The success of tourism in the Azores “is a challenge for all Azoreans” and requires “the achievement of an effort that requires the participation of all, with or without direct intervention in the sector,” stated the Regional Secretary for the Economy in Santa Cruz da Graciosa on Thursday.

Vasco Cordeiro spoke during the signing ceremony of a protocol with the AGRAPROME Association for the promotion of the Graciosa island rally and recalled that the Azorean Government “has been undertaking a significant effort in promoting the destination,” hence considering “the allocation of 10 million Euros for this purpose of great relevance in the current context.”

The Regional Secretary for the Economy recalled “the success of this sector is not only achieved by travel agents or hotel businesspeople: a collective effort is necessary because tourism is not just made up of visits, but rather of a wide range of activities that are essential.”

Vasco Cordeiro also reminded that the support granted by the Azorean Government to the initiatives developed to promote the destination and attraction of tourist flows “should not be simply regarded as a subsidy but rather as something wider that represents an important work that has to be done.”

Furthermore, he added, “it is essential the commitment of those organising this type of initiatives so that the final goals may be effectively achieved.”

Under the protocol signed on Thursday, Vasco Cordeiro noted that this association “has distinguished itself in the partnerships with the Government of the Azores regarding the promotion of the destination in a very prominent way either for the quality of the events that have been promoted, for the excellent use of the available resources or for the results achieved in the tourism on the island of Graciosa.”

Vasco Cordeiro also considered that AGRAPROME has developed an important promotional activity, as evidenced by the organisation of the Graciosa island rally, which has attracted many visitors, and the “promotion of one of the tourist products of excellence of this island with the organisation of a diving event.”