Marta Guerreiro highlights importance of holding the Global Sustainable Tourism Council Annual Congress on Terceira Island
The Regional Secretary for Energy, Environment and Tourism stressed today the importance of holding the Annual Congress of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. The event will take place at the Angra do Heroísmo Cultural and Congress Centre on the island of Terceira between December 4 and 7.
Marta Guerreiro called for the participation of the sector's agents, stressing that “this is a very important moment for tourism in the Azores because it is one of the most important international events on sustainable development.”
"We want it to be a moment of sharing, debate and reflection not only on this topic at international level, but, above all, at regional level, taking into consideration the ongoing certification process of the Azores as a Sustainable Tourist Destination," stressed the government official.
According to the government official, “about 150 participants are expected” at a congress that she considered to be a “unique opportunity to project the Azores into the international sustainability scene, thus reinforcing the internal recognition of the Region's potential as a sustainable tourist destination.”
Under the theme "Navigating the Way Forward in Sustainable Tourism," the congress will focus on areas such as "Smart & Sustainable Destination Management," "Market Opportunities and Challenges for Sustainable Products" and "s Tourism Responding to Climate Change?"
“We believe this will probably be one of the best GSTC congresses as it will bring together a number of speakers from around the world who stand out for their relevance of their positions,” said Marta Guerreiro. In this regard, she pointed out the example of EarthCheck CEO, Stewart Moore, Innovation Norway consultant, Ingunn Sornes, and the Director of Sustainable Development at TUI, Jane Ashton.
The programme of the event is available at https://www.gstcouncil.org/gstc2019/program/.
Registration for residents in the Azores can be made at the address https://www.gstcouncil.org/gstc2019/azorean-registration/.
The holders of Miosótis awards as well as the holders of GSTC-accredited and/or recognised certification schemes will benefit from an additional discount.
The Secretary for Tourism spoke in the context of the Government's visit to Terceira Island on the sidelines of the visit to the "Casa das Cinco" tourism project.
“This is another excellent example of improving our offer,” said the Regional Secretary. As she added, the "Casa das Cinco" was a former Fiscal Brigade House that was transformed into a "picturesque tourist house with an 'excellent location' near the sea and Angra do Heroísmo, a World Heritage site.”