Azores Whats On
Project Narrative
The Azores archipelago faces a unique fragmentation problem: nine islands with distinct identities and events that were previously scattered across local municipal websites or social media. Visitors often missed authentic experiences due to a lack of a centralized, real time calendar, while the region struggled with "seasonality"—the concentration of tourism in the summer months.
The Solution
A unified, multi platform hub that acts as a direct communication channel for cultural, sports, and scientific initiatives:
Integrated Archipelago Agenda: Categorizes events into 19 distinct areas (Music, Cinema, Gastronomy, Science, Religion, etc.) across all nine islands, ensuring that a visitor on Corvo has the same access to information as one on São Miguel.
Sustainability & Planning: Built to support the PEMTA (Strategic and Marketing Plan for Tourism in the Azores), allowing visitors to plan their trips around specific events, thereby increasing the average length of stay and local economic impact.
App Exclusive Utility: Features localized GPS integration to help users find venues in remote areas, offline favorites for planning without data, and real time alerts for event changes or start times.
Educational Layer: Beyond just dates and times, the platform provides context on Azorean history, ecology, and traditions, encouraging more respectful and informed tourism.
Design Strategy
The UI design is characterized by vibrant, "natural" colors that reflect the archipelago's landscape (blues and greens). The interface is minimalist and accessible (iOS 11.0+ compatibility), designed to be intuitive for both local elderly residents attending religious festivities and international tech savvy travelers.
Results
Since its launch, the app has achieved over 20,000 downloads and cataloged thousands of events. It has successfully moved the needle on "deseasonalization" by highlighting that the Azores are a year round destination. By centralizing the "human nature" of the islands—its people and traditions—the app has become a fundamental tool for regional economic development and cultural preservation.
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