The Government of the Azores will launch a series of initiatives to promote several islands among their markets of economic reference, announced the Regional Secretary for the Economy today.

The first of these initiatives, organised in conjunction with several entities from Santa Maria, is scheduled for next July with a one-week promotion of Santa Maria on the island of São Miguel and at the "Loja Açores" in Lisbon.

Vasco Cordeiro spoke to journalists at the end of a meeting with the Santa Maria Delegation from the Ponta Delgada Chamber of Commerce and Industry, saying that "this initiative is not only addressed at the promotion of traditional products, but also of services, such as tourist entertainment, and the hotel sector of these islands."

According to Vasco Cordeiro, this Government's initiative "has a very clear purpose: boosting the internal market." "This dynamics," he said, "requires the commitment to strengthen the position of smaller islands among their economies of reference." "This happens with S. Miguel, in the case of Santa Maria, but it also happens, for example, with Terceira in relation to other islands as the initiatives to be developed are not limited to this island. Similar initiatives are already being prepared."

For the Regional Secretary for the Economy, "we are increasingly promoting the potentialities, companies, services and the products offered by these islands. Hence, we are strengthening our economy by creating the conditions to boost the domestic market and bring more added value to the regional economy."

At today's meeting with the Santa Maria Delegation from the Ponta Delgada Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Vasco Cordeiro also conveyed his "satisfaction" as he noticed that "the changes introduced in freight transport to Santa Maria were welcomed by most businesspeople.”

With these changes, the island of Santa Maria will receive the goods loaded in Ponta Delgada within a 24-hour interval.