sustainable-azores-noticias-rotas-acores-premio-turismo-nacional

“Azores Routes” wins National Tourism Award in the category Authentic Tourism

by Sustainable AzoresNotíciasPosted on No Comments

The Regional Secretariat for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructure informs that the project “Azores Routes – Cultural and Landscape Itineraries”, developed and promoted with the Regional Authoroty of Tourism, won the category “Authentic Tourism” of the National Tourism Award 2022, an initiative of Expresso and BPI. “It is a national recognition of great relevance that makes us very proud, because it rewards the strategic vision and technical merit in the implementation of a project that aims to enhance our culture and our islands,” underline the Regional Secretary in charge, Berta Cabral. The “Azores Routes”, presented to the public at this year’s edition of BTL, currently have three thematic routes dedicated to whaling, vineyards, and volcanoes, allowing an experiential visitation flow in several points of the archipelago. These routes are already available to the entire public through the rotas.azores.gov.pt platform, counting on more than 60 public and private partners, gathered in a collaborative network, and providing a multiplicity of resources in the territory – many of them usually unknown or even unavailable to the public. Berta Cabral says that “there are more than 40 structured itineraries that add value to the experience on the islands, bringing together the best features of the Azores, namely nature, heritage, authenticity and proximity”. The governor added that “these routes can be used throughout the year, contributing to the mitigation of seasonality and to a better distribution of tourist flows in the territory”. On 27 September, as part of the celebration of the World Tourism Day, Berta Cabral had already announced the expansion of the Thematic Routes, with two new themes, one dedicated to Industrial Tourism and the other to Maritime Explorations, which are expected to be available by early 2024. The National Tourism Award is a joint initiative of Expresso, BPI and Deloitte that distinguishes the best initiatives in the Portuguese tourism sector, contemplating five categories: authentic tourism, gastronomic tourism, inclusive tourism, innovative tourism, and sustainable tourism. This year 743 applications were submitted, assessed by technical committees and a jury of representatives from different areas of Portuguese society. Azores were also represented by other finalist projects, such as the Azores Wine Company, a wine tourism project, in the Authentic Tourism category; the Bensaúde Group, in the Sustainable Tourism category; and the Azores All in Blue – Tourism and Autism project, winner in the Inclusive Tourism category, to which the Azores Government extends its congratulations. Source: Regional Secretariat for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructure

acores-european-safest-destination

Azores distinguished as a safe holiday destination in 2022, by the European Safe Destination

by Sustainable AzoresNotíciasPosted on One Comment

For the 3rd year in a row of a “European Best Destinations” Azores was chosen as a safe destination for holidays in 2022. The election was based on criteria such as the number of Covid-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, as well as sanitary and local measures imposed by the local authorities to receive tourists in hotels, shops and to restaurants. The distinction made by the website “European Best Destinations”, makes the Azores one of the few destinations that maintained, during pandemic period, the possibility of a safe experience in permanent contact with sustainable nature, and reinforces confidence in choosing the Azores when planning your vacation. Sustainability and safety are the pillars of the Azores destination, visiting the Azores is a complete experience, both in terms of activities (walking tours, whale watching, bird watching, diving, surfing, golf, among others), as well as in terms of landscapes and gastronomy. Source: Açores 24h

life-vidalia

LIFE VIDALIA kicks off with various actions targeting Azorina and Lotus species

by Sustainable AzoresNews, NotíciasPosted on No Comments

Nature conservation project LIFE VIDALIA kicks off with several actions targeting two endemic species The Regional Secretariat for Energy, Environment and Tourism, through the Regional Environment Directorate, carried out, between February and March, several actions under the LIFE VIDALIA – Valorization and Innovation project, targeting the endemic species “Azorina” and “Lotus”, in all the islands covered by this project.     LIFE VIDALIA aims to conserve these two endemic Azorean species, protected by the Habitats Directive, on the Faial, Pico and São Jorge islands. In total there will be 17 intervention areas, 12 of which will be directed to “Vidália”, a species of the only endemic genus of the Azores, and five to “Lotus azoricus”, an endemic species, totaling an area of ​​about 95 hectares. The first sequence of conservation work is the removal and control of invasive alien plant species in the intervention areas where the “Vidália” populations of Morro de Castelo Branco, in Faial Island, and Fajã dos Cubres, in São Jorge, and the population of “Lotus azoricus” from Calheta do Nesquim, on the island of Pico, in order to prepare the areas for future endemic species reinforcement plantations. This five-year project, with an investment of € 1.8 million, will also have other very important components in a strategy for sustainable development, the promotion of nature conservation habits, including specific environmental education and awareness programs of environmental volunteering. At the same time, the sowing of plants that will be used to recover the habitats of the intervention areas has already started. Since the project was approved in July 2018, the Regional Directorate for the Environment and Azorina – Society for Environmental Management and Nature Conservation, beneficiaries of the project, have carried out a series of actions involving the reevaluation of the intervention areas, the harvesting of seeds of the target species, the definition of the operational plan and the acquisition of the necessary materials for the project implementation. LIFE VIDALIA conducts conservation work in all sites of the Natura 2000 network of Faial, Pico and São Jorge islands where “Vidália” and “Lotus azoricus” occur.