In November, tourist accommodation establishments in the Azores, including hotels, local accommodation, and rural tourism, recorded 182,400 overnight stays, 6.8% less than in the same month of 2024. The domestic market recorded 84,500 overnight stays, 46.4% of the total, a 7% decrease from the same month of the previous year, while overnight stays by foreign residents totaled 97,800, 53.6% of the total, a 6.6% year-on-year decrease. The number of guests was 61,100, representing a 6% year-on-year decline. The average stay was 2.99 nights, a 0.8% decrease compared with the same period last year.

Considering all tourist accommodation establishments, hotels accounted for 68.1% of all overnight stays, with 124,300 overnight stays, followed by local accommodation with 28.3% and 51,600 overnight stays, and rural tourism with 3.6%, corresponding to 6,500 overnight stays.

Analyzing the main foreign markets, in November, Germany was the largest source market, with 19,300 overnight stays and 19.7% of the subtotal; a figure that corresponds to a year-on-year decrease of 3.2%. This was followed by the United States of America, with 16,800 overnight stays; 17.2% of the subtotal; and a negative year-on-year variation of 18.1%, and Canada, with 13,700 overnight stays; 14.0% of the subtotal; and a year-on-year increase of 8.1%.

The markets with the highest year-on-year increases in overnight stays were Hungary (92.7%), Poland (33.4%), and Austria (16.1%). On the other hand, the largest year-on-year decreases were seen in the Czech Republic (43.4%), Slovakia (41.7%), and Brazil (36.2%).

Between January and November, the total number of overnight stays reached 4.4 million, representing an increase of 4.6% compared to the same period last year. The total number of guests was 1.3 million, up 3.8% on the same period last year. During this period, the average stay was 3.33 nights, representing a positive year-on-year variation of 0.7%.

Between November 2023 and November 2025, among all tourist accommodation establishments, the highest number of overnight stays in the Azores occurred in August 2025: 710,500 overnight stays.

Hotels continue to record fewer overnight stays

Last November, hotels in the Azores recorded 124,300 overnight stays, representing a negative year-on-year variation of 2.7%. The domestic market recorded 65,000 overnight stays, corresponding to a year-on-year decrease of 3.5%; and residents abroad recorded 59,200 overnight stays, a decrease of 1.8% compared to November 2024. The number of guests registered reached 45,200, representing a negative variation of 3% compared to the same month of the previous year. The average stay was 2.75 nights, an increase of 0.4%.

Between January and November, 2.2 million overnight stays were recorded in hotels, 0.9% higher than in the same period last year.

In November, the net bed occupancy rate in hotels reached 32.2%, representing a decrease of 2.4% compared to the same month of the previous year; and the net room occupancy rate reached 42.6%, representing a year-on-year decrease of 1.8 percentage points.

Total revenue in November recorded a positive year-on-year variation of 2.9%, reaching €7.7 million, while room revenue recorded a negative variation of 3.1% compared to the same month last year, totaling €5 million. The average revenue per available room, RevPAR, was €28.49, and per occupied room, ADR, was €66.86.

In the hotel sector, in November, the islands that showed a positive year-on-year variation in overnight stays were Graciosa, with the highest positive variation recorded at 11.6%; Santa Maria recorded a positive variation of 10.9%; São Miguel, with 0.6%; and São Jorge with 0.1%. Conversely, the islands of Flores (-37.7%), Corvo (-25.8%), Terceira (-12.5%), Pico (-11.4%), and Faial (-5.8%) showed a negative year-on-year variation in overnight stays.

This month, the island of São Miguel, with 89,600 overnight stays, accounted for 72.1% of total hotel overnight stays, followed by the islands of Terceira, with 21,100 overnight stays and 17%; Faial, with 6,000 overnight stays and 4.9%; and Pico, with 3,000 overnight stays and 2.4% of the total.

Local accommodation also decreased

In November, local accommodation in the Azores registered 51,600 overnight stays, a year-on-year decrease of 15.4%. The domestic market accounted for 18,000 overnight stays, a 17.9% decrease from the same month in 2024, and residents abroad accounted for 33,600 overnight stays, a 14.1% year-on-year decrease. There were 13,900 registered guests, a 13.9% year-on-year decrease. The average stay was 3.72 nights, a 1.8% decrease from the same month last year.

Over the period from January to November, local accommodation recorded 1.9 million overnight stays, 8.3% higher than in the same period last year. This month, the gross bed occupancy rate in local accommodation reached 18.6%, down 2.5% compared to the same month the previous year.

In November, all islands showed a negative year-on-year variation in overnight stays in local accommodation, with the exception of Graciosa Island, which had a positive variation of 76.3%.

Corvo recorded the largest negative variation, with 39%, followed by Santa Maria with 36.1%; Faial with 23.5%; São Jorge with 19.8%; São Miguel with 16%; Pico with 13.9%; Terceira with 10.6%; and Flores with 7.3%.

This month, the island of São Miguel, with 37,400 overnight stays, accounted for 72.4% of the total overnight stays in local accommodation, followed by the islands of Terceira, with 6,500 overnight stays and 12.6% of the total; Pico, with 2,700 overnight stays and 5.2%; and Faial, with 2,600 overnight stays and 5.1% of the total overnight stays.

63.3% of active local accommodation establishments reported that they had no guest movement. This figure corresponds to an increase of 3.8% compared to the same month last year.

Rural tourism also declines

In November, rural tourism in the Azores recorded 6,500 overnight stays, a 6.6% decrease from the same month in 2024. Both the domestic and international markets experienced declines in overnight stays. In the domestic market, 1,500 overnight stays were recorded, representing a year-on-year decrease of 8.4%. Residents abroad contributed 5,000 overnight stays, representing a 6% decline from November 2024.

In rural tourism, there were 1,900 guests, a 11% decrease from the same month last year. The average stay was 3.34 nights, up 4.9% from the same month the previous year. Between January and November, rural tourism recorded 212,900 overnight stays, 11.3% more than in the same period last year.

In November, the net bed occupancy rate in rural tourism reached 16%, representing a decrease of 0.6% compared to the same period last year, and the net room occupancy rate reached 20.6%, representing a decrease of 0.9% compared to November 2024.

Total revenue in November recorded a year-on-year decrease of 8.8%, reaching €593,300, and room revenue decreased by 4.9% compared to October, totaling €421,200. The average revenue per available room, RevPAR, was €24.21, and per occupied room, ADR, was €117.69.

Frederico Figueiredo is a journalist for Correio dos Açores, Natalino Viveiros, director

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