Government sets at 9 million Euros the maximum amount of support awarded to tourist promotion and animation projects
The Government of the Azores has set at 9 million Euros the maximum amount of financial support to be awarded in 2011 “under the contract-programmes with non-profit organisations for the implementation of projects of interest public in the areas of tourist promotion and animation.”
When presenting the press release of the last meeting of the Council of the Government held on Wednesday, the Regional Secretary of the Presidency revealed that these financial resources are intended “to support projects in order to create a structured and qualified tourist animation offer as well as to studies, monitoring and follow-up of the tourism activity in the Azores.”
According to André Bradford, an additional amount of 2 million will be awarded to support “projects developed by private entities and individuals, in the context of tourism animation, as well as 10 million Euros for the promotional campaign of the Azores in the preferential external markets.”
The Government also approved the signing of annual contracts with the Port Administration of Terceira and Graciosa (APTG) and of São Miguel and Santa Maria (APSM) in order to support the implementation of various contract works to renew and redevelop commercial ports in the Azores in the part which is not subsidised by Community funding.
The contract signed with the APTG, in the amount of 740,555 Euros, includes the contract works to build a roll on/roll off ramp in the Graciosa Port, the Angra do Heroísmo Cruise Terminal and the Integrated Management Plan of the Angra do Heroísmo Bay (2nd phase), while the contract signed with the ASPM, which amounts to 389,340 Euros, is addressed at the installation of a covered structure at the “Portas do Mar.”
At the same meeting, the Government decided to authorise the signing of a contract-programme, on a multiannual basis, between the Azores and APIA – Agency for the Promotion of Investment in the Azores, EPE.
As André Bradford explained, this contract is intended to regulate the terms on which the APIA “is empowered to perform legal acts and materials operations within their powers as well as to stipulate the public financial compensations up to a maximum of 900,000 Euros for the year 2011, which will be awarded for the achievement of common interest goals.”