With peak season now in full swing extra measures are being introduced to boost the region’s appeal in the hope of making up for the 15 percent drop in visitors seen since the beginning of the year.

Eldérico Viegas, head of the Regional Hotel and Tourist Resort Association AHETA, said “the initial figures we have show that the Algarve’s current hotel occupancy rates are similar to those of last year. However there will be less revenue as hotels are being forced to lower their prices to sustain demand”.

In July 2008 Algarve hotel occupancy figures were at 83.6 percent.

José Carlos Pinto Coelho, President of the Portuguese Tourism Confederation, explained the trend was affecting the whole world as the economic crisis is global and during these holidays occupation rates will be high but prices will be low”.

He also said the drop in visitors to the Algarve was reflected in the golf sector as well, which this year suffered a 30 percent drop in relation to 2008

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