In the second part of our interview with Gilberto Vieira, a pioneer in rural and nature tourism, we address topics such as sustainability, Azorean authenticity, and the relationship between this association and the various regional government departments. Among other things, our interviewee says that the Azoreans know how to welcome visitors, but “when it comes to gastronomy, things are very different from what they used to be, and for the worse.”association’s relationship with

Gilberto Vieira has always been someone we identify as a defender of the environment and sustainability, and Casas Açorianas bears symbols of environmental preservation and practices what they like to call Azorean authenticity. The Azores have taken advantage of the distinctions they receive, and in this regard, are they still on the right track?

“That question could take up almost the entire interview, but I will try to be concise by separating the environmental issue from Azorean authenticity. The Azores have international gold certification as a ”Sustainable Destination,” which should be a source of pride and a guideline for all Azoreans, especially those who work in different areas of tourism.

But as we know, if it was difficult for the archipelago to achieve this distinction, it is no less true that it will perhaps be even more difficult to maintain it. We may have a somewhat contradictory situation here that we must learn to overcome. On the one hand, having the Gold distinction as a “Sustainable Destination” is certainly a highlight for our promotion and will attract more tourists. On the other hand, we all know that the environmental footprint left by tourists is high.

It is this balance that we must be mindful of, and I would like to leave you with three considerations, starting with the approval of excessively large buildings, and focusing here on the case of hotels. We must be mindful of the concentration of tourists on certain islands, especially in cities, and we must be mindful of the financial support given to certain events that may leave a heavy environmental footprint.

What about Azorean authenticity, both in terms of welcoming tourists and what is offered to them?

“Good question. Regarding the people of the Azores and their authenticity and hospitality, no one doubts that this has become an asset for tourism. A few years ago, our people were more closed off, but today they enjoy interacting with visitors and are very helpful to them.

As for gastronomy, things are very different from what they were in the past, but for the worse. We have more and more fast food and restaurants offering tourists a menu with foods that they can find anywhere they visit and even in their country of origin, which is a worrying sign.

In this respect, we are clearly taking the wrong steps. We import food products, many of them frozen, such as fish and meat, when we have excellent fish from the seas of the Azores and, in the case of meat, especially beef, that of the Azores is unmatched. Unfortunately, the same is true for pineapple imports, when the pineapple of the Azores is of the highest quality.

I would like to point out here that by not consuming our regional products, we are not contributing to the local economy, and on the other hand, the imports we make harm the environment, because by involving the maritime or air transport of these goods, we are leaving an ecological footprint that could be avoided.

I said at the beginning that Casas Açorianas is having a good year in terms of tourism, but what is the outlook for 2026? And are your relations with the various regional government departments good?

“As everyone knows, tourism in the Azores grew in 2024, with rural tourism exceeding the region’s overall growth in percentage terms, and in several months of this year, 2025, the same thing happened again. This very positive situation is due to several factors, starting with the daily work of the entrepreneurs who manage their accommodation units and the tourists who stay there in an exemplary manner. We know how to welcome our tourists with quality, as reflected in the number of repeat customers and inthose who advise their friends to stay in our houses.

Secondly, it is also due to the work that the Azorean Rural Tourism Association has been doing in promoting the homes of our members and the Azores as a region, and of course the promotion carried out by VisitAzores.

For all these reasons, provided there is no further instability in the world and the domestic market does not continue to decline for the Azores, the outlook is that 2026 could be another good year, both for our region and for our Casas Açorianas.

In response to the question about the Association’s relationship with the relevant departments or agencies, I can say that, in general, they are good, but when it comes to relationships between institutions, there is always a “but.” We have had some less positive situations, such as the reduction of our Investment Program Contract for Tourism Development, which is drawn up annually with the Resource and Incentive Services, which will prevent us from implementing some of the promotional activities for the Azorean Houses that we had planned, namely at the major tourism fair in Spain, FITUR.

Another aspect that I would like to highlight is that, when it comes to construction and modernization, environmental or technological improvements, Casas Açorianas are almost always left out of the support provided by various departments of the Regional Government, which should pay special attention to the characteristics of these units. -cas of these units, we don’t even get there by requesting any addendum to the support assumptions, such as increases in good practices that guarantee, in addition to higher quality, unique elements in our tourism offer that set the Azores apart.”

I may be mistaken, but I have never read an interview with the President of the Rural Tourism Association that seems as pessimistic as the one we have just done.

“I disagree. For me, and for the Rural Tourism Association, pessimism is a state of mind that does not exist, it may seem that way, but when you read the transcript of our conversation, you will see that in answering your questions, I only tried to highlight some issues that concern us and give my opinion, which are nothing more than simple contributions so that tourism in the Azores can improve even more and continue to develop in the right way so that we do not jeopardize its future.

Internally, everyone involved in the economic activity of tourism needs to know where we are going so that we can continue to generate wealth for the region, provide jobs for the population, and have the necessary “weapons” to respond to the challenges that this world presents us with.

If there were no other reasons, it would be enough that we are facing a more unstable global economy than we were just over a year ago, with the destabilization caused by wars and the economic measures taken by the US. These situations alone could damage global tourism and may cause a slowdown in people’s willingness to travel, which is a cause for concern.

However, the Azores have a natural advantage: we are a small archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic, sparsely populated and peaceful, recognized for our fantastic landscapes and concern for the environment, and even for our year-round temperate climate and our welcoming people.

Most of the factors that make a territory a tourist destination are here in the Azores, and we must know how to take advantage of this and be prepared to do so.”

Marco Sousa is a journalist for Correio dos Açores-Natalino Viveiros, director.

Translated into English as a community outreach program by the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL), in collaboration with Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno. PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.