Quality of the visitor experience takes centre stage as tourism slows
Bolieiro calls for a joint response to slower tourism in the Azores, linking service quality with a proposed €17 million promotion budget for 2027.
Tourism in the Azores has entered a slower phase following the record overnight stays and revenue achieved in 2025, José Manuel Bolieiro acknowledged. The President of the Regional Government discussed the change at the closing session of the Atlantic Tourism Conference in Velas, on São Jorge island.
For 2027, Bolieiro announced that the proposed regional budget includes €17 million to promote the destination. He described this as the largest allocation yet for that purpose.
His proposed response brings together businesses, municipalities and regional and national public bodies. Bolieiro stressed that attracting visitors also depends on the quality of what the destination offers, making the visitor experience a central consideration.
The conference connected Velas, Sal and Porto Santo through the three municipalities’ twinning partnership. For the Azores, the discussion also raised the need to share opportunities across islands while respecting the characteristics of each territory.
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