Algarve tourism numbers set new records in 2016

The number of tourists visiting the Southern province of Portugal is soaring.

By the end October 2016, the record from the entire last year had already been beaten. Algarve businesses are set to benefit tremendously from the influx of visitors which are estimated to be spending more than 1 billion euros in 2016.

Total number of 2016 visitors to Algarve will be between 4 and 4.5 million after reaching 3.88 million guests by October 2016.

The Algarve - amongst most loved holiday destinations by Brits.

Sunny Algarve - high temperatures all year
Uncertain times in Turkey and in countries in Northern Africa have pushed tourists towards The Iberian Peninsula, but the wonderful weather also plays an important role.

The Algarve is one of the sunniest places in Europe, and temperatures rarely fall under 10 degrees even on the coldest winter day.

The temperatures throughout the year are as follows (average daily high temperatures for Faro):

• January: 16
• February: 17
• March: 18
• April: 20
• May: 22
• June: 25
• July: 28
• August: 29
• September: 26
• October: 23
• November: 19
• December: 17

From late October and until late February, even the Algarve will have its rainy days, but from March to September, you can depend on a minimum of 7 hours of sunshine per day average.

Where to stay in the Algarve
The largest cities in the Algarve are:

• Portimão
• Faro (where the airport is located a few miles outside city centre)
• Olhão
• Loulé
• Quarteira
• Lagos
• Albufeira (most important tourist city)
• Tavira
• Silves (lesser known inland city)
• Vila Real de Santo Antonio (VRSA) - on the border to Spain
• Lagoa

Portugal increasingly depending on tourism
It is not only the Algarve/Southern Portugal that sees an increase in visitors.

In Portugal as a whole, 50 new hotels were built in 2016, and for 2017 a further 30 new hotels are planned to open.

The general price level is still very low in Portugal even compared to Spain.

Fuel is among the few expensive items in Portugal, whereas going out and eating out still comes across as a bargain for most tourists from the Western part of Europe and the UK. 

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