The President of the Government announced today an investment of nearly three million euros next year in environmentally important spaces in the Region with the aim of ensuring their appreciation by those who visit them as well as their environmental and landscape sustainability.
 
"The proposed investment plan for 2019 provides for an investment of nearly three million Euros for the creation and improvement of structures in areas known for their unique environmental heritage, which, for this reason, are increasingly sought after," said Vasco Cordeiro.
 
Vasco Cordeiro spoke at the presentation of the intervention for the redevelopment of pedestrian trails in Serra de Santa Bárbara, an investment of about 800 thousand Euros. The event took place in the context of the Government's visit to Terceira Island.
 
According to the President of the Government, the purpose of this strategy is clear and aims to ensure the appreciation of these spaces in an incredibly special experience, while ensuring their environmental and landscape safeguarding and, consequently, their sustainability.
 
In this regard, Vasco Cordeiro pointed out some examples of these interventions on several islands: the recovery of trails and support infrastructures in Fajã da Caldeira de Santo Cristo; the construction of the support zone for descents on Pico Mountain and the respective parking area; the environmental recovery and the interpretive trail in the coastal platform of Lajes do Pico; the redevelopment of the viewpoint and trail in Lagoa do Fogo lake; the interpretative trail in Ponta da Ferraria; the construction of Algar do Carvão Interpretation Centre, and the redevelopment of pedestrian trails and viewpoints in Serra de Santa Bárbara.
 
According to him, this investment presented today will reach the "balance point" between the improvement of tourism offer in this space and the environmental concerns that must be necessarily present in such intervention.
 
In his speech, the President of the Government emphasised that this investment falls within the regional strategy implemented throughout the archipelago to qualify tourism spaces, thereby providing a response to the growth registered by this sector in recent years, especially since the end of 2014.
 
"It is enough to say that, last year, for the third consecutive year, this island registered a significant increase in tourism demand over 20 percent. Within three years, the growth of overnight stays on Terceira Island was by far the most significant in the Azores: more than 120%, being higher than the 93% average registered at regional level. This is largely motivated by the success of operations in US and Spanish markets."
 
From January to August of this year, traditional hotel units registered a growth over 8.5% in overall revenue because of the increase in the average price per night/guest. Once again, this situation evidences that the private sector is generating more value in this important economic sector.
 
"If this regional growth yield more wealth and jobs, it is a fact that this same growth poses a series of new challenges that all of us - public and private entities - must respond through partnerships and coordination of efforts," said Vasco Cordeiro.
 
According to the President of the Government, one of these main challenges concerns the qualification of the destination and, this context, priority status was awarded to the redevelopment of the main sites of tourist interest to ensure their future sustainability.
 
The project presented today comprises the construction of two raised wooden walkways - one to the north, with an extension of 834 metres, including a space for the contemplation of Caldeira de Santa Bárbara in its final part, and another to the south, stretching over an area of 325 metres - as well as the construction of a new viewpoint on the south coast and the creation of parking areas for 31 vehicles.