The Regional Secretary for Energy, Environment and Tourism stressed the holding of the 12th Azores and Back Yacht Race for being another event for the "projection of the Azores" in a market and important segment for the development of nautical tourism.
 
"The Regional Government supports this type of initiatives, promoting their organisation throughout the archipelago. In this specific case, it has established a partnership with the Ponta Delgada Nautical Club," said Marta Guerreiro.
 
The Regional Secretary spoke Sunday in Ponta Delgada at prize-delivery ceremony. This regatta sails from England with destination to the Azores and has been held every four years since 1975.
 
The Secretary for Tourism stated that "the tailoring of the Azores for the development of activities related to the sea" surrounding the archipelago is indisputable, being "a key aspect of Azorean identity."
 
"There is no doubt that our location in the middle of the Atlantic makes us a privileged place to become a mandatory stop for the most prestigious races," he said.
 
The Regional Secretary pointed out that nautical tourism, identified in the Strategic and Marketing Plan for Azores Tourism as one of the priority products, "still has great potential for growth in the Region."
 
"Initiatives like this one demonstrate that we are all committed to improving our destination in the sea segment, through the development of activities in this area," said the government official.
 
According to Marta Guerreiro, "this is a type of product that allows us to attract market niches with specific motivations and preference for high added-value products."