The Regional Government participates Friday, February 23, in the workshop on mobility, an initiative held in Ponta Delgada by the National Association of Municipalities under the Smart Cities Tour 2018.
 
The Regional Director for Science and Technology stressed that this participation is a way for the Regional Government to "reiterate its commitment towards the use of technological solutions that may contribute to the accomplishment of the sustainability goals for the Azores as tourist destination."
 
Bruno Pacheco recalled that the Government of the Azores announced this week the launch of the tender for the operation of 26 charging stations for electric vehicles in the Region. According to him, "this is the first step to ensure electric mobility within the reach of all people."
 
In this workshop, the Regional Director will assess the projects that directly involve the Government of the Azores and contribute to a progressive integration of technology in everyday life.
 
Under the implementation of public policies on science and technology, the Regional Government has been developing its actions in view of the European concept of "Science-based Policy." Its main principle concerns the implementation of policies based on scientific evidence.
 
According to Bruno Pacheco, the Regional Government's commitment "is increasingly based on the need to present efficient solutions in order to effectively respond to the actual needs of the present and the future in the Region."
 
The Regional Director pointed out the "SmartDestination - Evaluation and Proposal for Strategy and Development of Tools for the Conversion of Cooperation Space in Smart Tourist Destinations" as a "practical example" of science-based policies in which the Azores are involved.
 
Co-financed by INTERREG MAC 2014-2020 Programme, this project aims to promote cooperation between the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands and Cape Verde in order to transform these Macaronesian territories into "smart tourist destinations."
 
In the case of the Azores, the SmartDestination project will provide a diagnosis on the technological maturity of the entire archipelago as well as the proposal for a plan containing the actions to transform the Region into a "smart tourist destination."
 
This process will involve the implementation of a series of innovative technologies that will be developed by companies scientifically advised by researchers from the Azores Scientific and Technological System.
 
According to Bruno Pacheco, the outcome of this project "will be decisive for the Azores to become an innovative, accessible, integrated and competitive tourist destination, while safeguarding the sustainable development of the territory."
 
SmartDestination is one the projects in which the Government of the Azores is involved with the aim of "developing its public policies, directing strategic support to high-level research and improving the influx of knowledge by fostering synergies among regional players. This is a process of open and participatory innovation towards a future based on the innovation and sustainability of the archipelago," said Bruno Pacheco.