The Azores will start the process for the submission of the application for certification as "World Sustainable Destination", announced the Regional Director for Tourism during the first International Congress - GSTC DESTINATIONS COMMUNITY (Biosphere Community - Sustainable Destinations) that was held in Barcelona.

The Region participated in this congress at the invitation of the President of the Responsible Tourism Institute (ITR), who is also the representative of the Biosphere Certification System - Sustainable Tourism in Portugal.

This invitation follows the recognition of the work that the Government of the Azores has been developing in the area of Sustainable Tourism, which has also led the Region to submit its application for this certification.

The sustainability of the Azores Destination has been a true challenge over the last decade and half of governance. However, the Government of the Azores took into consideration the concern to grow without compromising the environmental values that differentiate the archipelago from the rest of the world. This has led to the selection of the Azores as the "Best Second Islands in the World for Sustainable Tourism."

The organisation of this Congress was primarily intended to formalise the creation of a pioneering group of the GSTC Destinations Community (Global Sustainable Tourism Council) at a global level.

Its purpose is to share good practices, policies and communication strategies regarding the sustainable actions developed by the participating destinations as well as to publicly explain its goals for other destinations, media, tour operators and the community in general.