The Easter period in the Algarve is traditionally a popular time for many tourists to come to the region, however this year the Algarve saw a drop in tourist numbers which was reflected in a fall in turnover for hotels.

According to figures from AHETA, the Algarve association of hotels and resorts, the turnover of hotels in the Algarve was down by 17.4% in comparison to the same period last year in 2011.

During April 2012 the occupancy rates of hotels in the Algarve was down by 10.8% compared to April 2011 with occupancy only reaching 46.2% indicating that less than half of all rooms in the Algarve were filled over Easter.