This position from the business association representing the islands of São Miguel and Santa Maria is part of the input submitted by the CCIPD for the preparation of the 2027 Activity Plan and Budget for Visit Azores, the association responsible for promoting tourism in the region.

The association believes the coming year should mark the start of a “financially stable and predictable” multi-year tourism strategy. This strategy should target source markets with growth potential and align with an “active policy” to improve air access, boost the destination’s competitiveness, and ensure the sustainability of companies and jobs within the sector.

In a press release, the CCIPD advocates a “change of scale” in tourism promotion for the Azores, proposing that Visit Azores’ annual budget be based on no less than 15 million euros as part of a multi-year strategy for the 2027–2029 period.

The association deems the budget of approximately 8 million euros approved for Visit Azores for 2026 “insufficient,” citing limited capacity to utilise the available funds.

According to the association, only “about half” of the budget is expected to be utilised in 2025, despite challenges facing regional tourism, specifically reduced air capacity, the need to revive demand, the need to combat seasonality, and growing international competition among destinations.

Regarding the proposed budget, the CCIPD believes that “at least 7 million euros per year should be allocated to marketing and promotional campaigns for the Azores destination, to be implemented starting in early January 2027.”

In addition to the domestic market, the CCIPD identifies priority markets with direct connections, such as the United States and Canada, as well as European markets like Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Spain, the Netherlands, and Italy, which, “despite lacking direct connections, are well served by the national airline.”

“The strategy should also include a gradual focus on emerging markets, namely Brazil and Mexico,” it argues.

The CCIPD also considers it essential to create “a genuine Multi-Year Plan for Route Attraction and Development (2027–2029), accompanied by a dedicated budget for maintaining, consolidating, and attracting air operations.”

It also advocates consolidating existing connections and extending operations over longer periods of the year to reduce tourism seasonality.

Another priority is strengthening the Azores’ permanent presence in key source markets; the association proposes evaluating specific representation models for the Azores destination that would complement the work carried out by Turismo de Portugal.

For the CCIPD, increased financial resources must be matched by effective execution capacity; the Plan should target 100% budget execution, with regular monitoring of results.

Although it directly represents the islands of São Miguel and Santa Maria, the CCIPD emphasises that increased investment in promotion should benefit the entire Azorean archipelago, “highlighting the Region’s diversity” and contributing to “a better temporal distribution of tourist flows” to combat seasonality.