In the first week of April, Terceira Island will host two important events that will bring hundreds of national and international experts in the field of nature tourism to the region: the congress of the Portuguese Association of Congress, Tourism and Events Companies (APECATE), and the new edition of Azores Trails Fest.

The Regional Secretariat for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures made the announcement during BTL 2025 in front of regional businesspeople and journalists, through the President of APECATE, António Marques Vidal, and the Regional Director for Tourism, Rosa Costa.

It should be noted that the 13th edition of the APECATE Congress, which will take place on April 3 and 4, will consist of three panels. The first aims to give the tourism players a voice, the second will address paths to certification and sustainability, and the third will seek to debate the operationalization and structuring of the congress and events sector.

A fourth panel will close this important congress, during which the importance and creation of dynamics through hiking festivals will be debated. Thus, the transition will be to Azores Trails Fest, the largest event of its kind in the Azores.

In fact, the Azores Trails Fest, to be held from April 4 to 6, is considered extremely important for the sector since it involves public entities and the entire tourist trade and helps to promote and boost the regional network of hiking trails.

This festival establishes the Azores on the international scene as a benchmark in active nature tourism experiences and in creating anchor events based on sustainability that combine natural and cultural heritage.

The 3rd edition of the Aores Trails Fest kicks off with a night walk on April 4, followed by the Rocha do Chambre and Ribeira da Agualva trails. It ends with an urban cultural trail in tribute to Vitorino Nemésio in the city of Praia da Vitória.

On April 6, the gastronomic component is particularly important, with the Fortes de São Sebastião Trail, which ends in the center of this parish, where participants will be welcomed with a lunch alluding to the Holy Spirit Festivities.

The Regional Network of Footpaths is constantly evolving. It already has 96 approved footpaths, totalling 838 km, marked with internationally recognized marks and codes that guarantee the safety of those taking part and environmental protection where they occur.

From Press Release

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 NOVIDADES.