Web Summit, MotoGP and Other Events That Affect Your Autumn Rental Rates

The Lisbon Marathon took place on Saturday 10 October, and the Half Marathon followed on Sunday. In less than four weeks, Web Summit arrives. Between one event and the next, some weeks are quiet and others see very strong demand. If you set a single price for the whole autumn, you either lose bookings or leave money on the table. Here is how to use the events calendar to adjust rates, minimum stays and cleaning schedules for your short-term rental (alojamento local, or AL) in Lisbon, Cascais and the Algarve, and what to do in the weaker periods.

The autumn calendar: what is confirmed

Always check dates on the official websites before changing your rates. Programmes and schedules can change.

Marathon and Web Summit: two types of demand

The marathon and Web Summit call for different strategies.

The Lisbon Marathon brought together around 32,000 runners across the three races, with athletes from more than 140 countries. Demand is largely weekend-based, from groups and couples who book well in advance. Because the route starts in Carcavelos and finishes at Praça do Comércio, the effect is not limited to Lisbon: it also reaches Oeiras and Cascais.

Web Summit is different. The organisers expect more than 70,000 attendees from more than 160 countries, from Monday to Thursday. They are mostly professionals, with short stays and specific needs: reliable Wi-Fi, a place to work and good connections to Parque das Nações. The Lusa news agency’s review of the 2025 edition points to high hotel occupancy, but concentrated on the event days, with less demand before and after. The same report confirms that some Lisbon hotels more than tripled certain rates during this week.

Two practical lessons:

• The peak is narrow. The best prices are for the nights from Sunday to Thursday. On the surrounding days, the increase is smaller.
• It is still too early to cut prices. There are four weeks to go, and some guests book one to two months ahead to pay less. Hold your rate and review it gradually, only if the calendar stays empty.

How to adjust your rates by type of night

Instead of one price per season, work with three tiers of nights. The aim is not to copy hotel prices, which have a different cost structure, but to look at the real demand in your neighbourhood.

Also set a minimum price below which you will not sell. It should cover cleaning, the platform commission (on average, around 15%), utilities and laundry. Without this number, the weaker nights turn into losses.

Show the municipal tourist tax separately. In Lisbon, it is €4 per guest per night, from age 13, for up to 7 consecutive nights. Each municipality sets its own rules, so check the rates for Cascais and for the municipality where your Algarve property is located. Do not count this tax as income.

To see how seasonal swings affect your annual result, read how much a short-term rental (alojamento local) earns in 2026.

Minimum stays and cleaning in peak weeks

Minimum stays

A minimum stay of three or four nights, applied to Web Summit week, protects you from one-night bookings that break up your calendar. Follow three rules:

• Avoid orphan nights: a single free night between two bookings is hard to sell when the minimum stay is two nights or more.
• As the date approaches, reduce the minimum stay to fill the gaps.
• After the event, reopen to one or two nights. The demand profile changes.

Cleaning and operations

In peak weeks, guest changeovers are concentrated on the same days. Plan for:

• A main cleaning team and a backup one, especially for the Thursday and Friday of Web Summit and for the Sunday before.
• At least two to three sets of bed and bath linen per bed, so you do not depend on the laundry service.
• A review of the equipment for business guests: desk or work table, tested Wi-Fi, chargers and lighting.
• Clear check-in and check-out times, with self check-in for late arrivals.

If you manage your property remotely, this preparation matters even more. See our guide to short-term rentals (alojamento local) for non-resident owners.

Cascais and the Algarve: different events, different logic

Cascais. The Portuguese hotel association (AHP) has said that the Web Summit effect is concentrated in Lisbon and that neighbouring areas feel only a residual effect. So it makes no sense to apply the same price increase in Cascais. Look instead at weekends, local events and short breaks from guests who prefer the coast. The marathon, which started in Carcavelos, was October’s exception.

Algarve. Autumn follows a different logic. The circuit’s events, the Algarve Classic Festival at the end of October and MotoGP in November, create peaks in Portimão and the surrounding area, with demand from Friday to Sunday. Outside those weekends, demand comes from golf, hiking and visitors escaping the cold of Northern Europe, who tend to stay longer. Here, minimum stays should be longer on event weekends and more flexible the rest of the time, with discounts for weekly stays.

Between events: what to do in the weaker periods

1. Lower your price, but not below your minimum. A night sold below cost does not help.
2. Offer length-of-stay discounts. A weekly rate, or a rate for longer stays, fills whole weeks with a single guest changeover.
3. Reduce the minimum stay to one or two nights for gaps between bookings.
4. Use the calendar to your advantage. This is the time for maintenance, a deep clean, painting or replacing linen. It is also a chance to stay in the property yourself. This flexibility only exists with short-term rental.
5. Review your listing. Photos, description, reviews and fast replies matter even more when demand is lower.
6. Review your prices once a week. In autumn, the gap between booking and stay is short.

For more ideas, read how to increase occupancy in your short-term rental (alojamento local): 12 measures.

Why short-term rental is still the best choice

These adjustments are only possible with short-term rental. With a long-term lease, the rent is fixed for the duration of the contract: it does not follow Web Summit week or a MotoGP weekend. Mid-term rental makes sense for specific properties and areas, but it does not let you take advantage of these peaks either.

With short-term rental, the owner:

• Captures demand peaks with dynamic pricing, with no guaranteed results but with room to make decisions.
• Keeps control of the calendar and can block dates for personal use.
• Delegates operations to professional management that adjusts prices, minimum stays and cleaning.

At BnBird, basic management costs 10% + VAT (IVA) and full management 20% + VAT. Compare the models in short-, mid- or long-term rental: which earns more? and see what is included in how much short-term rental (alojamento local) management costs in 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Should I raise my prices during Web Summit?

In Lisbon, generally yes, but in a measured way. Demand is strong from Monday to Thursday and weaker on the days before and after. Check the prices of similar properties in your neighbourhood and adjust them according to the type of night. No event guarantees occupancy.

What minimum stay should I set?

For Web Summit week, three or four nights is a good starting point. As the date approaches, reduce it to fill gaps. Outside events, one or two nights usually works better.

Do Cascais and the Algarve also benefit from Web Summit?

Not much. Demand is concentrated in Lisbon and, according to the hotel association, neighbouring areas see only residual effects. In Cascais and the Algarve, adjust your prices to local events and weekends.

Want help with your short-term rental’s pricing and calendar?

In a free assessment, we analyse your property and propose a pricing strategy for autumn and winter. Request your assessment, try the simulator or see BnBird’s management models.

General information, as of October 2026. Event dates are subject to change. This does not replace legal or tax advice for your specific case.