“Rural tourism has become one of the areas with the greatest economic potential in the tourism sector over the last years,” which combines “the trademark image of the Azores, its natural treasures, with the business development of these activities,” mentioned the Regional Secretary for the Economy in the town of Velas today.
Vasco Cordeiro spoke at a press conference to present 5th Atlantic Rural Tourism Biennial and reminded that “since the beginning this event was envisaged as a meeting place for those, who operate in Atlantic insular environments and who wish to exchange opinions and validate options for the creation of a tourism strategy which takes into account the dimension of each island”; therefore a “business space was has also been created, a relevant factor for an archipelago composed by widely spread islands where contacts are scarce.”
According to the Regional Secretariat for the Economy, the choice of S. Jorge for the organisation of this event conveys a great symbolism, as the some of the dominant characteristics that we consider to be an example for rural tourism in our archipelago may be found on this island, whether through the recovery of our heritage or through the promotion of Nature as one of our brand images, a dominant feature on this island.”
For Vasco Cordeiro, “there is a reason for increased satisfaction” this year, given the development and promotion of this initiative, as evidenced by the number of registrations - over two hundred - which demonstrates that the Atlantic Rural Tourism Biennial “has managed to become a high quality event, fundamental for regional businesspeople.”
Thus, Vasco Cordeiro stated, “we will launch new challenges in this 5th edition and we will expect debates on the suggested themes, with special emphasis on the one that has been one of the Government’s challenges: the assertion of the Azores as an environmental reference, privileging an active contact with Nature, particularly with the Sea.”
This year’s edition counts upon the presence of Herb Christophers, from the New Zealand Department of Conservation, of Antonio San Bias, from the La Palma Biosphere Reserve, Canary Islands, and of Carlos Fernadez, also from the Canary Islands, head of the Isla Bonita, an association in charge of boosting rural tourism on La Palma Island, where this type of tourism has registered a significant growth and whose experience exchange will be very useful for all regional operators.