The leadership of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ponta Delgada (CCIPD) expressed concern today in a statement over the recent landslide on the access road to the Ferraria area, which occurred without casualties but with immediate impacts on the mobility of residents and visitors, and on the image of the Azores as a destination.
The landslide happened on Monday on the road linking to the Ferraria area in Ginetes parish, in the municipality of Ponta Delgada, São Miguel Island.
The Azorean Secretariat for Tourism, Mobility, and Infrastructure reported on Tuesday that access to the Ferraria area “remains restricted” as safety conditions for the movement of people and vehicles are not met.
“The technical team that visited the site identified the entire area as unstable and dangerous in a preliminary analysis, concluding that there are currently no safety conditions for people and vehicles, hence access remains restricted and is not recommended,” stated a press release.
According to CCIPD, this incident is largely due to minimal monitoring and insufficient investment in the maintenance and upgrading of infrastructure important for the tourism sector.
“The road blockage led to increased costs for tourists, particularly the immobilization of rental vehicles, creating constraints that should not be underestimated in an increasingly competitive tourism market,” it noted.
The business structure has been highlighting “the urgent need for a structured and continuous investment plan in tourism infrastructure, not only to ensure necessary safety but also to position the Azores as a destination of excellence.”
Regarding Ferraria specifically, it emphasizes it as “one of the flagship products of Azorean thermalism, a tourism segment with high potential to combat seasonality and generate added value for the regional economy”.
CCIPD points out that the situation observed now in Ferraria is not isolated on São Miguel Island, recalling the closure of Vila Franca do Campo islet, inadequately marked trails where tourists get lost necessitating frequent rescue interventions, pollution discharges at Monte Verde Beach (Ribeira Grande), or the temporary closure of thermal resorts as determined by competent authorities.
“All these episodes undermine the destination’s image, create insecurity, and convey a perception of lack of planning and the inability to respond promptly,” it highlights.
The CCIPD leadership deems it imperative for competent authorities to ensure, “as a matter of urgency, the protection, maintenance, and continuous enhancement of tourism infrastructure, guaranteeing that episodes like the recent one do not compromise the safety, confidence, and attractiveness of the Azores as a reference tourist destination.”
According to the Azorean Secretariat for Tourism, Mobility, and Infrastructure, the landslide “consisted of a soil slip at the base of the slope, projecting soil and large rock blocks onto the road, obstructing it.”
“This landslide occurred in an area not covered by the slope stabilization intervention carried out between 2019 and 2020,” it added.
The Azores Government (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM) appealed for the understanding and cooperation of the population, emphasizing that the current restrictions are “solely and exclusively aimed at safeguarding the safety of the population and visitors.”
The executive awaits the technical report from the Regional Civil Engineering Laboratory to initiate procedures for the protection and consolidation of the road’s slopes.
