The report “Environmental Performance of Tourist Accommodation in Portugal 2025” presents the results of a survey conducted between January and March 2026, focusing on environmental practices implemented in 2025. A total of 1,229 TE from across the national territory responded, out of a universe of 2,405, corresponding to a response rate of 51%, enabling an assessment of the state of sustainability in national accommodation.
The results show consistent progress in resource efficiency and the transition to more circular models. In energy, TE adopted 65% of the recommended measures, with the widespread use of operational practices to reduce consumption standing out (e.g., 91.2% ensure they switch off unnecessary equipment), and the gradual expansion of investment solutions such as photovoltaic solar panels (31.7%) and electric vehicle charging points (45.4%).
In water management, behavioral measures show high maturity (e.g., 96.7% change towels/sheets upon request; 86.4% have low-consumption flushing systems), but the adoption of technical solutions, such as graywater reuse (14.0%), remains more selective.
In waste management, TE adopted 71% of the practices, with 95.8% separating waste for recycling and 84.7% providing refillable products in rooms. However, bio-waste recovery (e.g., composting at 49.7%) indicates room to scale. Regarding certifications, 42% of TE state they hold at least one certification.
The transition away from single-use plastics, despite a consistent overall performance (62.0% of TE with reduction practices), indicates that there is room to strengthen and standardize the phase-out of plastic packaging in internal operations.
Finally, waste prevention and management are gaining operational traction, with a high incidence of inventory monitoring (95.7%). Regarding the recommended practices, 49% of TE report waste-management practices, and 74.0% state they adopt circular-economy practices.
