According to the flash estimate, in December 2020, the tourist accommodation sector should have registered 462.5 thousand guests and 972.7 thousand overnight stays, corresponding to year-on-year rates of change of -70.7% and -72.3%, respectively (-76.8% and -76.9% in November, in the same order). Overnight stays of residents will have decreased by 53.9% (-58.8% in November) and those of non-residents will have fallen by 82.9% (-85.5% in the previous month).
In December, 50.0% of tourist accommodation establishments would have been closed or did not received guests (46.9% in November).
When considering the whole year 2020, the tourism accommodation establishments should have registered 10.5 million guests and 26.0 million overnight stays, corresponding to year-on-year rates of change of -61.2% and -63.0% respectively (+7.9% and +4.6% in 2019). The internal market contributed with 13.6 million overnight stays (-35.3%; +6.5% in 2019) and the external markets were responsible for 12.3 million overnight stays (-74.9%; +3.8% in 2019). It would have to go back to 1993, the year in which 23.6 million overnight stays were registered, to find a smaller number of overnight stays.

Despite the circumstances determined by the COVID-19 pandemic, Statistics Portugal calls for the best collaboration by companies, families and public entities in responding to Statistics Portugal’s data requests. The quality of official statistics, particularly its ability to identify the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, crucially depends on this collaboration, which Statistics Portugal thanks in advance.