Defying the endless bad news about its economy, Portugal welcomed more visitors in July this year than it did in 2010, showing that nothing can detract from its appeal as a holiday destination.

Statistics released by the Algarve Tourist Board this month showed improvements across a number of key indicators for tourism levels. For starters, passenger traffic in July at Faro airport, the main entry point to the Algarve, was up three per cent year-on-year.

The number of nights tourist accommodation in the Algarve was occupied by visitors rose nine per cent year-on-year in July. This figure was up 10 per cent for Portugal as a whole. In terms of foreigners visiting Portugal, all nations recorded a year-on-year increase for July, except Germany, which fell by just 0.3 per cent. The Spanish and British markets grew by 31.1 percent and 19.4 per cent, respectively.

The Algarve also welcomed more golfers in July this year, with the number of rounds played across all it courses rising 1.2 per cent year-on-year to 65,644. For a selection of golf properties in the Algarve, visit Rightmove Overseas’s Portugal property listings.

To understand the full step-by-step process to buying a property in Portugal, collect The Overseas Guides Company’s ‘Portugal Property Buying Guide’