Berta Cabral highlights decisive role of Local Accommodation in critical transition phase of Azores destination - Communication

Secretaria Regional do Turismo, Mobilidade e Infraestruturas

The Regional Secretary for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures stated today on Pico Island that Local Accommodation (AL) "plays an absolutely decisive role in the Azores" and was "crucial during a critical phase of transition for the destination," emphasising that this contribution "cannot be overlooked."

Berta Cabral spoke at the opening session of the 4th Azores Local Accommodation Meeting, held at the Madalena Auditorium, where she highlighted that this segment has made it possible to "respond to demand, raise the quality of the offer, diversify experiences and, above all, bring tourism to all the islands, throughout the territory and throughout the year."

In a recorded speech, the government official emphasised that Local Accommodation has established itself as "a true tool for democratising income, renovating buildings, creating jobs and self-employment, retaining people and ensuring a balanced distribution of tourist flows, including in rural and more peripheral areas."

According to Berta Cabral, this sector also has "a very significant multiplier effect on the regional economy," contributing to the emergence of new businesses and companies linked to tourism.

The Regional Secretary acknowledged, however, that the sector is now entering "a new phase of tourism in the Azores," marked by internal and external factors that also affect Local Accommodation.

"It is a phase that requires maturity, strategic reflection and adaptability," she said.

Although tourism continues to grow in the Region — with the Azores being the region  registering the highest relative growth between 2023 and 2025, namely in terms of revenue — Berta Cabral considered it positive that the increase was more significant in revenue than in overnight stays, as it means "more value generated in the destination."

Nevertheless, she warned that "it would be irresponsible to ignore the signs of adjustment in demand that were already felt in 2025," which "require close monitoring."

The government official pointed out "profound changes in the international context" as the main causes, namely geopolitical instability and changes in consumption and travel patterns, especially in the United States and European markets.

Given the remote, fragmented and outermost nature of the Azores, Berta Cabral considered it essential to "ensure the competitiveness of the destination," with particular attention to critical factors such as price, quality, expectation management and tourism positioning.

The Regional Secretary also defended the importance of preserving a positive external image of the destination, countering "simplistic narratives, whether of massification - when it does not exist - or of crisis, when normal market adjustments are taking place."

Despite the challenges, the government official pointed out that the new context also creates opportunities and defended that the evolution of Local Accommodation, like the tourist destination as a whole, must be "sustainable, sustained and oriented towards quality, perceived value and the credibility of the offer."

"We must all ensure a balance between the territory, installed capacity, demand, the evolution of supply and our external image," she said, adding that the Azorean Government is preparing initiatives to strengthen collaborative work with the sector in response to this new phase in the destination's life cycle.

Berta Cabral ended by stressing that "the future of tourism in the Azores will be built on dialogue, responsibility and cooperation," reiterating that "local accommodation will continue to be an essential part of this process."