The Regional Director for Support to the Investment and Competitiveness stated in Ponta Delgada that the incentive system for business competitiveness - Competir+ has contributed "decisively to the development of the Azores."
 
"On the day marking four years since its entry into force, it is important to highlight that Competir + is the main private support investment tool of the Regional Government. In addition to being the most comprehensive and generous incentive system, it has increasingly boosted private investment in the Region," said Ricardo Medeiros.
 
The Regional Director spoke after a visit to Ponta Delgada Hotel, where the works for the remodelling and modernisation of various infrastructures are under way. On the occasion, he also mentioned that "the investment in the promotion of exports has been quite significant, as evidenced in the growth of the tourism sector."
 
Competir+ is made up of several subsystems: "Promotion of Exports," "Internationalisation," "Qualification and Innovation," 'Qualified and Creative Entrepreneurship' and "Incentives for Local Development."
 
"With this incentive system, we are promoting the sustainable development of the regional economy, strengthening the competitiveness of Azorean companies, promoting the promotion of exports as well as stimulating the production of tradable and innovative goods and services," said Ricardo Medeiros. According to him, "it is a fundamental pillar in the development strategy" of the Regional Government.
 
"With our incentive system we are also taking advantage of the knowledge to value and differentiate resources as well as to stimulate cooperation among companies, business associations, municipalities and regional scientific and technological entities," added the government official.
 
The Regional Director for Support to the Investment and Competitiveness also stressed that "more than 1,000 investment applications, representing several millions of Euros, have already been announced and are expected to create many hundreds of jobs."