According to the results of the Survey on the Stay of Guests in Hotels and Other Accommodation (IPHH), the Survey on the Stay of Campers in Campsites (IPCAMP) Campers in Camping Sites (IPCAMP) and the Survey on the Stay of Settlers in Holiday Colonies (IPCOL) de Férias (IPCOL), released yesterday by SREA (Azorean Statistics Agency) and considering the generality of the means of accommodation (tourist accommodation establishments, camping sites, and youth hostels) the number of tourists in the Azores grew exponentially in 2022. There were 1.1 million guests. Compared to 2019, there were increases of 9.0% in the number of guests and 10.7% in overnight stays. The average stay (3.14 nights) increased by 2.1% compared to the previous year and an increase before the pandemic or 1.6% compared to 2019. Among the accommodation types, local lodging in Bed and Breakfast and AIRBNB’s had the highest average stay (3.54 nights), followed by tourism in rural areas (3.16 nights).

Between January 2019 and December 2022, the highest register occurred in August 2022 (a vacation month in most of Europe), with 536.3 thousand overnight stays.  The distribution of overnight stays throughout the year is marked by a strong seasonality, with higher values in the summer months ( June, July, August, and September). There were 2.0 million overnight stays in hotels (59.1% of the total), in local accommodation 1.2 million overnight stays (35.8% of the total), in tourism in rural areas 103.5 thousand overnight stays (3.1% of the total), followed by camping sites with 42.1% of the total.  Considering only the leading accommodation establishments (hotels and local accommodation), it appears that the hotel industry concentrates the highest percentage of overnight stays in Santa Maria (84.1%), Corvo (77.5%), Graciosa (77.0%), Terceira (72.1%), São Miguel (63.0%) and Faial (59.6%). On the other hand, in Pico (62.2%), Flores (62.0%), and São Jorge (51.3%), the local accommodation concentrates the highest number of overnight stays.

The Portuguese national market (including the regional market) guaranteed 1.3 million overnight stays, corresponding to 39.8% of the total, which grew by 67.8% compared to the previous year (10.7% compared to 2019). Overnight stays from external markets were 2.0 million (60.2% of the total) and increased by 153.5% compared to 2021 and by 12.0% compared to 2019.  Looking at the external markets, Germany remained the primary inbound market, with 367.3 thousand overnight stays (18.2% of the total overnight stays of residents abroad), having increased by 195.7% from the previous year compared to the previous year (1.4% compared to 2019), followed by the North American market with 299.5 thousand overnight stays (14.9% of the total), with a growth of 301.5% compared to the previous year (2.1% compared to 2019). The third most relevant source market was the French, with 206.6 thousand overnight stays (10.3% of the total), which increased by 90.0% compared to the previous year(31.8% compared to 2019).

From the newspaper Diário dos Açores, Osvaldo Cabral, director. Translated to Portuguese by PBBI-Fresno State and the Modern and Classical Languages Department as a community outreach program.