President of Algarve Tourism Region highlights “significant increase of revenue” recorded by hotels, tourist accommodation units, restaurants, bars, transportation and commerce.
The fourth edition of Afro Nation, considered the world’s biggest Afrobeat music festival, brought tens of thousands of people to Portimão once again. According to official PSP sources, “around 35,000 people each day”. Throughout the week, the entire Algarve welcomed travellers who came to the region not only for the festival but also for its location.
Held between June 26 and 28 at Praia da Rocha, the festival has become known for its “significant economic, cultural and social impact,” said André Gomes, president of the Algarve Tourism Region (RTA).
While the Algarve is used to welcoming scores of holidaymakers every summer, there’s nothing quite like the influx of tourists during the Afro Nation week. People from all over the world visit the Algarve, representing a “direct injection of capital in the local economy,” says André Gomes.
Hotels, tourist accommodation in general, restaurants, bars, shops, maritime-tourism companies, and transfers record a “significant increase in revenue” during the festival days, he explains.
“Hotel occupancy nears maximum capacity in some units, and prices tend to rise due to high demand,” Gomes says, adding that restaurants and other local businesses also see a revenue spike during the festival, providing a much welcome boost and creating more temporary jobs to meet the demand.
According to festival organisers The Malachite Group (TMG), “the average length of stay for those attending the festival is between seven and 10 days, which is a testament to the beautiful and welcoming city of Portimão.” Additionally, those who come for work also enjoy the experience. “The entire crew has fallen in love with the place, with many choosing to take their holidays around the Algarve, and some have even relocated to make Portugal their home six to 12 months of the year,” they add.
“Last summer, our marketing team bumped into this year’s headliner Asake on a boat trip visiting the caves along the coast. Burna Boy has also been spotted riding a jet ski off the coast and celebrating his birthday here, so the same can be said of artists. They will create time in their busy schedules to enjoy Portimão,” the organisers say.
This event not only brings thousands of Portuguese and foreign festivalgoers to Portimão but also many others who travel to the region to accompany friends or family members and take the opportunity for a holiday or to work in bars, security, backstage, and production at Afro Nation.
Neighbouring municipalities such as Lagos, Lagoa, and Albufeira have also benefited from the festival’s positive impact, promoting “multiculturalism” and “strengthening the cosmopolitan character of the Algarve,” which, in addition to putting the region “on the map of major cultural events,” can attract future investments, says André Gomes from the Algarve Tourism Board.
As such, André Gomes reveals that “intermunicipal strategies” are being developed, such as coordinating transportation, increasing the number of accommodation units, and improving support infrastructure to manage the influx of tourists effectively and minimise disruptions for residents.
Feedback from different Algarve municipalities has been “overwhelmingly positive”, with Faro also registering an increase in tourists during the festival, including a 10% increase in the number of passengers landing at the airport in June 2023.
“Afro Nation has been an important catalyst for tourism and the local economy,” the tourism boss said, estimating that each previous edition injected millions of euros into the regional economy, with “direct and indirect” financial returns.
Meanwhile, the organisers have spoken highly of Portimão as the host town. “People tell us how much they love visiting Portimão and the Algarve, and we would love to host our festival here for the next 20 years and beyond,” they say, noting that this was “the best year on every level”.
“We are always striving to elevate the experience even further, and how we seamlessly integrate into the paradise that is Praia da Rocha. None of this would be possible without the cooperation with the municipality of Portimão, and with how welcoming and warm everyone is to our community,” they stress.
“How we showcase the city to the world and the wider economic impact of our festival on the local region is important to us,” the organisers say, adding that one of their goals is to make the festival “as accessible as possible, while booking so many stars from all around the world and presenting them on world-class stages”.
While this year’s festival brought people from 170 different countries to the Algarve, there has also been an increase in the number of Portuguese ticket buyers. The Resident tried to confirm the total number of tickets sold, but the information was not disclosed.
By BEATRIZ MAIO
