Local Tourist Accommodations in Portugal Have More Than Quadrupled in The Last Three Years

26 December 2017

According to Eduardo Miranda, the president of the Portuguese Local Accommodation Association (ALEP), Portugal has gained a high-level of visibility in the tourism sector.

Local tourist accommodations in Portugal have more than quadrupled in the last three years, from around 13,000 registered establishments in 2014 to more than 55,000 in 2017.

According to the National Registry of Local Accommodation Establishments (RNAL), made available by Turismo de Portugal, 55,345 lodgings of this type of tourism enterprise were registered up to December 15th of this year, mainly in the districts of Lisbon (10,611), Porto (4,881) and Albufeira (4,815).

Of the more than 55,000 registered establishments, 36,289 are in apartments, 15,228 in houses and 3,828 in lodging establishments, of which 506 are hostels.

In the last three years, 42,061 local accommodation lodgings were registered, compared to 13,326 licensed establishments on December 15, 2014. That increase brought the total, according to RNAL data, to 55,345.

Tthe highest growth of the three-year boom in local housing was recorded this year, with 19,493 establishments licensed. In 2016, 11,733, opened. In 2015 there were 10,535, and in 2014, 4,041 lodgings opened.

In statements to Lusa, Mr Miranda highlighted the sector’s role in boosting tourism, saying that local accommodation permitted a “greater capacity” for accommodation in Portugal, “which was necessary and fundamental to the growth of tourism,” while also bringing diversity to Portugal’s offerings, improving its competitiveness in international terms.

“Without local accommodations, it is absolutely impossible to imagine having had the growth that tourism has had to date,” Mr Miranda stated, indicating that this type of tourist accommodation represents “a third of overnight stays and close to that regarding the total number of guests.”

Regarding investors in the sector, ALEP’s president said that 94% of local housing operators are small owners with one to three units, and “72% own a single unit.”

“Something like 30,000 families and micro-enterprises live and depend on local housing,” the executive said. Large entrepreneurs investing in the sector represent “less than 4% of total local accommodation in major destinations.”

Regarding perspectives for the future, Mr Miranda expressed optimism, due to the awards that Portugal has recently received in the area of tourism, but reiterates that it is necessary to have legislative stability.

“Today, Portugal is in fashion at an international level and, in that sense, we will need to increase our capacity to receive guests, both qualitatively and quantitatively. It is at this point that local accommodation can and will contribute not only in a flexible way, increasing the capacity of accommodation, because without accommodation there is no tourism, but also bringing diversity, that is, people today travel more and want other types of accommodations as well,” ALEP’s president insisted.

Mr Miranda believes that Portugal has gained a high-level of visibility in the tourism sector.

“It is perhaps one of the biggest phenomena regarding international tourism in recent years, this will continue to bring more tourists, more revenue, and will continue to be a fundamental engine of the economy,” he said.

Story: Dinheiro Vivo / Lusa

Photo: Ana Margarida Pinheiro

Original Translation: Richard Turner