According to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE) May’s, 2.6 million guests and 6.5 million overnight stays correspond to increases of 7.7 percent and 3.9 percent, respectively over April’s figures.

Income from accommodation rose 5.9 percent to €296.7 million (compared to 11 percent growth in April and 6.2 percent from January to May).

Portugal’s 16 main tourist markets accounted for 86.9 percent of nights spent by non-residents in tourist accommodation in May, according to INE.

The British market remains buoyant in Portugal (with 21.1 percent of the total number of nights spent by non-residents)and grew 1.4 percent in May and 2.5 percent in the first five months of the year.

German guest overnight stays (12.1 percent of the total) decreased by 12.4 percent in May and have decreased by 7.3 percent since the beginning of the year. When it came the French market (representing 11.2 percent of the total) it decreased by 4.8 percent.

Spain (7.4 percent of the total) grew 24.5 percent in May and has grown 9.4 percent since January.

INE also reported increases in the Polish, North American, Canadian and Chinese markets in May.

The Algarve accounted for 30.8 percent of all overnight stays registered in the country in May, followed by the Metropolitan Area of Lisbon (with a share of 26.6 percent).