Azores overnight stays fall for a twelfth month running in September
Azores GuideGraciosa, Pico, Faial and Flores bucked the trend while Corvo and São Miguel lost ground. Germany stayed the biggest foreign market and the domestic market fell sharply.
Tourist accommodation in the Azores recorded 516,400 overnight stays in September, 3.5% fewer than a year earlier, according to the Regional Statistics Service (SREA). Stays have now fallen year on year for 12 consecutive months. The September figures are preliminary.
The region had 149,400 guests in September, down 4.4%, who stayed an average of 3.46 nights, up 1%. From January to September the Azores recorded 3.7 million overnight stays, down 2.7%, and 1.1 million guests, down 3.2%. Portugal as a whole grew 2% in September and 1.5% over the nine months.
Foreign tourists accounted for 78.8% of September stays, with 406,800 nights, down 0.3%. The domestic market fell 13.5% to 109,600 nights. Germany was the largest foreign market with 76,500 nights, down 2.5%, ahead of the United States with 71,700 and Spain with 46,500. Spain fell 21.1%, Brazil 49.5% and the United Kingdom 16.6%. Israel grew 57.5%, Canada 25.9%, the United States 15.3% and the Netherlands 14.6%.
Counting hotels and local lodging (alojamento local) only, four of the nine islands grew: Graciosa by 4.1%, Pico by 4%, Faial by 2.6% and Flores by 1.9%. Corvo fell 18.5%, Santa Maria 5.2%, São Miguel 4.7%, São Jorge 3.6% and Terceira 2.4%. São Miguel had 326,400 nights, 66.6% of the total, followed by Terceira with 60,400, Pico with 37,300 and Faial with 30,800.
Hotels had 260,000 nights, local lodging 230,200 and rural tourism 26,200. Rural tourism fell 8.5%, local lodging 6.1% and hotels 0.4%. Hotel bed occupancy was 64.5%, down 1.8 percentage points, but hotel revenue rose 4% to 27.9 million euros. In local lodging, 16.7% of active establishments reported no guests in September.
Last week this site reported that an Azores rural tourism group warned of falling overnight stays.
Sources
Azores Guide
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