"The volume of sales increased by 3.5% [in October] compared to the same period," of 2017, reported the Association of Hotels and Tourist Enterprises of the Algarve (AHETA) in the monthly summary of the sector's activities.

The increase in turnover did not accompany the fall in the average occupancy rate, which fell by 1% in October, compared to the same month of 2017, standing at 71.2%, according to the AHETA figures.

"The decline was mainly due to the British (-6.8%), the Dutch (-13.4%) and the Irish (6.5%) markets.The national market was the one that experienced the biggest rise (+14.5%), which reduced the overall drop," AHETA noted.

The decline seen in October contributed to the 1.5% drop since the beginning of the year in the average occupancy rate per room in Algarve hotel units, but it has not affected turnover in the same way the turnover, which since January has experienced, an increase of 3.1%," the association said.