Tourist accommodation in the region recorded 245,800 guests in July this year, generating 1,318,400 overnight stays, which translates into positive year-on-year variations of 14.3% and 11.3%, respectively. The hotel segment accounted for 66.5% of overnight stays that month (876,500), representing an 8.2% year-on-year increase. Meanwhile, local accommodation (31.4% of the total) and rural tourism (2.2% of the total) rose by 19.2% and 3.2%, respectively.

The data was released today by the Regional Statistics Directorate, which indicates that in July, overnight stays increased in all regions, with the highest growth occurring in Alentejo (+9.8%) and Madeira (+7.2%). In the Greater Lisbon and Algarve regions, growth was more modest (+1.9% in both cases). The Algarve accounted for 30.8% of total overnight stays, followed by Greater Lisbon (20.4%). These figures do not include local accommodations with fewer than 10 beds.

The net bed occupancy rate for tourist accommodation in the region in the month in question was 75.6%, +2.8 percentage points (p.p.) compared to the same month last year (72.8%). In turn, the room occupancy rate reached 84.8% (down from 83.2% in July 2024).

The average stay in tourist accommodation as a whole stood at 4.82 nights (4.97 nights in July 2024). The highest figures continue to be observed in hotels (4.87 nights) and local accommodation (4.80 nights), followed by local tourism, which has the lowest average stay, with 3.70 nights.

The DREM also refers to the first seven months of 2025, reporting that the total number of guests staying in tourist accommodation in the region reached 1,407,400, representing a 9.7% increase over the same period last year. Overnight stays also increased, rising 9.0% compared to the same period in 2024, exceeding 7.3 million.

Domestic tourists on the rise

The top 10 source markets accounted for 82.0% of total overnight stays recorded in July 2025. Once again, Portugal stands out with 20.3% of the total, i.e., 57.3% more than in July 2024, surpassing, for the second time, the United Kingdom (14.9%; +3.6%) and Germany (14.8%; -3.2%). In fourth place, in terms of relative weight in total overnight stays, is the French market (8.5%; +9.9%), followed by the Polish market (6.7%; +19.3%).

“In cumulative terms, from January to July 2025, the two main international source markets recorded year-on-year variations in overnight stays in opposite directions: the German market recorded a slight increase of 0.5%, while the British market fell by 0.4%. The Portuguese resident market, the second main market in this period, stood out with the most significant positive year-on-year variation, registering growth of 39.8%,” according to a note from DREM.

In Diário de Notícias, Madeira-Photo from Shutterstock

Translated into English as a community outreach program by the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL), in collaboration with Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno. PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.