Together the Secretaria Regional da Agricultura e Ambiente and the Direção Regional do Ambiente in partnership with the Gabinete da Carta Europeia de Turismo Sustentável nas Terras do Priolo, are promoting a new season of applications to the Priolo brand, that will be available from today until the 31st of March.

The applications can be presented by the entities and companies that execute their actions on the councils of Nordeste and Povoação, in S.Miguel, which have activities related to craftwork, agribusiness products, touristic animation, catering and accommodation.

There are already 35 entities associated with the Priolo brand who are committed to contribute for the development of the sustainable territory encouraging the economy and the social sustainable development.

The adhesion to this brand means that there will be a commitment of the companies executing sustainable activities and contributing to the conservation of the protected areas of the territory that serves the natural habitat of Priolo.

The application of Terras do Priolo to award the Carta Europeia de Turismo Sustentável in protected areas (CETS), presented by the Azorean Government, was approved in October 2012 by the tourism sustainable development regarding the conservation of the unique natural values, promoted on the project LIFE Laurissilva Sustentável and the Plano de Ordenamento da Bacia Hidrográfica da Lagoa das Furnas.

The CETS is a tool certificated by the Federation EUROPARC and defends the tourism that conciliate and includes the cultural, social and environmental aspects with the economic development at the protected areas.

The Carta Europeia de Turismo Sustentável nas Terras do Priolo has partners in the environmental regional offices, the resources of the forest and tourism, the town hall of Nordeste and the Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves (SPEA).

The accession of the companies to the Priolo brand offers, besides some others advantages, divulgation in tourism fairs, the access to the formation to improve their environmental development and gathering information about the access to the community funds.

The companies who are interested should contact the Gabinete da Carta Europeia de Turismo Sustentável nas Terras do Priolo, through the following email address [email protected]  or contact the following phone number 296 206 700.

For more information please check the following website http://www.azores.gov.pt/Gra/srrn-cets/menus/principal/marca+priolo/.