Azores allocates €321.1 million for tourism, mobility, and infrastructure in its 2024 Plan and Budget
During a recent parliamentary session in the Azores, Regional Secretary for Tourism, Mobility, and Infrastructure Berta Cabral highlighted the significance of the €321.1 million allocated to these sectors in the 2024 Plan and Budget. She emphasized that this investment is “based on the pressing needs” of the islands, their economy, and “above all, the people, without ignoring the challenges that urgently need to be resolved and the opportunities that cannot be wasted.”
Tourism: A Year-Round Endeavor
With a budget of €19.1 million, the regional government remains committed to achieving year-round tourism across all islands. Recognizing tourism as the most transversal sector and the one that most leverages all other productive sectors, Berta Cabral stressed the collective responsibility to “contribute positively and constructively to its sustainable development, founded on quality, excellence, and the production of well-being for residents.”
Reiterating that 2024 will be a highly positive year for tourism in the region, Cabral assured that the government will “continue the policy of qualifying tourism resources and products, investing in destination sustainability, sector digitization, external promotion, and the development of international connectivity, in accordance with the Azores Tourism Strategic and Marketing Plan 2030.”
Mobility: Enhancing Connectivity
The over €134 million investment in mobility aims to ensure interventions in port infrastructures on all islands, including works in the ports of Vila do Porto, Ponta Delgada, and Praia da Vitória, as well as in the region’s responsibility aerodromes, namely the Graciosa aerogare and the process of expanding the Pico airport runway.
Promoting Internal Mobility and a Sense of Belonging
Berta Cabral also announced that the “Tarifa Açores” (Azores Tariff) will be maintained and complemented by the “Passe Açores 9 Ilhas” (Azores 9 Islands Pass). The objective is to stimulate, in an increasingly assertive way, the construction of an internal market, the mitigation of the effects of tourism seasonality, and the creation of excellent conditions for young people to get to know, promote, and actively contribute to the Azorean spirit and the development of all islands.
“The investment proposal we have structured follows up on various measures and structural works that will have a direct impact on important economic objectives in the Region, including the sustainable development of tourism, the mobility of the Azoreans, the decarbonization of the economy, and the preparation of fundamental infrastructures,” she concluded.
A Commitment to Sustainable Development
The Azores’ investment in tourism, mobility, and infrastructure reflects a strong commitment to sustainable development. By prioritizing the needs of its people and the environment, the region is positioning itself for a prosperous and sustainable future.
