The Regional Secretariats for Social Solidarity and for Energy, Environment and Tourism are promoting for the sixth consecutive year the "My Azores, My Love" senior tourism programme, whose application period opens today.
This low and mid-season programme will involve 29 groups in this edition, reaching about one thousand people from all islands of the archipelago. It may represent an increase of 6,000 overnight stays in regional hotel units.
The initiative will run from February to May and the first trip is scheduled for February 4 with destination to Flores Island.
The "My Azores, My Loves" senior tourism programme, established in 2014, has provided thousands of Azorean residents over 60 years with the possibility of benefiting from complete travel packages to any island of the archipelago, including meals, transfer, activities and excursions.
With this initiative, the Regional Government intends to encourage domestic tourism among Azorean residents, stimulating domestic demand during periods of lesser tourism activity. The aim is to mitigate the negative effects of seasonality, while promoting the socialisation among Azoreans from all islands of the archipelago and strengthen the socio-cultural ties between participants.
The application period takes place in two phases. The first runs between January 10 and 17 and the second between January 18 and 25, if all vacancies provided in this edition are not filled during the first phase.
Applications can be made at RIAC offices or at the local Social Security services on all islands.
Further information is available at http://www.azores.gov.pt/Portal/pt/entidades/srss-issa/textoTabela/Meus+Açores+Meus+Amores.htm.