Tourism and hospitality strategy in the Azores

The Panel acknowledged the touristic potential of the destination, well preserved, with a variety of activity and products that can be promoted. However, even though there are some top facilities in some places and for some segment of the tourism sector, it seems that there is a margin of improvement needed to cope with the evolution of the demand (contraction of the market), and a crucial need of differentiation and identification. Innovation in the processes and services can be made to improve the destination and support the economic development of the archipelago.

Insular tourism: policy goals
The tourism policy, specialised and focused on insular specificities has to reach some common goals, to attain selfsustaining economic growth by securing targeted increases in the number of tourist visits and the amount spent by each tourist.
Can the island communities absorb and manage the impact of higher number of tourists? In other words, what is the compatibility with the threshold carrying capacity?
It is required to improve and redefine the positioning of the destination on the international tourist market; to increase foreign tourism industry “engagement” at all levels of the industry and to improve and enhance the overall quality of the Azores tourism product around diversification, destinations and distinction.