Berta Cabral defends that Azores Destination's success is due to nature, sustainability and authenticity of each island - Communication

Secretaria Regional do Turismo, Mobilidade e Infraestruturas

The Regional Secretary for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures, Berta Cabral, presented the Region's tourism strategy and public policy for developing the sector in the Azores in Lisbon under the motto "Tourism all year round on all islands."

The presentation was made during Better Tourism Lisbon (BTL), more precisely in the multipurpose space, where the Azores will be in the spotlight until next Sunday.

She defended that the Azores "are today a destination of choice" and the sector's growth in recent years is due above all to the nature, sustainability and authenticity of each of the archipelago's nine islands.

"Our nature, on land and at sea, but also our human nature allows us to create and provide a differentiated product. On each of our nine islands, there are many experiences to discover and enjoy, each with its specific characteristics," she said.

Berta Cabral also stated that the sector's major success was due to the liberalisation of airspace, which improved the Region's connectivity, and the Azorean Government's tourism development policy. The latter has made it possible to break continually the best performance records year after year.

"We have the additional merit of having a higher growth in revenue than in the number of overnight stays, which means that we are growing more in value and quality than in quantity. This demonstrates the destination's sustainability," she pointed out.

Moreover, she announced that the Azores will have 14 companies with regular operations by the 2025 summer, covering more than 30 national and international routes. These will directly connect São Miguel, Terceira, Pico, Faial and Santa Maria to more than 25 source markets.

This connectivity is complemented by the inter-island connections operated by Sata Air Açores, which has guaranteed a solid operation reinforced with additional flights to take tourists and travellers to all the islands.

"This ability to attract and place tourists on all islands has made tourism the sector with the most economic impact in the Region, having a far-reaching impact on all other economic sectors." It is even "the main driving force of economic development and job creation in the Region," she said.

Underlining the international recognition of the Azores Destination, Berta Cabral recalled the numerous awards and distinctions, highlighting the recognition that the region achieved with the "Sustainable Destination" Gold Level Certification. It has also been ranked the "World's Best Adventure Destination" by the World Travel Awards for two consecutive years.

With a view to maintaining and raising this excellence, Berta Cabral safeguarded investments in the qualification of the destination and tourism products, improving the management of tourist flows and developing innovative solutions. The aim is to "always provide an immersive and high-quality experience, reducing congestion at points with occasional visitation overloads or particularly popular attractions."

One of the solutions was the creation of a shuttle in 2023 to access the Fogo Volcano in the high season, which has already resulted in more than 100 thousand people visiting in the high seasons of 2023 and 2024. Nevertheless, she stated that the Regional Government is also "implementing a project for the smart monitoring of tourist flows, funded by the PRR, to collect data to make informed and sustained decisions for managing the territory and dispersing visitors."

Regarding the main source markets, Berta Cabral stated that the domestic market continues to be the main one, stressing that it is "extremely important to maintain a dynamics of proximity and attractiveness for this market."

In addition to the annual presence at BTL, an investment she described as extremely important, Berta Cabral mentioned the development of mechanisms to encourage domestic tourism, especially during periods of lower demand, such as crises and low seasons. She also pointed out the Azores Fare, which promotes inter-island mobility of Azoreans and their travel to all the islands.

Within the diversity of the nine islands, she highlighted trails, which are the best-known products and the ones offering a unique immersive experience in nature. They can be explored in winter and summer, providing a unique insight into the experiences and history of the Azores.

There are 88 short routes and seven grand routes (over 30 kilometres), totalling over 800 kilometres in the archipelago. These trails are marked with a special system to facilitate location, rescue and help, promoting a safe experience for everyone.

The Regional Secretary highlighted the Azores Routes - Cultural and Landscape Itineraries project. It will be an opportunity for tourists to discover the rich cultural diversity of the nine islands and an unprecedented network of partners in the Azores, providing knowledge of history and heritage.

As regards culture, she mentioned "Azores What's On," a digital calendar of events taking place on all the islands. The aim is to keep visitors in touch with popular festivals as well as cultural, sporting, religious, scientific and themed events, among others, both public and private.

This digital agenda features the events scheduled throughout the year and helps the Azores to be recognised as an attractive destination throughout the seasons, committed to sustainability, which is the Region's trademark.