A record number of tourists celebrating New Year's Eve in the Algarve are set to fill the region’s hotels which are preparing for 100% occupancy.
The region’s tourist board, Turismo do Algarve, says the New Year is "traditionally stronger than Christmas" with a wide variety of events set up to attract visitors and the public.
Desidério Silva, president of the regional tourist board, said the feedback he has had from hoteliers is that they expect maximum occupancy for the New Year, ending a cracking year for the sector, “especially with four to five day breaks starting on the 28th or 30th of December.”
Silva acknowledged that "there are other regions of the country with more traditions at Christmas than in the Algarve," but considered that "the region is popular as a year-end destination and has many restaurant offers and fun outside events in the regions cities and hotels that will give no end of choice to visitors.”
"Throughout the year, the numbers have been beating last year's. December will be no different and should end the year on a high," said Siva.
Elidérico Viegas, president of the Algarve's main hotel association, noted that the calendar this year is not so favorable for the sector because Christmas and New Year's Day are on Sundays.
"Normally, when the end of the year is on a week day, people stay longer. For this year, New Year’s Day is on a Sunday," said the ever-gloomy president of the AHETA, adding that the trend this year has shown a lower demand from domestic tourists, but this will be balanced with an increase in visitors from abroad, creating an overall 5% to 6% increase in hotel occupancy over 2015.
Viegas did admit that the region’s hotels should be banking more cash in December as they have all year, as room rates have risen an average of 12.5% over 2015 "due to this increase in external demand."
One problem that looms is the planned national strike by airport workers at the handling companies Groundforce and Portway which are to go ahead between 28th and 30th of December.
Workers belonging to private security providers, Prosegur and Securitas who checking passengers, employees and scan baggage, also are expected to down tolls at the same time.
Groundforce employees also have threatened to go on strike on Christmas Eve with French owned airports operator ANA saying its management will do everything possible to minimise any problems arising from the strike action.
