The total number of overnight stays rose 10.8 percent to 65.8 million.

In 2016 the total number of guests in tourist accommodation had risen 11% on the previous year, the INE recalled.

According to the institute's surveys, there were 5,840 tourist accommodation establishments in Portugal in activity on July 31 last year, up 21.5 percent on a year earlier, with these offering a total of 175,100 rooms and 402,800 beds - up 5.2 percent and 5.8 percent respectively.

In particular, 'local lodging' - mainly tourist apartments and hostels - numbered 2,663 in July of last year, comprising 66,600 beds. These last year received 3.4 million guests, up almost 29 percent on the year, for 8 million overnight stays, up 27 percent.

Hotels, resorts and similar accommodation represented 78 percent of capacity, at 1,758 establishments with 313,000 beds, last year receiving 82 percent of guests at 19.8 million, up 10 percent, and 85 percent of overnight stays at 55.7 million, up 8.4 percent.