Madeira recording the longest average stays, both for residents (2.78 nights) and non-residents (5.30 nights). In addition to Madeira, the average stays observed in the Algarve (2.49 nights for residents and 4.56 nights for non-residents) and in the Azores (2.36 nights and 3.46 nights, in the same order) were also above the average stays national averages.
