The Regional Secretary for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructure argued on Friday in Ponta Delgada that "the Azores Tourism Summit was created to take tourism in the Azores even further, but also to bring the world and outside knowledge to the reality" of the region.

Berta Cabral was speaking at the closing session of the first major edition of the "Azores Tourism Summit", an event that served to innovate and, above all, give the Azores tourism the prominence it deserves.

"The Azores Tourism Summit represents a new paradigm for tourism in the Azores and the true internationalisation of the sector. It is a moment of openness to the local community and the outside world, which affirms the quality and ambition of the Azores destination and the regional tourist offer," he said.

Renewing the "firm objective of having tourism all year round and on all the islands", Berta Cabral recognised the need to work hard to mitigate seasonality, disperse tourist flows and plan and value the territory, "where every citizen can and should make a contribution".

She reinforced the idea that the growth in tourism would not have been possible without the work of entrepreneurs and said that, for this year, the outlook is for more than four million overnight stays and 175 million euros in hotel revenue, "with a growing reputation and increasingly competitive at international level, while unequivocally confirming a process of truly sustainable growth".

The Azores have just received the formal announcement that we are the first archipelago in the world to be awarded the Gold Level of Earth Check's "Sustainable Destination" certification and Berta Cabral stressed the importance of these ‘results of excellence, consecutively recognised with national and international awards and distinctions, the result of the joint efforts of those who are here today and many others who work on the nine islands’.

"We can and should be proud of this, taking advantage of the impetus to continue planning conscious development, openness to the world, continuous improvement and based on the prosperity and well-being of our communities," he said.

He continued: "We were able to identify the right time to design and implement a new development strategy for the sector, aligned with the European Union's multiannual financial framework, which is reflected in PEMTA 2030 and which is today an inspiration for the 2035 Strategy for Tourism in Portugal."

"With sure and determined steps, we have built a path that allows tourism to currently account for around 20% of Gross Value Added, 17% of GDP and 17% of regional employment, according to the results of the study we presented. This is irrefutable confirmation of the increased importance that tourism has had in recent years in sustaining economic growth and improving the well-being and quality of life of our population,’ he added.

"Tourism is now a real driving force behind the Azorean economy and the main economic activity creating wealth, jobs, investment and opportunities for the future of our islands. We must also recognise that the dynamism and versatility of tourism has made an unparalleled contribution to the democratisation of income, opportunities for personal development and self-employment on all the islands," she said.

Always focusing on sustainability (environmental, economic and social) and residents at the centre of the Azores' tourism development strategy, Berta Cabral defended the need to “demystify prejudices, unfounded ideas and the misinformation that insists on devaluing an extremely positive economic cycle for the region”.

"In addition to being an asset of the present, tourism is a sector of the future. The innovative and proactive impetus of the entire industry demands that we don't settle or allow ourselves to be left in the shadow of success. We must continue to invest in the development and qualification of our offer, aware of the competitive aggressiveness of this sector and the growing responsibility that our external notoriety places on us," she said.

On the other hand, the Regional Secretary said that the proposal for the Regional Annual Plan for 2025 maintains an investment volume of over 19 million euros, where promotion, destination qualification and sustainability remain the cornerstones.

"We will remain faithful to the principle of supporting the region's tourism development within an integrated vision of enhancing the territory and its distinctive resources, with the contribution and for the benefit of all Azoreans," she concluded.