Lisbon's hotel industry will experience a positive period during Easter, estimates Carla Salsinha, president of the Regional Tourism Authority of the Lisbon Region, who predicts an occupancy rate of “almost 100%” during this festive period.

“The hotel industry is practically full. The little that is missing will be filled with last-minute bookings, expectations will be the same as last year: almost 100% and the result of very last-minute bookings,” said the official, in statements to Lusa.

Carla Salsinha's "optimistic" expectations are based not only on demand from national tourists, but also from foreigners, mainly Spanish, who are the ones who "fill the region", since, in addition to the city, the 18 municipalities of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area also expect high hotel occupancy.

“Lisbon has a high number of guests and overnight stays, but it is also starting to have the effect of tourists being transferred to the surrounding municipalities. All of them are now offering hotel units and accommodation capacity. Today all 18 municipalities in Lisbon already have hotel units filled,” he stressed.

In addition to Lisbon, Carla Salsinha highlights cities such as Almada and Oeiras as some of those that have been registering a strong growth in tourist demand, with the person in charge considering that “Almada is known for its urban art and the festivals it holds”, while Oeiras, which “today has a good offer”, stands out in wine tourism.

“You can visit a winery selling Oeiras wine, which is starting to gain fame. All municipalities are starting to have such a differentiated range of products, including very niche products, Lisbon is constantly growing,” he added.

The president of the Regional Tourism Authority of the Lisbon Region emphasises that the growth of tourism throughout the region “is the result of a lot of work being done by the municipalities to make known what exists outside the city of Lisbon”.