Garden tourism should be promoted as nature tourism product, says Marta Guerreiro
The Regional Secretary for Energy, Environment and Tourism stated in Ponta Delgada that Garden Tourism should be regarded a product to be developed in the Azores under the nature tourism strategy, highlighting these privileged spaces for nature contemplation.
"Events such as this one allow us to focus on one the unique products of the Region - its magnificent gardens - with regard to their conservation, rehabilitation, promotion and investment. They contribute to the development of this type of tourism as a market to be explored and to the reduction of seasonality," says Marta Guerreiro. The government official spoke at the opening of the colloquium on Garden Tourism in Portugal and around the World.
According to the Regional Secretary, "this type of event is very important insofar as it puts Azorean gardens under the spotlight nationally and internationally.
Marta Guerreiro stressed the importance of biodiversity as a key element of these contemplative spaces. According to her, the José do Canto Garden, where the meeting took place, is an "example" of an area of considerable landscape and botanic interest that should be increasingly enhanced on all other islands.
In her speech, the Regional Secretary praised "the investments that have been made and will continue to be made in biodiversity, maintenance and promotion of these gardens." In this regard, she also highlighted the plant preservation and propagation projects, particularly through the Azores Seed Bank.
The Regional Government defends that the tourism development of the Azores requires a unique environmental offer in a concerted strategy for the protection of natural resources that will enhance the tourist activity in the archipelago as Nature destination.