Speech by the Regional Secretary for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures - Communication

Secretaria Regional do Turismo, Mobilidade e Infraestruturas

Full text of the speech delivered today by Berta Cabral, Regional Secretary for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures, in Horta,  during the discussion of the Plan and Budget for 2026:

“The Annual Regional Plan for 2026 is an instrument of increased responsibility for our collective future.

Our guiding principle is clear: the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) and the opportunities arising from the EU funds under the AÇORES 2030 Operational Programme.

This is a conscious political choice that clearly determines all our options for 2026.

In fact, we are living in unprecedented times.

Never before have the Azores had two major EU programmes in full swing at the same time (the RRP and Azores 2020-2030).

This is a very demanding effort for a small region like ours.

That is why we have said and reiterated openly and responsibly that we cannot do everything for everyone at the same time.

Even so, we have already done much more in less time than others have done in many more years.

Investment in the energy sector symbolises this sense of responsibility and vision towards the future.

With the RRP and RePower EU, we will invest about €63 million in energy transition and clean energy production initiatives.

I would like to highlight the SOLENERGE programme, one of the greatest success stories of public policy in the Azores:

- An award-winning system nationwide;

- It earned the trust of the European Commission through a €41 million boost last year;

- It has already supported more than 1,800 families and institutions and received over 5,000 applications, with about 4,000 already analysed;

We will continue this work to ensure access to renewable energy and reduce energy bills for families and small and medium-sized enterprises, placing the Azores at the forefront of the energy transition.

At the same time, we will move forward with a new energy efficiency incentive system and continue to participate in innovation projects with universities, research centres, and other European partners.

The Azores are increasingly establishing themselves as a living laboratory for energy.

In terms of infrastructure development, we also face a major challenge in implementing the RRP.

In 2026, we will complete more than 34 km of road network through the implementation of six logistics routes: the Capelas bypass (awaited for more than 20 years), the connection between the Angra ring road and the Via Vitorino Nemésio, the São Jorge transversal road, the Horta ring road (promised for more than 30 years), and the bypasses to Vila da Madalena and Vila do Porto.

This represents an investment of about €62.5 million in the structuring of the regional road network. A new paradigm that will promote the development of the territory, local economies, land mobility and the quality of life of the population.

Also under the RRP, projects in the areas of digital technology, innovation, entrepreneurship and vocational training (Azores Training Centre) will be completed, totalling more than €15 million.

In the education sector, we will begin the renovation and expansion of emblematic schools in the Region that have been waiting for structural interventions for several decades, such as the Antero de Quental Secondary School and the Laranjeiras Secondary School (São Miguel), the continuation of the refurbishment of the Jerónimo Emiliano de Andrade Secondary School (Terceira) and the launch of the Lagoa Basic Education School.

In Health, ongoing interventions at the Horta Hospital and Graciosa Health Centre will continue, and we will follow up on the processes at the Health Centres in Lajes do Pico, Ribeira Grande, Vila do Porto, São Roque-Livramento and Maia.

We will continue to build infrastructures to support fishing, particularly in São Mateus, and we will carry out various interventions to protect the coastline on several islands in the archipelago.

In the environmental area, the Algar do Carvão cave project will continue, in addition to interventions aimed at stabilising slopes and creating retention basins on some watercourses.

In terms of port infrastructures, the following projects stand out:

*the construction of the Lajes das Flores Port;

*coastal protection and redevelopment of the Cais do Pico bay;

*expansion of the multipurpose quay at the Praia da Vitória Port, planned since 2012 and never completed.

We will also invest in our aerodromes, with the acquisition of equipment, continuation of the process to expand the runway at Pico Airport and the beginning of the Corvo airport terminal.

These are carefully chosen projects as they project sustainable and cohesive economic development for the Azores.

In tourism, I am proud to announce that we have just achieved Level II Gold certification, maintaining a solid and progressive path of sustainability.

Tourism is now one of the most dynamic drivers of the Azorean economy: it accounts for 20% of GVA, 17% of GDP and 17% of employment, generating more than €1 billion in annual wealth.

The growth of this sector has been absolutely extraordinary in recent years. We have 45% more overnight stays and 85% more revenue than in 2019. 

We want this growth in tourism to be reflected "all year round and on all islands," so we remain determined to invest in our distinctive resources.

We have put together an investment proposal of €11.7 million for this sector, maintaining a strong focus on external promotion through Visit Azores, with the support and close collaboration of Turismo de Portugal.

Product qualification, tourist flow management through the new Integrated Smart Monitoring System, and the development of the PDTA – Azores Tourism Territorial Development Plan (formerly POTRAA) will determine creative and innovative solutions on an increasingly sustainable and regenerative path.

Untimely, the volatility of this sector has surprised us in recent days with yet another major challenge.

Ryanair's recent announcement presents us with new problems, but it does not detract from the essential: the excellence of our destination and the quality of our product.

We are facing a recurring situation and, as we did two years ago, we will continue with the same determination and willingness to pursue the partnership between the Azores and Ryanair. In this respect, we are keeping dialogue avenues open, exploring all opportunities within our reach.

However, it is important to emphasise that today we are a destination with great international visibility, which has the value to establish itself anywhere in the world, and attract new partners and supply capacity.

Evidence of this can be seen in the 16, now 17, airlines flying to the Azores. Just today, Air Canada announced a direct Toronto/Ponta Delgada route three times a week next summer.

We all feel this positive pressure from demand, which regards the Azores as an attractive destination.

Today, we have a tourist offer that is unique in the world, more sophisticated, more diverse and truly authentic.

It is on this quality and these distinctive factors that we must continue to focus to ensure an increasingly competitive and sustainable position.

Mobility in the Azores is not a luxury. It is a necessity. It is subsistence. It is cohesion. It is autonomy.

We will invest more than €159 million, which, in addition to structural works, also covers the continuity of services that are vital to our cohesion, and internal and external connectivity.

We will invest more than €84.4 million in inter-island mobility to ensure air and sea passenger transport, the management of regional aerodromes and the continuity of the “Azores Fare,” one of the most emblematic measures of Autonomy, which has provided the Azoreans themselves with the opportunity to know the Azores.

We will also continue to progressively develop the new model for maritime freight transport, which is already producing practical and objective results.

Today, we have more cargo, more vessels, more connections, greater predictability, and a greater capacity to respond to the needs of our populations.

Finally, in land transport, we will consolidate the ongoing reform (a reform that has been awaited since 2015), which involves the implementation of the remaining service provision contracts in São Miguel and Terceira, and the integrated regional ticketing system. With these structural changes, from 2026 onwards, we will have a new paradigm in our transport as well as new social and economic opportunities.

The 2026 financial year is a major and demanding challenge. Implementing the RRP is not a mere formality – it is a plan. A plan to ensure a better future for the Azores and to restate, once again, the ability and strength of the Azoreans to overcome challenges. And it is with this strength that we will continue to build our future here, on our nine islands!"