The launch of various promotional campaigns of the Azores destination in markets such as Germany, the United States and Canada, among others, is one of the initiatives the Azores Tourism Association (ATA) will develop during next year and which was analysed at a meeting held between the new board of ATA and the Regional Secretary for the Economy, Vasco Cordeiro, in Ponta Delgada on Tuesday.
Speaking to journalists at the end of the meeting, Vasco Cordeiro stressed that the work to be developed over the next year by the ATA is based result on the belief that the Azores have “a very important work to be undertaken among their main tourism markets either with the purpose of enhancing their image in those markets or mitigating the effects of seasonality that still affects the sector.
Nonetheless, the Regional Secretary for the Economy pointed out that “this is a continuous work, as in recent years we have been undertaking specific promotional efforts in various markets.” “We cannot, therefore, focus our promotional investment on one country during two or three years and then change to another country. This effort must be carried out over time so that we may effectively contribute to enhancing the reputation of our destiny.”
In this context, Vasco Cordeiro stressed the “significant reinforcement of funds to promote the Azores in the German, North American and Canadian markets, among others.”
“Germany is one of the countries where the Azores still have a considerable potential for growth. With the prospects of economic recovery next year, we will focus on that market” as well as “on United States and Canada, particularly in the areas with direct connections to the Azores, such as the States of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, USA, or the provinces of Ontario and Quebec in Canada.”
According to Vasco Cordeiro, “the Azores have yet to enhance the investment promotional effort that has been implemented in several countries.”
Taking into account that this was first meeting with newly elected board of ATA, the Regional Secretary for the Economy also praised the work carried out by this organisation over the past year, “the action taken by ATA has been made possible due to the work that has been developed so far by the previous board. An action that has been very important to the Azores Tourism, which now allow us to meet the challenges we are facing.”
Vasco Cordeiro also considered that the year 2010 was characterised “by the stabilisation of the tourism flow to the Region.” “The 2.5 percent growth only demonstrates that there is still much work to be done in the future.”