105 resorts – covering over 30% of the region’s tourism capacity – bear the ‘Save Water’ seal
Tourist resorts and hotels in the Algarve bearing the “Save Water” seal have slashed their water consumption by 13% in just one year, saving a whopping 348,000 cubic metres of water.
The results, announced by national tourism board ‘Turismo de Portugal’ on Monday (June 2), cover the period from March 2024 to March 2025 and come from the sixth monitoring report of the Algarve’s water efficiency commitment, an initiative backed by the Algarve tourism board (RTA) and the national energy agency (ADENE).
Further statistics show a 10% drop in water use per overnight stay, while the total savings are equivalent to 2% of the Algarve’s reservoir capacity, Turismo de Portugal says in a statement. Overall, the average financial savings of the water-saving measures implemented as part of the initiative are of €6,700 per hotel.
So far, 105 resorts – covering over 30% of the region’s tourism capacity – have joined the movement, implementing everything from technical upgrades to awareness campaigns. According to the report, 73% of the 3,100 planned efficiency measures have already been rolled out.
“The results of the first year of ‘Save Water’ confirm its effectiveness and reinforce the Algarve tourism sector’s commitment to sustainable water management,” Algarve tourism chief André Gomes says. “More than just a seal, ‘Save Water’ is a brand of environmental awareness and a vision of the future for the Algarve, at a time when water scarcity continues to demand collective and continuous action from everyone.”
Carlos Abade, president of Turismo de Portugal, also praised the initiative’s success, describing it as proof that “economic growth and environmental protection” can be achieved together, making the tourism sector “more resilient and better prepared for the challenges of the future.”
The ‘Save Water’ programme is part of a broader government response to the drought conditions in the Algarve, and was launched before this past winter’s heavy rainfall, which helped replenish water levels at regional dams. Just last month, regional water company Águas do Algarve (ÁdA) confirmed that the region’s public water supply is fully secured for at least the next three years. Still, authorities are aware that it may not rain like it did this year again for a long time and are insisting on investing in alternative water sources, from a desalination plant in Albufeira to a water collection project in Pomarão in the eastern Algarve.
