The Regional Secretary for Energy, Environment and Tourism stated in Lajes do Pico that the rehabilitation of the Whaling Boat Houses represents another investment that lives up to the current challenges of the tourism sector" in terms of improving the quality of the regional tourism offer.
 
Marta Guerreiro spoke at the signing ceremony of the ARAAL cooperation contract with the Town Council of Lajes do Pico for the rehabilitation of the old Whaling Boat Houses. "This recovery intervention will create "a new space to house not only the old whaling boats, but also other water sports equipment used in the maritime tourism activities," the Secretary said, stating that it expected to "become operational by 2020."
 
"Hence, the rehabilitation of the houses will contribute to the improvement of the urban environment, while preserving the important symbolic value of whaling, which is of special relevance for increasing tourism flows," stressed the government official. According to her, the cooperation agreement now signed is "another option" that allows us "live the present without forgetting the past that brought us here."
 
The Secretary for Tourism stated that the investment "will also contribute to the reinforcement of the whaling itinerary, stimulating the motivation for cultural and landscape touring, as envisioned in our Tourism Strategic and Marketing Plan."
 
Marta Guerreiro also stated that, along with this investment, the Azores will count on "the already presented infrastructure project to support the maritime-tourism companies based in Horta."
 
In her speech, the Regional Secretary emphasised that the island of Pico was the one that "grew the most in terms of overnight stays, with a growth rate in all types of accommodation standing at 21.1%" as of September 2018.
 
"This is only possible because Pico has proved to be an increasingly tourism-oriented island in terms of accommodation with special emphasis on Rural Tourism, being one of the islands with highest number of units, and, more recently, in terms of land-based and maritime tourism activities," said the government official.
 
On the occasion, the government official also pointed out the fact that the Pico Island Vineyard Culture was the recipient of the National Landscape Award 2018 among 27 applications. As she noted, this decision "evidences the jury's consensus regarding landscape's quality and example. It will soon represent the country in the sixth edition of the Landscape Award of the Council of Europe."