READ MORE: Inside the Algarve's often-ignored Old Town where you can get from border control to beach in five minutes - and avoid the crowdsSee more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy ALESIA FIDDLER - TRAVEL REPORTER Published: 11:23 BST, 26 August 2026 | Updated: 11:27 BST, 26 August 2026
With a bustling nightlife and plenty of lively bars to choose from, Portugal's Algarve has long been popular with tourists wanting to let loose on holiday. But the tide could soon be changing, as a hotelier has called for a crackdown on 'booze tourism'.And it seems his cries for reforming the resort's image come not a moment too soon.Earlier this month, twelve people were injured after a drunk driver allegedly ran them over along the Oura strip in Albufeira.The man was arrested after reportedly crashing into another car and trying to run away on foot and was apparently found to be nearly 2.6 times over Portugal's legal drink-drive limit.Hélder Martins, president of the Algarve Hotels and Tourism Enterprises Association (AHETA), told national radio station Renascença the incident wouldn't affect the Algarve's image but he wanted to curb excessive drinking amongst tourists in the area.'For a significant part of the year, we have booze tourism, we have stag-party tourism, which are among those that give the destination its worst image,' he said, according to The Resident. A hotelier has called for 'booze tourism' to be curbed in the Algarve. Pictured: A busy party strip in Albufeira, PortugalMr Martins stressed he had 'absolutely no doubt' that for most hoteliers, 'this isn't the tourism we want'.He proposed clamping down on tourism that consists of drinking '24 hours a day, walk around drunk and doing whatever you want'.But the hotel expert acknowledged some local businesses benefit from the boozy visitors. 'There are people who by 10 in the morning have already made €2,000 or €3,000 in beer sales, and that is a reality,' he revealed.Mr Martins suggested the Algarve should take the approach of similar destinations such as Ibiza and Magaluf, which have both tried to rebrand and attract different types of visitors away from the party scene.He also called for more police and security measures, particularly over the summer months.Aside from its vibrant party scene, most of the Algarve is known as a family-friendly destination.The area is one of the most-popular spots for tourists in Portugal and saw a total of 20.8million overnight stays last year, The Resident reports. Mr Martins suggested taking a similar approach to destinations such as Ibiza and MagalufPortugal has also become a serious contender for Britons considering a move abroad in recent years. According to data released by Portugal’s immigration authority, Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo (AIMA), the number of expats seeking a new life on Portuguese soil has tripled in a decade.In total, there are nearly 50,000 expats thought to be residing permanently in the country. In addition to the more favourable tax systems, many are attracted to the low cost of living and affordable property.
