The Azores were the 5th fastest-growing destination in terms of bookings made by European travel agencies through HBX Group’s Hotelbeds and Bedsonline, with an increase of 39% in 2024, company directors Bertrand Sava and Joaquín García revealed.
The data was released in Vilamoura, Algarve, where the MarketHub Europe conference was held. HBX Group, one of the largest B2B technology companies in the tourism sector, organized the conference.
Around 460 participants attended the event.
Last year, HBX Group’s platforms generated 6.2 billion searches per day, 2.2 billion more than in 2023, with an average of 11 million quotes per day.
Almost half (48%) of hotel bookings on the group’s platforms in 2024 were made by European travel agencies, revealed Joaquín García, the group’s regional wholesale director.

Growth in the Azores in line with the trend demand for destinations that promote nature

Europe, where the group’s platforms offer 98,000 hotels, is also the main destination for bookings made on the HBX Group’s systems, accounting for 53% of revenues.
The destinations with the highest growth in bookings made in 2024 by European travel agencies on HBX Group platforms were Stockholm, with a 55% increase, Lucerne (Switzerland), with a 45% rise, Costa de la Luz in Spain, with a 45% increase, Montenegro (+44%), and the Azores (+39%).
The growth in demand for the Azores is in line with the upward trend in demand for travel to nature and wellness destinations, as Carlos Muñoz, Chief Commercial Officer and Deputy CEO of HBX Group, revealed at the conference’s opening.
The demand for travel to destinations with attractions related to nature and well-being, with hiking, rafting, and other activities on offer, “is becoming a trend and is expected to grow by 60% over the next few years”, said Carlos Muñoz.

Accommodation with the biggest share

Accommodation accounts for the largest share of bookings made on the group’s platforms, but “there is great potential for growth in the area of experiences and mobility”, said Bertrand Sava, HBX Group’s general manager for travel agencies.
According to Bertrand Sava, the global market for accommodation bookings was 267 billion euros in 2024, 6% more than the previous year, while experience and mobility bookings were 44 billion euros, up 13%.
Another sector with the greatest growth potential is “fintech & insurance” for tourism, which accounted for 330 billion euros last year, 22% more than in 2023, according to the executive. Meanwhile, the marketing of technology for hotels accounted for 244 billion euros, 6% more than in 2023.

In Diário dos 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.