Azores Situation Report Wednesday 27th November 2024
Government of the Azores promises more space companies by the end of the year in Santa Maria
The Government of the Azores has promised that “by the end of the year” more companies in the space sector will set up in Santa Maria, following criticism from the PS and Chega regarding the region’s Space policy.
“In 2024, three companies from the space sector joined the Incuba+, Terinov and Nonagon incubators. In addition, one company opened a new establishment, and another relocated to the island of Santa Maria. By the end of the year, I can assure you, we will have more companies linked to the space sector setting up shop in Santa Maria”, said the Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs of the Government of the Azores.
Paulo Estêvão, who oversees the Space area, was speaking at the Legislative Assembly, in Horta, during the discussion of the Azores Plan and Budget for 2025.
The minister highlighted that the proposed Plan would support the “implementation of a Space access node in Santa Maria” and support the Space Technology Centre, with an expected “investment of over 12 million euros”.
The Azores are the best adventure tourism destination in the world for the second consecutive year
The Azores archipelago has renewed its title of “Best Adventure Tourism Destination in the World” for the second consecutive year at the 2024 World Travel Awards, the association representing the Azorean tourism sector has announced.
“The Azores beat destinations such as Australia, Costa Rica, Japan and New Zealand, nominated in the same category in what are considered the most important awards in the tourism sector,” says a note from Visit Azores (formerly the Azores Tourism Association), about the awards ceremony that took place on Sunday in Funchal, Madeira.
The ‘World Travel Awards’, created in 1993, are considered the “Oscars of Tourism”, and for Luís Capdeville, president of Visit Azores, this is “a great recognition at an international level”, considering that this is a type of tourism with particular importance for the region.
“Those who go to the Azores are looking for an experience and that is in the adventure that we are able to provide to those who visit us, which leaves a mark and makes them want to return”, he assured, quoted in the note.
The Azores had already won, in March of this year, the title of “Best Adventure Destination in Europe” for the fourth time, “confirming the leadership maintained since 2020”, and in 2024 they also became the first archipelago in the world recognized by ‘Earth Check’ as a “sustainable destination”.
“We are on the right track and have the right vision, aligned with the objectives of the Azores government”, stated Luís Capdeville, highlighting that these are achievements not only for all professionals linked to the sector, public and private, but also for all Azoreans.
The ‘World Travel Awards’ are held to reward excellent work in various areas of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry, and the winners are determined based on voting by thousands of tourism professionals internationally and are also open to the public.