Hotel occupancy in Angola: figures that deserve recognition and an in-depth study

The national average rates reported for 2024 and 2025 are encouraging. Precisely because of their significance, it is important to understand how they were calculated and how they relate to the reality experienced by tourism operators.
A national average hotel occupancy rate of 72.6% in 2024 and 72% in 2025 deserves our attention. The first figure was published in the investment guide presented in Berlin; the second was announced in the State of the Nation address in October 2026, which also reported an occupancy rate of 75% in other types of accommodation. These are substantial figures, highlighting significant use of the country's accommodation capacity.
For those who work daily to promote tourism in Angola, these results deserve interest and recognition. We want hotels with guests, businesses capable of sustaining jobs, and destinations that benefit from the movement of people. High occupancy, when accompanied by adequate revenue and sustainable operations, is good news for the entire tourism value chain.
It is precisely because we value these figures that we believe we need to understand them better.

Between the national average and the reality we experience

Through our daily contact with the market at hoteisangola.com, we are seeing a decline in demand. This perception is also shared by the partners with whom we have discussed the issue, who express concern about business trends.
This monitoring does not, in itself, constitute a national statistical study. It would also be incorrect to use current perceptions to automatically refute results relating to 2024 and 2025. We may be witnessing a more recent shift in demand, regional differences, or distinct trends across accommodation categories.
Even so, the gap between the published indicators and the experience reported by operators warrants an in-depth analysis.
We need to understand where occupancy is concentrated, which establishments contribute most to the national average, and which customer segments sustain it. We also need to know whether the reported performance is spread across the country or whether there are marked differences between destinations.
A national average is important, but it cannot, on its own, explain the state of the sector.

What does an average occupancy rate of 72% mean?

If we are referring to an annual room occupancy rate calculated across all available room capacity throughout the year, 72% would mean, by way of illustration, that a 100-room hotel has an average of 72 rooms occupied per night.
This is a significant result. It is therefore important to clarify whether the reported figures refer to room or bed occupancy, which establishments are covered, and how the average was calculated.
We also need to understand the coverage of the data collection: how many establishments provided information, what share of national capacity they represent, and how periods of non-response or closure were handled.
Weighting also matters. A 200-room hotel and a ten-room establishment do not represent the same accommodation capacity. A simple average of their respective rates may produce a different result from one calculated using the total number of occupied and available rooms.
Making the methodology available strengthens the credibility of the data and allows the sector to use it with confidence.

Understanding the differences to make better decisions

An in-depth study should present results by province, municipality, establishment category, and month of the year. It should distinguish weekday activity from weekend demand, as well as separate ordinary periods from public holidays and major events.
It would also be useful to understand the composition of demand: business trips, official duty travel, leisure, events, or extended stays. All these uses of accommodation have economic value, but they create different needs for destinations and businesses.
If occupancy is concentrated in particular regions or segments, we need to identify the factors behind that performance. Where results are positive, we should learn from them. Where demand is insufficient, we need to understand the obstacles and develop appropriate responses.
The analysis should also examine occupancy alongside the average daily rate and revenue per available room. Having occupied rooms is essential, but an establishment's sustainability also depends on the income that occupancy generates and the costs required to maintain it.

A study involving tourism operators

Our proposal is for these indicators to serve as the starting point for a joint effort involving the Ministry of Tourism, the National Statistics Institute, provincial authorities, business associations, accommodation establishments, and other stakeholders in the sector.
This work should clarify the results for 2024 and 2025 and monitor developments in 2026, helping us understand whether the decline in demand we are currently experiencing is localised, seasonal, or more widespread.
Operators can contribute information on bookings, cancellations, booking lead times, length of stay, and price trends. Promotion and distribution platforms can provide additional insights into searches and enquiries, while always distinguishing expressed interest from actual bookings.
With common criteria and safeguards for commercial confidentiality, it would be possible to build a more complete and useful picture of the sector's activity.

Valuing the results also means seeking to understand them

The published figures deserve recognition. At the same time, the concerns raised by business owners deserve to be heard and examined.
These two positions are compatible. We can acknowledge positive results and ask for greater detail. We can welcome a high national rate while seeking to understand why so many partners report a different reality.
Angolan tourism needs information that supports investment, helps adjust strategies, structures the tourism offering, and assesses the impact of the measures adopted.
If the national average occupancy rate is above 70%, we need to understand what sustains that result and how its benefits are distributed. If demand is now declining, we need to identify that change in time.
It is in this constructive spirit that we advocate an in-depth study: to turn encouraging figures into useful knowledge, and that knowledge into better decisions for tourism in Angola.

Opinion article by: Jorge Nunes