The Regional Secretariat for Tourism and Transport stated in Ribeira Grande that the sense of security felt in the Azores is an attractive factor for tourists who choose to visit the Region.

Vítor Fraga spoke on behalf of the President of the Government at the ceremony celebrating the 16th anniversary of the Azores Regional Command of the Public Security Police (PSP).

The government official stressed that the Region has entered into a new era since the end of March, with the entry into force of the new accessibility model, which, in addition to improving the mobility of the Azorean population, also brought advantages to visitors.

The Regional Secretary emphasised that "the implementation of the new accessibility model has increased the number of tourists visiting the Azores, as is becoming evident. In this context, the Regional Government "regards tourism as one of the main key pillars in the development of the Region, being a fundamental sector for the present and future of the archipelago."

"We are a young tourist destination since it was just over a decade and a half ago that the Regional Government has decided to develop this sector as a strategic and priority area. We are primarily recognised by our identity, which combines natural heritage with building heritage, culture with modernity and tradition with sustainability," said the government official.

In addition to these characteristics, Vítor Fraga also mentioned that the Region has an extremely important asset "when it comes to the time of choosing a holiday destination," stressing that "this asset is, precisely, security."

"The Azores are a secure destination, where tourists can enjoy a sense of well-being and security that is non-existent in many other destinations," said the government official.
"This situation, recognised by all industry partners and by the tourists who visit us, is only possible due to the characteristics of our people and the selfless work of various entities, namely PSP," the Regional Secretary said, praised the action of PSP for the benefit of regional security.

Vítor Fraga even considered that this sense of security is essential to further develop the Azores destination since it is a factor that strengthens the image of the Region as a destination of excellence.

In this regard, the government official emphasised that "the security forces operating in the Region, namely PSP, must continue to fulfil their important mission with the necessary means to their pursuit, restating the Government's availability to support security forces in the accomplishment of these goals.