Current News

As Europe's major cities see hotel price rise in October - rates drop in Portugal

Friday, 15 October 2010 18:22

Hotel prices across Europe rose by 4 percent in October compared to September, according to analysis from travel booking site Trivago.com. But, hotel rates in the Algarve are down 39 percent at €71. Overall,  rates in resort centers in Portugal have fallen.

Portugal is the sixth most affordable European country

Thursday, 16 September 2010 00:00

With an average of 84 euros per night, Portugal is the sixth most affordable country  in Europe, according to the Hotel Price Index for the second quarter of 2010. With an average cost of 85 euros per night, Lisbon is the ninth least expensive city. In the second quarter of 2010, "Portugal began to show signs of recovery ', with a one percent rise in average prices per night hotel room, who note in the report.² The average per night rate in a hotel was 84 euros in the second quarter compared with 82 euros in 2009.

U.S. market is growing at double digits for the Portuguese hotel industry

Thursday, 02 September 2010 20:16

The U.S. market grew in the first half of 2010 by 15.9% in terms of hotel guests in Portugal and 10.5% in the number of overnight stays. The average stay was 2.18 nights. It all ads up to 264,121 room nights for American tourists in Portuguese hotels in the first 6 months of 2010, according to data from Turismo de Portugal.  Nationally, 165,892 were in Lisbon, Algarve 28,691, 24,435 in Porto, 17,594 in the Centro Region, 12,711 in the Azores, Madeira had 8,754 and  finally 5,954 in the Alentejo. By percentage, the Azores was the fastest growing region where the number of American guests was up+27.3% over a year ago, and two other regions also had increases above 20%, including the Centro, with +25.7% and Lisbon, with +24.8%. Then came the Alentejo, with +17.8% up, and the Algarve, with an increase of +13.1%, while Porto/Norte and Madeira reported declines of 21.9% and 3.7% respectively. Nights spent by tourists from the U.S. To Centro had the strongest growth in percentage, with +26.8%, ahead of the Azores, with +19.3%, Lisbon, +16.2%, and the Algarve, with +6%. Madeira is the region where American tourists spent on average more time (4.19 nights) and the Alentejo is where they had a shorter stays (1.54).

Azores Islands to be Climate Change Model

Wednesday, 11 August 2010 00:00

The Green Islands Project is the world's largest experiments in viable energy systems powered entirely by renewable sources. Sao Miguel and Flores islands were chosen because both currently use renewable energy sources in addition to oil. Sao Miguel generates about half of its electricity from two geothermal plants, and Flores has significant hydroelectric resources. The experts study when and where it¹s sunny or windy, seasonal shifts in winds and rains, which islands have the most geothermal power and how much electricity each can generate, and how the islands¹ agriculture wastes can be converted to methane to generate electricity. A plan for converting both public and private transportation to electric vehicles is on the Project's drawing board. The regional government is working with the project to convert municipal solid waste to energy, both to address waste removal problems and to reduce reliance on oil. Read more here.