Regional Government is partner of project aiming to convert the archipelago into a smart tourist destination
The Regional Director for Science and Technology highlighted in Horta the importance of "SMARTDEST," a project co-financed by the INTERREG MAC 2014-2020 Programme. The Regional Government is a partner of the project, through the Regional Fund for Science and Technology, as "a way of mobilising the Azores' scientific system by integrating regional research teams, namely in areas related to the definition and integration of technological models."
Bruno Pacheco spoke on the panel "Eco urban planning and urban regeneration - Smart Destination." The initiative is held in the context of the 25th Philosophical Meetings that focus on the theme "Being in the World: Pathways to a Sustainable Society."
The Regional Director stated that the concept of smart tourist destination is recent, having emerged in 2012 in Catalonia. It is "strongly linked to the approaches envisaged in the concept of Smart City."
"In practice, it is a concept based on two fundamental pillars, namely new information technologies and sustainable tourism development," said the government official.
Bruno Pacheco stated that "SMARTDEST - Evaluation and Proposal for Strategy and Development of Tools for the Conversion of Cooperation Space in Smart Tourist Destinations" is being developed based on these assumptions. In terms of results for the Azores, the government official expects that the project may provide "a diagnosis on the technological maturity of the entire archipelago as well as a proposal for a plan identifying actions in order to convert the Region into a smart tourist destination."
According to the Regional Director, "this transformation process of the Azores destination will involve the implementation of a series of innovative technologies to be developed by companies scientifically advised by researchers from the Azores Scientific and Technological System."
"It is about endowing the archipelago with the necessary mechanisms and policies so that the agents involved in tourism may obtain data in real time, analyse them and make the right decisions, thus allowing the Region to be more efficient in the overall management of the destination at all levels," said the government official.
In this context, Bruno Pacheco defended that it will be possible "to create unique and customised services and experiences for tourists, expanding the offer and promotion of cultural, historical and environmental assets. This will facilitate tourist interaction with locals as well as improve their experience and evaluation of the destination."
The Regional Director added that the SMARTDEST project will have a practical component in Praia da Vitória, Terceira Island, where "it will promote public-private cooperation aimed at developing technological solutions. It will contribute to the promotion of entrepreneurship and innovation, along with a technical-scientific component supported by a team of experts from the three regions involved: Madeira, the Azores and the Canary Islands.
"Projects like SMARTDEST give body to the premises of Industry 4.0, that is, the so-called '4th Industrial Revolution' and introduce disruptive changes in production and business models," said the government official. He added that this industry is "a European priority, taking into account its potential as a driving force for economic recovery and job creation."
According to Bruno Pacheco, this new revolution is "transforming spaces, flows and territories, while fostering the creation of more flexible, connected and interactive social structures."
"Industry 4.0 may be applied to the management of territories, promoting the implementation of state-of-the-art technological solutions to the functioning of cities, tourism management, rural development and public services in order to improve economic, social and environmental development," said the Regional Director.