The Azores recorded more than 638,000 overnight stays in tourist accommodations in July, a 2.5% increase compared to the same period last year, according to data released today by the Regional Statistics Service (SREA).

"In July, all tourist accommodation establishments (hotels, local accommodation, and rural tourism) in the Azores recorded 638,500 overnight stays, a 2.5% increase compared to the same month of the previous year," reads the SREA's Tourism Activity report.

In a statement, João Pinheiro, president of the Azores Local Accommodation Association (ALA), highlighted the fact that, in July, Local Accommodation (AL) surpassed traditional hotels in the number of overnight stays.

"AL registered 310,500 overnight stays, representing 48.6% of the total, while traditional hotels registered 293,100 overnight stays, representing 45.9%. The remaining 5.5% (34,900 overnight stays) were registered in Rural Tourism (TER)," he emphasized.

The association also states that overnight stays in AL "grew by 4.9% in July," while traditional hotels "recorded a decrease of 0.5%."

"These figures prove that those who visit us are increasingly seeking out AL, even with the opening of new hotels, demonstrating that the quality of AL in the region meets the expectations and demands of those who visit us," he emphasized.

The ALA board "congratulates its members and all AL owners in the Azores for the good results achieved so far," while also warning of the need to continue and reinforce the "good work done so far, as it is difficult to build and maintain a good image, but very easy to destroy it."

"On the part of our members and the sector in general, everything has been done to provide quality service," it emphasized.

According to the association, the sector continues, however, to face situations that should be reviewed in order to "streamline processes and minimize timeframes," citing as an example the process of registering new ALs, "which remains slow, with excessive bureaucracy and unnecessary procedures."

"We continue to face a lack of timely response from city halls, aggravated by the absence of technicians during vacation periods," it said.

According to the ALA, scheduling inspections can also take up to two months, "which ultimately prevents [units] from entering into operation during the high season, causing investors renovating properties during the low season to see their accommodations halted until the end of September due to delayed permitting."

In July, the Autonomous Region of the Azores recorded 179,500 guests (up 2%), with an average stay of 3.56 nights, a 0.5% increase year-on-year.

The proportion of foreign residents staying in tourist accommodations in the Azores has increased in recent months.

In July, foreign tourists accounted for 524,000 overnight stays (4.5% more than in the same period last year), which corresponded to 82.1% of the total overnight stays that month, according to the SREA.

The national market saw an annual drop in overnight stays for the fourth consecutive month, totaling 114.6 thousand overnight stays (17.9% of the total), 6% less than in July 2024.