The Azores and Madeira will again stand out in the tourism sector this year, especially in the summer.
In fact, the year 2024 kicked off for hotels in Portugal with a strong increase in demand—up 29% from 2023—and, at the moment, bookings from June to August stand out in particular.
Data from Guestcentric’s client portfolio – around 400 independent hotels in Portugal – shows that direct bookings continue to be the predominant choice of travelers, surpassing other channels such as Booking.com.
This trend is accentuated by the high rate of cancellations on these third-party platforms, highlighting the resilience and preference for the hotels’ own websites.


This year, the average price per night for stays between June and August is at an all-time high of 259 euros.
This is a 6% increase in the average price compared to last year and 7% more for future bookings.
In terms of markets, the USA continues to lead the demand for stays in Portugal, closely followed by the domestic market, which is stronger this summer than last year.
The UK, Germany, and Spain complete the top five markets regarding guest nationalities for the summer months.
Portugal’s main regions are seeing substantial increases in stays and revenue for the summer of 2024 compared to the previous year.
Portugal will see a 26% increase in revenue, a 20% increase in nights booked, and average prices 6% higher than in the same period in 2023.

Azores with a 40% increase in revenue

Madeira stands out in regions, with a 55% increase in revenue compared to 2023, followed by the North, which saw an increase of 41%, and the Azores with 40%.
Madeira and the Azores saw considerable increases in their average prices, 19% and 18% respectively.


Worldwide, the travel and tourism industry has already surpassed its 2019 results—and there are no signs of a slowdown. There is both higher spending on private consumption and normalization in business travel.
In the current market landscape for Online Travel Agencies (OTA), Booking has lost market share to the direct channel and the Expedia group, which are experiencing strong summer growth in Portugal.
We are also witnessing the recovery of the entire B2B sector, namely the GDS, consolidators, and tour operators, with increases of 50% compared to the same period in 2023.
The B2B sector is becoming increasingly relevant and is expected to exceed 2.1 trillion dollars by 2024, considering the revenue generated by air travel, hotels, vacation home rentals, OTAs, and cruises. This reflects a thriving market.
However, the industry faces ongoing challenges, such as a labor market under pressure and poor employee retention.
To overcome these issues, hoteliers are shifting their efforts to adopt innovative technologies, focusing on four key areas: improving the customer experience, increasing employee engagement, making their operations more efficient, and maximizing their revenue.


In addition, and since direct bookings continue to be the source of revenue with the highest profit margins, hoteliers are increasingly looking to optimize technology to maximize their direct booking channels.
Through advanced analytics, personalized digital strategies, and a greater brand presence, hotels can better understand and anticipate guests’ needs, personalize their offers, and thus attract more direct bookings.
In short, faced with the challenges posed by today’s job market, hoteliers’ growing investment in technology is not just a solution to improve their operational efficiency and employee retention.
It is a strategic approach to expanding their direct business, improving the guest experience, and adopting sustainable practices – all essential to ensuring their competitiveness in a rapidly evolving industry.

in Diário dso Açores-Osvaldo Cabral, director

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.