The
number of foreign tourists visiting Portugal hit a record high last
year, but hotels took less money as the economic crisis forced them
to cut prices to attract custom, data showed on Thursday.
Foreign
arrivals rose 4 percent to 7.7 million, the National Statistics
Institute figures showed, while hotel revenues slipped just over 2
percent to EUR€1.86 billion (USD$2.5 billion) - within touching
distance of the record of EUR€1.96 billion set in 2008.Overall revenues from tourism account for around 10 percent of Portugal's gross domestic product.
Portugal is mired in its worst recession since the 1970s, with the country's economic growth prospects damaged by tough austerity measures the government has had to enforce under its EUR€78 billion EU/IMF bailout.
GDP shrank 3.2 percent last year and is expected to contract at least another 1 percent this year.
Source:
ANA – Aeroportos /Air
Transport News
