LISBON, March 12 (Reuters) - Portuguese hotel revenues fell 3 percent in January from a year ago, but the number of foreign and local tourists rose 7 percent in a sign of recovery from a recession-hit 2009, official data showed on Friday.

The National Statistics Institute said hotel revenues dropped to 79.8 million euros ($110 million) as hotels continued to rely on discounts to attract visitors.

The number of foreign tourists rose almost 5 percent in January to 283,000 from a year ago after an 8 percent fall for the whole of 2009.

The total number of hotel guests, including Portuguese travellers, rose in January to 709,000 and they spent slightly more time on average in hotels than a year ago.

All tourism-linked revenues, including hotels, account for over 10 percent of the Iberian country's economy, which shrank 2.7 percent last year. The government expects the economy to grow 0.7 percent this year.

(Reporting by Andrei Khalip; Editing by Susan Fenton) ($1=.7257 Euro) Keywords: PORTUGAL/TOURISM

(andrei.khalip@thomsonreuters.com; (351) 213-509-209; RM: andrei.khalip.reuters.com@reuters.net)

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