Brexit is increasingly being pointed out as a constraint to the sustainability and growth of hotels, according to a survey to the sector's professionals, who also highlight September as the strongest month of the year. 

The data is from the survey by the Hotel Association of Portugal (AHP) to its associates on the 2019 and prospects for 2019. 

According to a report by the Portuguese news agency Lusa, in 2017 6% of hoteliers listed Brexit as one of the ‘threats’ to 2018, it was 18%, according to the CEO of the association, Cristina Siza Vieira. 

In this year’s balance the hoteliers said that, for the first time, there were more Portuguese guests than British in the Algarve. For 2019, the inverted ‘dominance’ of British tourists is expected in other areas such as self-catering holidays.

In the data from January to October of the association’s barometer, there was a 1.3 percentage points decrease in the occupancy rate to 73% and increases in revenue – 7% in the average price per room occupied to €97 and 5% in the average price per room available to €71. 

In these records, British tourists led the top of international sleepers and international guests. 

As for the best months for hotels, September began to take the lead in the prospects of 2019, as well as in this year’s balance sheet. August was in second place and July in third. 

For 2019, Portuguese tourists should continue to grow, and visitors from Spain and France are expected to be highlighted again. 

However, the British tourism market continues to be an important one to the industry and once Brexit uncertainty has been eased it is expected that the market will once again grow in Portugal.