NEW’S | “Azores Routes – Cultural and Landscape Itineraries” Project wins National Tourism Award in Authentic Tourism category

The “Azores Routes – Cultural and Landscape Itineraries” project, led by the Regional Secretariat for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures, won the National Tourism Award in the “Authentic Tourism” category.

According to the Regional Secretary for Tourism, Berta Cabral, “this is another award, which adds to so many others. It distinguishes the work carried out by the Regional Government in the tourism sector in partnership with public and private entities and with the sector’s agents, with a view to transforming the Region into an increasingly attractive destination, not only in terms of nature but also in terms of Azorean identity.”

This Award is a joint initiative of Expresso, BPI and Deloitte. It aims to distinguish what is best done in Portugal in the area of tourism and comprises five categories: “Authentic Tourism,” “Gastronomic Tourism,” “Inclusive Tourism,” “Innovative Tourism” and “Sustainable Tourism.”

This edition received 743 applications, which were assessed by technical committees and a jury made up of representatives from different areas of Portuguese society.

“The Azores are undoubtedly a destination of nature, but we cannot forget our human nature. This is, in fact, the work we have been doing and, in this context, we created the “Azores Routes” project,” stressed the government official. According to her, “this project stems from the desire to structure the cultural offer available in the Azores, which is a Region with a wealth of cultural traditions brought by various generations to the present day.”

“We consider that the Azores already have a consolidated and differentiated nature tourism offer, and it is now time to structure the cultural offer. This was the best format that we found to develop such a rich and varied offer throughout the nine islands, using the Routes format and the creation of a collaborative network that already has more than 60 partners. In fact, the new PEMTA 2030 reflects this Government’s strategy for tourism, placing culture as a product to be promoted strategically, while never taking away the relevance of Nature,” she said.

As the government official noted, the “Azores Routes” provides tourists visiting the nine Azorean islands with 48 itineraries and “presents to the markets a newly organised and differentiated offer that focuses on the human assets of these islands, i.e., people, communities and the traditions supporting them – even those who prefer nature-related activities also seek destinations that have a good cultural offer.

“This is a way to make culture more accessible to those visiting us and, consequently, to have more satisfied visitors with all the benefits that this brings in passing the word on to family and friends,” said the Regional Secreta

Berta Cabral also recalls that “distinctions such as the National Tourism Award, which highlight and recognise the work done, is another way of working on the projection of the Azores as a destination.”

The Regional Secretary for Tourism also stated that the “Azores Routes” is a very recent project. Nevertheless, we believe that, due to the themes involved, demand will be balanced between the various structured options,” which include the Whaling Route, the Vineyards Route and the Volcanoes Route.

“We are expectant to see the number of visitors interested in the proposed itineraries for the various islands. The different themes also allow each island to focus on the resources that best define it,” she adds.

The Regional Secretary for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures stressed the fact that the Regional Government is working, for a more immediate period, “in the creation of two new themes that will result in two new routes: the Industrial Tourism Route, focusing on the agri-food industry, and the Maritime Explorations Route, which aims to address the importance of the Azores for their strategic position over the centuries.”

“We want to increase our network of partners and the number of Certified Agents through training for tourism and maritime-tourism companies wishing to join this project,” said Berta Cabral.

GRA/RÁDIOILHÉU