In the presentation of the final conclusions of the “Study on the impact of local accommodation in Portugal”, in Lisbon, economist and researcher at Nova School of Business & Economics Pedro Brinca highlighted that 46 percent of local accommodation in Portugal generates less than €20,000 per year to their owners.

At the same time, this income represents “more than 60 percent of the family budget” for 39 percent of respondents in the study, carried out at the request of the Local Accommodation Association in Portugal (ALEP) and which is based on 1,820 responses from owners and managers.

This data has led the team to conclude that short-term holiday rentals “have been a driver of the national economy”, generating “added value” both in economic activity and in employment.

Based on 2019 figures, the study estimates that the sector is responsible for 306,096 direct and indirect jobs (which represents 6.18 percent of the national total). In other words, each local accommodation creates “almost four jobs”.

Regarding the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the contribution of expenses from tourists who stayed in local accommodation in 2019 reached €9.9 billion (4.64 percent of national GDP).

Both this contribution and job creation have been growing since 2016, according to the study.

The growth of tourism in Portugal – highlights ALEP in the statement regarding the results of the study – “was only possible due to the emergence of local accommodation, which already represents 40 percent of tourist overnight stays”.

Spending by guests in local accommodation “grew 57 percent between 2016 and 2019”, adds the association.