Portuguese hoteliers celebrate excellent summer results but warn of dark months ahead

Whilst hoteliers have much to celebrate there is concern that hard times are ahead, according to Portugal Resident on Wednesday, September 21.

There is much to celebrate this summer in the Algarve. Hotel bookings in July and August surpassed those of 2019, the country’s record-breaking tourism year which is a remarkable return to form for tourism after the pandemic brought the sector to a halt for nearly two years.

But, hoteliers in the Algarve warn that the summer’s achievements may be cancelled out by the hard times that are expected just around the corner.

Helder Martins, the president of the Algarve hoteliers association (AHETA), is calling for the government to implement urgent measures to help hotels and tourism companies prepare for the threatened storm.

Helder said: “We had excellent results this summer. Occupancy numbers were very good as we surpassed those of 2019, however, rising energy costs may erase any gains that hotels and other tourist establishments may have been hoping for.”

“While their revenue may have increased, there has been a brutal increase in costs. In other words, this increase in revenue may not translate into an increase in profits,” he added.

For Helder, the concern is that some hotels are seeing their energy bills more than double,  increases which the hotelier boss warns could force some businesses to close down for good.

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