VillaseGolfe
Francisco Ferreira

Francisco Ferreira

Previous Interview
Fernando Jorge

Fernando Jorge

Next Interview

Francisco Coelho

Chairman of the Azores Tourism Association

He was chancellor of the University of the Azores from 1996 to 2011, as well as holding the post of Executive Director of the Azores Tourist Board from 2013 to 2016. In 2016, Francisco Coelho was elected chairman of the board of the Azores Tourism Association. His priorities have included the decentralisation of the tourism sector, promotion and improving quality, and sustainable development. Lush nature and their Atlantic dimension are – he says – some of the characteristics that contribute to making the Azores an exclusive destination.

Francisco Coelho
You only became the chairman of the Azores Tourism Association very recently. Have you been able to put into practice some of the goals you set yourself?
Azores Tourism has been working in two areas of extreme importance: promotion and improving quality. The first has to do with the issue of raising our profile in the international markets considered as priorities. Today we are a destination that is started to be known in the central Europe and also in North America. The Azores have entered a work partnership with the trade of these markets, supporting them in promoting the destination. We have improved the quality of what we have to offer here and we have been creating products of great quality, hence part of our strategy is to capture small niches, which all together make the Azores an exemplary destination of nature and active tourism.

One of these goals is the decentralisation of the tourism sector. Why?
The decentralisation of tourism has resulted in the allocation of funds by the central administration on the one hand to regional and local authorities, with a view, essentially, to promoting tourism in the territory and, on the other, to companies in support of their investment and development strategies. The combination of these means boosts tourism and promotes the redistribution of wealth between tourism territories sending and welcoming tourists.
«Tourism will have to be compatible with sustainable development»
What are the major challenges facing tourism in Portugal at the moment?
Tourism will have to be compatible with sustainable development; preserving the lifestyles of local populations, in terms of tradition and culture, including the populations in the industry, and allowing the benefits to be shared; and promoting landscape exploration through preservation and environmental sustainability.

What is the promotion strategy of the Azores Tourism Association?
The goals for the tourism association in the Azores include raising the profile of the Azores in markets and positioning the destination as an exclusive one of lush nature and, because we are an archipelago, the main challenge will be the matter of connections with the different markets.

What contribution does the Azores Tourism Association make to the Portugal brand?
The Azores brand adds an Atlantic dimension to the Portugal brand, along with a cultural and environmental differentiation, which stems from the beautiful nature that the Azores have to offer anyone who visits them and also from a metaphorical and poetic vision that transforms the landscapes, objects, people, flavours and textures of the Azores into an iconic style.
T. Maria Amélia Pires
P. Rights Reserved
Cookie Policy

This site uses cookies. When browsing the site, you are consenting its use. Learn more

I understood