The Regional Secretary for Energy, Environment and Tourism announced that, as of today, Azoreans can join the "Living the Azores" domestic tourism campaign, in force until December 31, 2020, an initiative promoted with the slogan "From your island discover the Archipelago! Come with us to live the Azores."

"We have launched the "Living the Azores" campaign precisely with this goal of encouraging holiday and leisure travel by Azoreans in the archipelago, also promoting the economic revitalisation of the Region through tourism," said Marta Guerreiro.

"We have allocated 1,750.000 Euros to this campaign so that the Azoreans can have the opportunity to discover our wonderful islands, spending their holidays in the Region. This is another initiative that falls within the strategy pursued by the Regional Government towards the gradual recovery," stressed the Secretary for Tourism. She spoke in Horta at the presentation of this campaign, adding that "it is aimed at any resident in the Azores, over two years of age, who wishes to make a tourism trip, thus excluding travel within their professional activity or for the purposes of receiving health care.

Reservations can be made at any travel agency or by direct contact with each service provider, with the following services being considered for the calculation of the incentive: air travel, sea travel, accommodation, catering, tourist entertainment activities, reservation services and car rental.

Marta Guerreiro stressed that "all the information about the campaign is available at the address http://viverosacores.azores.gov.pt/, in addition to being the platform where all the residents in the Azores can apply."

The government official that "the incentive is granted only once, with the option of choosing air or sea travel, corresponding to 50% of the amount paid."

In the case of air travel, it is set at a maximum amount of 150 Euros per person and at 100 Euros in the case of children aged between two and 12 years.

In the case of sea travel, the maximum amount is stipulated at 100 Euros per person and at 70 Euros in the case of children aged between two and 12 years.

For both situations, the incentive will be increased by 25 Euros if the beneficiary uses car rental.

The following minimum requirements are mandatory for granting the incentive: the purchase of a round trip by air or sea from the island of residence to another island or other islands of the Azores; three overnight stays in a tourist resort, local accommodation or youth hostel on islands other than the island of residence; three meals in restaurants, per person, worth at least 15 Euros each, and one tourist entertainment activity, per person, worth at least 30 Euros.

In the case of meals and tourist activities, these are not applicable to children aged between 2 and 12 years as regards the mandatory purchase of services.

Marta Guerreiro stated that "in order to benefit from the incentive, the person concerned must fill in an electronic form within 21 days prior to the trip." After the trip has taken place, proof of the expenses reimbursed must be submitted, with payment by bank transfer within 10 days after the validation of the documentation submitted.

In her speech, the Regional Secretary stressed that, in the face of the "new normality" that we are living in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, "we have to find opportunities in the challenges." This measure is "a good opportunity to encourage the Azoreans to opt for domestic tourism on all the islands and in all places of the archipelago, as a way of experiencing realities, cultures and environments that are different from their own, often less known or valued."