In a interview with newspaper Público, Raul Martins, head of the AHP, said when speaking about the achievements of 2016, it should be borne in mind that this year “was the best year ever”, having smashed for the first time, all results of the record-setting 2007.
He added that between January and August , the average occupation rate was 69 percent.
Another reflection of growing confidence in the sector is that last year 40 new hotels opened in Portugal, followed by 26 this year, and next year a further 30 are expected to be inaugurated. An additional eight are to be renovated.
The biggest investment in terms of new hotels is being made in Porto and the northern region, where 11 brand new units and four renovated hotels are to open; ten new hotels and two renovation projects will open in Lisbon.
Central Portugal and the Algarve will see three new hotels open next year, while the Alentejo will have two new units, and Madeira one.
Given the promising horizons, the AHP president had no qualms in affirming that 2017 should also see hotel prices go up. Lisbon this year saw its hotel prices for the month of November go up by 9.89 percent, in comparison to last November, which was the biggest leap in Europe.
This is according to the most recent Trivago Hotel Price Index, which placed Lisbon ahead of Europe’s 50 main capital cities in terms of pricing growth.
The study put the gained ground down to the Web Summit, which was staged in Lisbon from 7 to 10 November.