Nature tourism is a “priority product, anchored in unparalleled natural resources” and “is taking on more and more prominence in the strategy, reinforcing the role of human nature and genuineness in enhancing the Azores as a destination of choice,” – said the Regional Secretary for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures at the 20th Airmet Convention, which is taking place in Angra do Heroísmo.

The Convention, which will last until Sunday, brings together around 450 tourism agents on the island of Terceira. According to Berta Cabral, the initiative “represents recognition of the Azores’ tourism potential.”

Destination Azores “is a positive challenge for Airmet, which must affirm the Azores as a destination of excellence and with a differentiated value proposition all year round and on all the islands.”

Sustainable development, said Berta Cabral, must be “a priority”. From this perspective, she said, “Tourism benefits visitors and, above all, residents while respecting the environment and preserving the authenticity of the nine islands.

MEETING & INCENTIVES

Berta Cabral states, “Our region offers high-quality conditions for the sowing of ‘Meetings & Incentives’, a product we have invested in as a mechanism for mitigating seasonality and dispersing tourist flows across all the islands.”

Referring to “the remarkable way in which tourism in the Azores has evolved in recent years”, she said that now there is the “stimulating challenge of managing success in a destination that still has a lot to grow and develop”.

“We have overcome challenges, invested in the quality of our offer and are reaping the rewards of a sustainable development strategy, always with a vision of the future and prosperity,” she said.

The fact that 2024 will be “the Golden Year” for tourism in the Azores, “indelibly affirming the region as a destination of international reference,” demonstrates for the minister “the commitment to the development of the islands, tourism, and the resident communities.”

Berta Cabral referred to the growth of more than 10% in overnight stays and 18.5% in traditional hotel revenue (it is expected to exceed four million overnight stays and 175 million euros in direct revenue from the hotel sector), and added: “More than numbers, these results translate into tourism that benefits our communities, generates employment, promotes investment and enhances our natural and cultural heritage.”

“National and international recognition of the Azores as a destination of excellence was only possible,” he said, ”thanks to the joint efforts of all those who believe in the potential of tourism in the Azores and work to do more and better.”

in Diário Insular

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADE.