Berta Cabral says Canadian tourism is booming in the Azores and on the rise - Communication

Secretaria Regional do Turismo, Mobilidade e Infraestruturas

The Regional Secretary for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures, Berta Cabral, stated on Wednesday that "Canada is now a fast-growing tourist market in the Azores" and the trend, she believes, will grow "over the next few years."

Berta Cabral spoke at the opening session of the ACTA (Association of Canadian Travel Agencies and Travel Advisors) International Destination Conference, which is taking place at the Teatro Micaelense in Ponta Delgada.

At this first international conference held in the Azores, she recalled the "special history of emigration and bilateral agreements" that the Azores share with Canada. She also mentioned that the relations between both parties "‘go beyond the diaspora as far as Canadian tourism has been registering significant growth in the Region."

"Canada is now one of the top five international source markets for tourism in the Azores. Overnight stays by Canadian tourists grew about 63% last year, and we anticipate another significant increase this year," she said.

According to Berta Cabral, "Visit Azores, the tourism promotion agency, has been working hard towards this goal."

She continued: "The fact that we are welcoming you here today proves our commitment to this. Organising this event is an important opportunity to showcase the beauty of our islands, the hospitality of our people and the quality of our tourism offer."

Pointing out that tourism in the Azores has been flourishing and registering significant growth in recent years, the Regional Secretary for Tourism highlighted the increase in overnight stays by almost 16% in 2023, with the prospect of surpassing four million overnight stays this year.

"Today, tourism represents around one billion Euros in the Azorean economy, which corresponds to about 17% of the GDP, 16% of jobs and 20% of the GVA," she said.

"This is one of the most important sectors of our economy, with a unique ability to positively influence others, driving economic growth, job creation, investment opportunities, income diversification and sustainable development," she added.

Recalling that the Azores achieved Gold Level certification as a Sustainable Destination by Earth Check, being the first in the world to do so, Berta Cabral noted that "this achievement highlights the Region's commitment to sustainable development, respecting communities, their way of life and cultural uniqueness."

"Tourism will continue to be at the core of our long-term political strategy for regional progress and prosperity. We will continue to invest in the development of infrastructures, products, services and tourist experiences as well as in international promotion activities, with a particular focus on the North American market," she said.

Mentioning that the Azores were voted the "Best Adventure Tourism Destination in the World" in 2023 and the "Best Adventure Tourism Destination in Europe" for several years, she insisted that tourism all year round and on all islands is possible.

"Nature tourism is our main product, offering a variety of activities such as hiking, canyoning, bird watching, whale watching, mountain biking, kayaking, diving, surfing, sailing and much more, in addition to authentic cultural experiences," she emphasised.

Berta Cabral stated that ACTA, "with its well-deserved reputation and more than 3,000 members, is the perfect partner to help promote the Azores across Canada and provide Canadian travellers with a unique experience in a world-leading sustainable destination."

"We are optimistic that this is just the beginning of a long, successful and mutually beneficial partnership," she concluded.

The ACTA international conference brings together about 150 travel agents and travel advisors from Canada to the Azores, representing an effort by Visit Azores and the National Authority as part of the Region's external promotion process. It also falls within the strategy of mitigating tourist seasonality by harnessing the installed capacity and potential of the "Meetings & Incentives" segment in the Azores.