Marta Guerreiro says APECATE Congress is "important moment in the tourism agenda of the Azores"
The Regional Secretary for Energy, Environment and Tourism stated in Horta that the 7th APECATE Congress "is an important moment in the tourism agenda of the Azores." It is in line with the Government's "investment" in actions to promote the destination as well as in policies privileging events, such as this one, with an effective promotional and flow-generating return, particularly in congress organisation."
Marta Guerreiro spoke at the opening of this congress. On the occasion, she stressed that "the archipelago is consolidating its work in the scope of the 'Meeting Industry' product, which enables entities to recognise the specificities and the positive aspects of choosing the Azores as a venue for holding the most relevant initiatives."
"We believe the Azores meet the ideal conditions for events at various levels, namely cultural, sporting, corporate and team building actions, in addition to providing an unforgettable holiday experience full of stories to be later told," stressed the Secretary for Tourism.
The APECATE Congress - Portuguese Association of Congress, Tourist Animation and Events Companies dedicates this year to the theme "From fashion to consolidation - Paths and challenges of Tourism in Portugal." It is considered by the general press and the tourism industry as one of the main forums on national tourism debate. This year's edition involves about 150 participants, mostly from the national market, being one of the priority markets for the Azores.
"It will be an exceptional opportunity to promote the Azores, taking into account the special profile of participants and the media coverage of the event by journalists of the tourism industry," said Marta Guerreiro.
"We do not cross our arms," assured the Regional Secretary assured. In this regard, she pointed out the challenges of the sector in the Azores, namely "the qualification of the destination focused on the enhancement of human resources," which represents "an investment of 4.6 million Euros in the 2019 budget, that is, 4% more than last year."
"Therefore, it is important to continue to grow and always improve the quality of our offer, especially in terms of services, acknowledging the value of those who welcome our tourists on a daily basis," said Marta Guerreiro. She noted that "the main focus will be on training professionals of the sector. In this regard, we are already implementing a series of actions in conjunction with the Hotel and Tourism School, IPDT and ARESHP, with a view to providing more and better tools to the professionals working with those who visit us: a key aspect in the experience of our visitors."
The Regional Secretary also highlighted some statistical data on the so-called "Triangle" islands (Pico, Faial and São Jorge). According to her, "the diversity and complementarity of tourism products and activities, the multiplicity of sites of interest, diversified cuisine, cultural heritage and, of course, the majestic mountain of Pico (the highest point in Portugal) have been more than enough reasons to generate significant interest in tourists and foresee interesting growths for the future."
"With a 9% growth of overnight stays in the first 11 months of 2018 on Faial, 25% on Pico and 13% on São Jorge, these three islands, commonly known as "triangle islands," given their proximity, complementarity and easy access by sea. They were the ones that grew the most in terms of tourism flows at regional level, which clearly demonstrates the interest raised by the "Triangle" islands among tourists," said Marta Guerreiro.