INE IPHH Reporting for Alojamento Local: What Portuguese Hosts Must Submit Every Month
Most Airbnb hosts in Portugal know about SIBA. Far fewer know about the INE IPHH — yet missing it is just as much a legal problem.
The INE IPHH is a mandatory monthly reporting obligation that applies to Alojamento Local hosts selected by INE. Once your property is selected, it doesn't matter how many guests you hosted. It doesn't matter if you were fully booked or had no bookings at all. You must file it every single month.
This guide explains exactly what the INE IPHH is, who must respond, what data you need to submit, when to submit it, and how to stop spending your time doing it manually.
INE IPHH Quick Summary:
What it is — A monthly statistical survey (Inquérito à Permanência de Hóspedes na Hotelaria e Outros Alojamentos) run by INE, Portugal's national statistics institute
Who must respond — Only properties selected by INE. If you were never contacted, you have no IPHH obligation
How you find out — INE (or DREM in Madeira) contacts you directly, typically by post, with credentials for the WebInq portal
Deadline — By the 10th of the month following the reporting month (January data due February 10)
Where to submit — The WebInq portal at webinq.ine.pt, or via XML through INE's EXMO Web Service
What to submit — Aggregate monthly data: guests, overnight stays, nationalities, occupancy, average length of stay
Zero guests? — You still need to submit. A month with no reservations requires a "zero movement" report
Legal basis — Lei nº 22/2008, which allows sanctions for non-response, late response, or incorrect response
Not the same as SIBA — SIBA registers individual foreign guests with AIMA within 3 days of arrival; IPHH is monthly aggregate statistics for INE. One does not cover the other
What Is WebINQ?
INE is the Instituto Nacional de Estatística — Portugal's National Statistics Institute, the official body responsible for collecting and publishing economic and social data about the country.
IPHH stands for Inquérito à Permanência de Hóspedes na Hotelaria e Outros Alojamentos — roughly translated as the Survey on Guest Stays in Hotels and Other Accommodation. It is conducted via INE's online portal, WebInq (webinq.ine.pt).
The IPHH is how the Portuguese government tracks tourism statistics at a national level: how many people visit, where they stay, how long they stay, where they come from. The data feeds into Portugal's national tourism statistics, European reporting requirements, and government policy decisions. INE publishes the results monthly and they are widely followed by the tourism industry, investors, and policymakers.
But the data has to come from somewhere — and that means it comes from you.
Is WebINQ IPHH Mandatory for My Airbnb Property?
This is the question every host asks — and the answer is: it depends on whether INE has selected your property.
Unlike SIBA (which applies to every single host without exception), the IPHH survey uses a statistical sampling method. INE selects a representative sample of accommodation properties across Portugal and contacts them directly. If your property is selected, responding becomes mandatory.
Here is how it works:
INE selects properties using a combination of criteria including location, capacity, and property type
Selected hosts receive an official letter or notification from INE
Once selected, you must respond every month, by the 10th of the following month
If you were not contacted by INE, you do not need to submit IPHH data
Selection can happen anywhere — Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve, Madeira, the Azores — and applies whether the property is managed by the owner or by a property management company. Larger properties, particularly those with more than 10 units or beds, are more likely to be selected. If you manage a portfolio of properties, the chances increase further.
Why You Received an INE / DREM IPHH Warning Email for Your Alojamento Local in Madeira
Many Alojamento Local hosts in Madeira are surprised when they suddenly receive an email from DREM or INE requesting the submission of "IPHH" reports. For many hosts, this is the first time they even hear about IPHH.
If you recently received an email mentioning missing questionnaires, WebInq, or overdue tourism statistics, don't panic — in most cases this is a warning requesting missing submissions, not an immediate fine.
Many hosts receive emails similar to this:
"solicitamos a V/ melhor colaboração no sentido de remeter a esta Direção o(s) questionário(s) para os meses 202603, o mais urgente possível."
In practice, this means: "Please submit the missing monthly reports as soon as possible."
The emails often also mention Lei nº 22/2008, mandatory statistical reporting, deadlines until the 10th of the following month, and WebInq portal access.
Important: No Guests Still Requires Submission
One detail many hosts miss: even if there were no reservations during the month, the report still normally needs to be submitted with zero movement.
DREM documentation specifically states:
"Mesmo não havendo movimento de hóspedes... mantém-se a obrigatoriedade de resposta"
Many hosts are penalised simply because they assumed they didn't need to file if no guests stayed.
What Data Does the INE IPHH Survey Require?
Each month, you must report the following for your property via WebInq:
Total number of guests (arrivals) during the month
Total number of overnight stays (guest nights)
Breakdown of guests by country of origin (domestic vs. international)
Breakdown by country of residence for international guests
Occupancy data (rooms or beds occupied vs. available)
Average length of stay
Revenue (in some versions of the survey)
This is cumulative monthly data — not individual guest-by-guest entries like SIBA. But it still requires that you have accurate records of every stay throughout the month, across every platform. Hosts who maintain accurate booking records — including through platforms like EazyAL — will find this data straightforward to pull together.
When Is the INE IPHH Deadline?
