The number of foreign tourists visitingPortugal 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 54 percent to 7.7 million, the National Statistics
Institute figures showed, while hotel revenues slipped just over 2
percent to 1.86 billion euros - within touching distance of the
record of 1.96 billion euros set in 2008.
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 78 billion euro EU/IMF
bailout.
Reuters