As confirmed in the World Student Housing Report 2016/17, student lodging is a market growing relatively steeply in continental Europe. It stresses that for a student population which is ever more global in nature, at the moment of choosing a new study destination, the existence of accommodation provided by a trusted developer, well managed and of high quality, appeals greatly to that fringe of demand not familiar with the dynamics of the local accommodation market. However, the absence of specialised management in student accommodation is preventing more growth in this sector, at the same time creating an opportunity for existing developers to expand their portfolios in continental Europe.
Furthermore, notes the British Consul, a market of strong potential in this field, which “desperately” lacks supply, is Portugal, with Lisbon as the main candidate. Placing Lisbon at the top of the podium of the three main cities in Portugal, the report from Savills stresses that the student lodging sector is still relatively underdeveloped in the city and in the country, where the main universities still only have a very small number of their own residencies at their disposal.