The IPHH survey must be submitted monthly, by the 10th of the month following the reporting period. So for January's data, you must submit by February 10th. For June's data, by July 10th.
INE sends reminders to registered operators, but it is your responsibility to file on time. Missing the deadline or failing to file at all can result in:
Formal notices and reminder emails from INE or DREM
Fines for non-compliance with statistical reporting obligations under Lei nº 22/2008
One more recurring administrative headache on an already long list
How to Register and Access INE WebInq
Before a host can submit tourist statistics in WebInq, the account needs to be set up and validated. The registration process is not the same as submitting the monthly report.
In practice, the process works like this:
INE or DREM notifies you of selection and sends your access credentials by post or email
You create your account on webinq.ine.pt
You activate the account using the credentials sent to you — a Código Identificador and a Chave Mestra (sent by the Direção Regional de Estatística da Madeira or the equivalent entity for your region)
The municipality or statistics office validates the registration; in some cases supporting documents may be requested, such as a Certidão de Enquadramento de IVA from the Finanças portal matching the NIF used
Once validated, you can select the relevant survey period, enter your monthly guest data, and submit
Note that a confirmation email saying your data was sent successfully does not mean the account is fully active — you must wait for validation before submitting forms.
If you haven't received credentials or lost them, contact INE directly or your regional statistics office (DREM in Madeira).
Can I Submit INE IPHH Data Automatically via Web Service or API?
Yes. INE provides a Web Service (EXMO) that allows IPHH data to be submitted programmatically using XML files via the TAD platform.
In practice, a company like EazyAL can generate a single XML file containing multiple properties (units) and submit all responses in one action. INE also provides a testing environment with sample units and a GUID (used to identify the entity generating the XML), allowing developers to validate structure, segments, and submission logic before going live.
However, access is strictly controlled. INE credentials belong to the company (host or agency), not the software provider. Each company must register on the INE portal and manage its own users ("Aderentes"), with a single Aderente Principal responsible for permissions. The GUID provided by INE is used in all XML files generated by that entity, but actual submission rights still depend on whether the logged-in user has permission for the units included. This means platforms like EazyAL cannot submit data centrally for everyone — submissions must use credentials tied to the correct entities and permissions.
In practice, this leads to two approaches:
Assisted submission, where software prepares the XML and the user uploads it manually
Full automation, where users connect their credentials and submissions are sent via the Web Service
While full automation is technically possible using EXMO and TAD, it requires correct XML structure, valid GUID usage, proper segmentation (IPHH varies by unit type), and strict permission handling. For most hosts, the biggest value comes from automating data preparation — turning a complex monthly task into a fast, reliable workflow without needing to understand the underlying INE systems.
Why Hosts Struggle with INE IPHH
The IPHH survey sounds simple on paper. In practice, most hosts find it frustrating for several reasons:
It requires data you may not have organised. To accurately report guest nationalities and overnight counts, you need to have tracked every booking across every platform — Airbnb, Booking.com, direct bookings — and consolidated the data by month.
It is repetitive. Even when your guest volume is low, you still need to log in to WebInq, find your property, fill in the form, and submit — every single month, for as long as you remain in the sample.
It is easy to forget. Unlike SIBA (which triggers with each arrival), the IPHH is a monthly task with no automatic prompt. Hosts who manage their AL part-time or remotely often miss it.
It requires cross-referencing SIBA data. The guest nationality breakdown requires you to know where each guest came from — exactly the same information that SIBA captures. If you aren't tracking that centrally, you have to go back through your bookings and reconstruct it.
INE IPHH vs. SIBA: Understanding the Difference
Many hosts confuse these two systems, or assume that one covers the other. They are entirely separate:
Who runs it — SIBA: AIMA (immigration). IPHH: INE (statistics)
Purpose — SIBA: register individual foreign guests. IPHH: collect monthly occupancy statistics
Applies to — SIBA: every AL host with foreign guests. IPHH: only properties selected by INE
Deadline — SIBA: 3 working days after each arrival. IPHH: 10th of the following month
Data submitted — SIBA: individual guest identity details. IPHH: aggregate occupancy and nationality data
Penalty for non-compliance — SIBA: €100–€2,000 per offence. IPHH: administrative follow-up and fines under Lei nº 22/2008
In short: SIBA is something every host must do for every foreign guest. IPHH is a monthly aggregate report required only if INE selects your property. Both exist alongside your obligations to the Tax Authority (AT) for income purposes and, in some municipalities, tourist tax reporting to the local Câmara Municipal.
How EazyAL Handles INE IPHH
EazyAL handles both SIBA and INE IPHH from the same guest check-in event:
Guests check in via EazyAL's digital form, entering their own details — nationality, passport number, dates of stay
EazyAL prepares the SIBA submission in real time and accumulates the same data for the monthly IPHH report
At the end of each month, your IPHH data is ready automatically — guest count, overnight count, nationalities, occupancy — based on what was actually recorded
You review and submit — or in automated configurations, EazyAL handles the submission
One check-in form. Two legal obligations handled. No spreadsheets, no cross-referencing platforms, no end-of-month scramble to remember how many German guests stayed in week three.
