The Angra do Heroísmo Chamber of Commerce (CCAH) positively assesses Christmas shopping in Terceira Island’s local commerce despite the crisis scenario felt throughout 2023.
The president of the CCAH, Marcos Couto, believes that the figures prove the success of the Christmas campaign developed in conjunction with the municipalities. ”Last year, we distributed 51,000 tickets, and this year, despite there still being two days to go until the end of the campaign, we’ve already used up the 62,000 we printed,” he told DI newspaper yesterday.
Marcos Couto points out that the new model of booklets has proved to be a good bet, with 11,000 already sold out.
“We still need a final balance of what was actually used, etc., but judging by the first figures, we’ve actually seen an increase in commercial activity this year, which is always healthy,” he said. The campaign saw an increase in the number of stores that took part, from 114 to 120, but Marcos Couto believes that the number of vouchers distributed suggests a real increase in turnover.
“The increase in tourist activity and the decrease in inflation over the last few months will have given us some extra breathing space. On the other hand, we know that the people of Terceira and the Azoreans in general have this habit of giving and even saving to use at this stage. I’d say that, all things combined, it ended up resulting in these figures, and we can’t fail to mention that, in a way, it’s surprising, given the difficulties, the economic year and inflation,” he points out.
For Marcos Couto, “it’s always good to see that economic activity is starting to recover” after “a time of great difficulty.”
The “Ofereça Açores Christmas Booklet,” a novelty in this year’s campaign, was based on a model in which a stamp was given for every 10 euros of purchases. For the booklet to be complete with 15 stamps, the customer needed to store it at different establishments. They could exchange the booklet for a 25 euro voucher or enter a final draw for 500 euros.

Marcos Couto believes that this is something that should be maintained. “It was undoubtedly a winning bet. For now, it encourages people to go around the traditional shops and fill in the booklet with stamps from different branches of activity. This distributes the expenditure and, as such, the wealth and earnings across different types of activity,” he explains.
According to the president of the CCAH, the initiative is not subject to the taxation that the state requires for games of chance. “By changing the model, we’ve been able to give away more prizes and, as such, encourage more people to take part,” he says.
The increase in Christmas shopping will not be the same throughout the archipelago. As reported in Correio dos Açores, most shopkeepers interviewed by the newspaper say they are selling the same or less than in 2022.

in Diário Insular, José Lourenço-director


Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Cultures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance)  at California State University, Fresno–PBBI thanks the sponsorship of the Luso-American Development Foundation from Lisbon, Portugal (FLAD)