The tourist accommodation sector registered 1.1 million guests and 2.6 million overnight stays in December 2021, corresponding to year-on-year rates of change of +150.0% and +170.4%, respectively (+265.0% and +287.2% in November, in the same order). The levels reached in December 2021 were lower than those observed in December 2019, having decreased the number of guests and overnight stays by 28.9% and 26.7%, respectively.

In December, the domestic market contributed with 1.1 million overnight stays (+92.6%) and the external markets totalled 1.5 million (+292.5%). Compared to December 2019, there were decreases both in overnight stays from residents (-12.2%) and in those from non-residents (-34.9%).

In December, 36.0% of the tourist accommodation establishments were closed or had no movement of guests (34.8% in November).

In 2021 (preliminary data), tourist accommodation establishments recorded 14.5 million guests and 37.5 million overnight stays, +39.4% and +45.2%, respectively (-61.6% and -63.2% in 2020, in the same order). Compared to the same period in 2019, guests decreased by 46.4% and overnight stays declined by 46.6% (-10.9% for residents and -62.0% for non-residents). In 2021, compared to 2019, there were decreases in overnight stays in all regions, mainly due to reductions in non-residents, although there were increases in overnight stays from residents in the RA Madeira (+19.2%) and in the Algarve (+5.1%).

The United Kingdom remained the main inbound market in 2021, accounting for 16.6% of non-resident overnight stays, and grew by 54.6%. It was followed by the Spanish (share of 14.3%), German (11.9%) and French (11.8%) markets.