Note: previous missing months still need to be submitted manually through WebInq. But once your guest data flows through EazyAL, future IPHH reporting is prepared automatically — especially valuable for remote hosts, property managers, and AL operators managing multiple properties.
A Quick Reference: Portugal's Five Government Portals for Airbnb Hosts
If you are operating an Alojamento Local in Portugal, you are likely interacting with multiple government systems:
Balcão do Empreendedor (BUE) — AL licence registration
SIBA / AIMA Portal — Guest registration (mandatory for all foreign guests)
INE WebInq — IPHH monthly statistics (if selected)
AT / Portal das Finanças — Tax registration and income reporting
Câmara Municipal — Local municipal notifications and tourist tax reporting
Managing all five manually is a significant administrative burden. EazyAL centralises the compliance tasks that can be automated and gives you a clear picture of everything else.
Frequently Asked Questions About INE IPHH
I've been hosting for two years and never heard of IPHH. Do I need to worry?
No. If you have not received any communication from INE, your property has not been selected for the survey, and you have nothing to submit. However, larger properties and growing portfolios are more likely to be selected, so it is worth knowing how the system works before a letter arrives.
How will I know if my property has been selected?
INE will contact you directly — typically by post — with registration credentials and instructions for the WebInq portal. In Madeira, the contact often comes from DREM (Direção Regional de Estatística da Madeira) by email. Do not ignore this correspondence.
I received a DREM or INE email about missing questionnaires. Is this a fine?
In most cases, no. Emails requesting missing monthly questionnaires ("solicitamos a remessa dos questionários em falta") are warnings asking you to submit overdue reports, not penalty notices. Submit the missing months as soon as possible and the matter usually ends there.
Do I have to submit a report if I had no guests that month?
Yes. This is the detail most hosts miss. Even with zero reservations, the obligation to respond remains — you submit the month with no guest movement. Skipping "empty" months is one of the most common reasons hosts accumulate missing questionnaires.
What is the deadline each month?
The 10th of the following month. June's data must be submitted by July 10th, and so on, every month, for as long as your property remains in the sample.
How long will I have to keep submitting?
Once selected, the obligation is ongoing — you respond every month until INE removes your property from the sample. There is no fixed end date communicated upfront.
What happens if I'm selected and don't respond?
The emails reference Lei nº 22/2008, which governs the national statistical system and allows sanctions for non-response, late response, or incorrect response. In practice, hosts first receive warnings and reminders, but repeated non-compliance can escalate to administrative penalties.
Is the data I submit to INE confidential?
Yes. INE uses the data for statistical purposes only and does not publish individual property data. Results appear only in aggregate form in national tourism statistics.
Can I submit IPHH data for multiple properties in one submission?
Through the WebInq portal, each property submits separately. However, INE's EXMO Web Service allows a single XML file containing multiple units to be submitted in one action — provided the logged-in user has permission for every unit included. For large portfolios, software that aggregates booking data makes either route much faster.
Can IPHH submission be fully automated?
Technically yes, via INE's EXMO Web Service and the TAD platform. But access is strictly controlled: credentials belong to the host or agency (not the software provider), each entity manages its own users on the INE portal, and submissions only work with the correct GUID and permissions. For most hosts, the practical win is automating data preparation, with the option of assisted or fully automated submission once credentials are connected.
Does Airbnb or Booking.com report this data on my behalf?
No. Like SIBA, the platforms do not submit IPHH data to INE. The responsibility sits entirely with the property owner or operator.
Does submitting SIBA mean I'm covered for IPHH?
No. They are completely separate systems run by different entities. SIBA registers individual foreign guests with AIMA within 3 working days of arrival; IPHH is a monthly aggregate report to INE. Selected hosts must do both.
What if I lost my WebInq credentials?
Contact INE or your regional statistics office (DREM in Madeira) to recover access. Credentials are tied to your entity's registration, and the identification code and master key sent to you are needed to activate the account.
Can EazyAL handle my IPHH reporting?
EazyAL keeps all guest, nationality, stay, and occupancy data aggregated and ready, so the monthly submission takes minutes instead of hours. Previous missing months still need to be submitted manually through WebInq, but once your guest data flows through EazyAL, future IPHH workflows can be automated and simplified — particularly valuable for remote hosts and multi-property operators.
Monthly INE IPHH Checklist
✅ Track guest nationality and dates of stay throughout the month
✅ Count total guest arrivals and total overnight stays
✅ Log in to webinq.ine.pt before the 10th of the following month
✅ Submit even if you had zero bookings
✅ Archive your submission confirmation
✅ Use automation to avoid missing the deadline each month
The INE IPHH is one of those compliance requirements that is easy to overlook — precisely because it doesn't follow each individual booking. It sits quietly at the end of every month, waiting.
If you want to stop tracking it manually and have the data prepared for you automatically from your guests' check-in information, EazyAL handles it as part of its standard compliance workflow. Free to start, 14-day trial on the Pro plan.
Updated: June 2026 | Author: EazyAL | For informational purposes only. Consult a legal professional for advice specific to your situation.
