Government is negotiating more air links to the Azores

O secretary of State for Tourism, Pedro Machado, said today that the government is in negotiation to increase the offer of air links to the Azores.

“ Talks are taking place with other airlines,” he revealed to Lusa in London, proving confident that “in a short time, other airlines may be positioned for the Azores.”.

Pedro Machado acknowledged that the departure of Ryanair from the Azores at the beginning of the year “provoked a loss of competitiveness”, which he believes is being “compensated” with the diversification of flights operated by United Airlines and Canadian Air Canada and WestJet, in addition to TAP.

Between January and August 2026, the Azores had a 3% drop in passengers and 2.6% in overnight stays, but spending increased by about 4%, he said.

“ Losing flow, it did not lose value”, said Pedro Machado, who is in the British capital to participate in the World Travel Market (WTM) tourism fair, taking place until Thursday.

The governor recalled that the Azores again won the World Travel Award for Europe's Best Adventure Destination, a factor that he believes will help convince new airlines to operate in the archipelago.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ponta Delgada (CCID) demanded last week “concrete measures” to reverse the reduction of sleeping in tourist accommodation in the Azores.

According to data revealed by the Regional Statistical Office of the Azores (SREA), the number of overnight stays in tourist accommodation in the archipelago decreased by 3.5% in September, in the face of the same period, with 516.4 thousand stays in hotels, local accommodation and tourism in rural areas.

For 12 consecutive months the number of overnight stays in tourist accommodation in the low region compared to the same period.

“The CCIPD considers it a priority to strengthen tourism promotion in strategic markets, to recover and diversify air accessibility, to capture new companies and routes and to ensure conditions of greater competition, capable of improving the attractiveness of the destination,” she said.