The promotion of Rural Tourism, as a means of promoting local development in rural and less developed communities and of combating the development asymmetries, has become a valid and correct choice for the tourist development of the Archipelago over the year, the Regional Director for Tourism emphasised in Velas on S. Jorge Island today.
Miguel Cymbron spoke on behalf of the Regional Secretary for the Economy at the opening session of the 5th Atlantic Rural Tourism Biennial and reminded that Rural Tourism has allowed the creation “of a complete and diversified tourist product” with the primary purpose of preserving, recovering and enhancing the architectural, historical, natural and landscape heritage of the Azores, thereby promoting local traditions as a financial complement to other activities.
The Regional Director for Tourism stressed that the Region has currently 947 beds in this type of accommodation, representing about 10% of the Region’s total capacity, which surpasses the triple of the available beds in 2000 (308).
For Miguel Cymbron, this is a number of beds that represents “a certain dimension if we consider that they correspond to 128 hotel units spread throughout all islands, except Corvo Island.
“In order to maintain this development rate, the financial incentive systems, which have significantly supported rural tourism investments in accommodation and tourism animation, will continue to be available,” assured the Regional Director for Tourism.