“Once again and consecutively for several years, we have experienced the best summer ever. There is an increasingly qualified demand and the data indicates that, regardless of the rise in overnight stays, there is a significant increase in income, in the order of 16 percent,” said António Ceia da Silva.


António Ceia da Silva stressed that the tourist visiting the Alentejo and Ribatejo present a “distinct profile”, benefiting the entire sector with its purchasing power.


“This means that there is a tourist who consumes more, a tourist with a distinctive profile that turns out to be good for all the sector, not only for accommodation, but also for catering, tourist entertainment and wine tourism. Everyone ends up benefiting from this,” said the president of ERT Alentejo and Ribatejo.


According to António Ceia da Silva, hotel units recorded a “high occupancy rate” during the summer.


“Occupancy rates in most of Alentejo and Ribatejo were very close to 100 percent. In fact, in many of the most sought-after areas they were even ´overbooked´, there was indeed a very considerable demand not only in the Alentejo coast but also in areas where there are already river beaches,” he said.