The allure of the Azores’ whales, wild dolphins and vibrant pelagic sea creatures are helping drive a wave in popularity for the subtropical archipelago, as the number of travellers taking trips to see the islands’ underwater wildlife with leading specialist tour operators increased by up to 200%* over the last year.

Wildlife specialist Wildlife Worldwide (www.wildlifeworldwide.com) saw a two-fold increase in the number of their customers choosing to dive in the Azores and a 60% increase* in the number of people taking underwater wildlife excursions such as swimming with the islands’ wild dolphins in 2013 compared to 2012. Leading specialist operator Sunvil (www.sunvil.co.uk) also experienced an 83% increase** in bookings for whale watching trips in the archipelago over the last 12 months compared to the previous year.

With 2014 marking the 30th anniversary of the end of whaling on the islands, the Azores is a text book example of a destination which has changed its fortunes from a tradition of whale hunting to a thriving tourism industry with whale conservation at its core.

The islands are a world-class scuba diving and whale watching destination (with 25 migratory species), and the only place in Europe where travellers can swim with wild dolphin species such as the spotted, striped and bottlenose dolphin in their natural habitat. Excellent local and wreck diving sites provide access to a colourful underwater world with creatures such as manta rays, morays, stingrays, dusky groupers, comb groupers, wrasses, parrot fishes, trigger fishes, breams and damselfishes. Spring and summer are best for spotting underwater wildlife, and the magnificent Blue Whale can be seen in April on its migration route.

7 night Whale and Dolphin Watching holiday for the Blue Whale Migration from £933 pp

Discover the Azores’ majestic whales and dolphins during the Blue Whale Migration with Sunvil.

Price of £933 per person includes 7 nights’ accommodation at the Marina Atlantico Hotel in Ponta Delgada on Sao Miguel Island, direct return flights and transfers, and four whale and dolphin watching excursions.

To book, visit www.sunvil.co.uk or call 02087 584 722

New 5-night ‘Sperm Whale and Bottlenose Dolphin’ holiday from £1,340 pp

This new trip with Wildlife Worldwide offers the chance to help a team of scientists with a study of sperm whales and Bottlenose dolphins in the waters surrounding Faial Island.

Price of £1,340 per person includes 5 nights’ four star hotel accommodation (based on two sharing), transfers, direct return flights, and three full days at sea in search of whales and dolphins. Three days are full-board, and two days on a B&B basis. Price applies for all departures from June to August. 

To book, visit www.wildlifeworldwide.com or call 0845 130 6982

To find out more about the Azores, please visit www.visitazores.com

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Editor’s Notes:

*Wildlife Worldwide saw a 200% increase in the number of customers choosing to dive with them in 2013 compared to 2012. The tour operator also saw a 60% rise in the number of customers choosing to take whale and dolphin wildlife excursions with them in 2013 compared to 2012.

**Sunvil saw an 83% increase in bookings for their whale watching trips from the main islands of Sao Miguel and Faial between November 2012 – October 2013 compared to November 2011 – October 2012.

Click here to find out more about the Azores Islands’ new app, available for IOS and Andriod.

The nine islands of the Azores are in the middle of the North Atlantic and belong to Portugal. They can be reached by direct flight from the UK in less than four hours from April – October, or via Lisbon. These volcanic islands are renowned for their volcanic craters, beautiful lakes, stunning sea, thermal pools and mountain vistas, their impressive flora and fauna and marine life. The islands have played a hugely important part in European maritime history, due to their strategically significant position as the westernmost point of Europe.

For more information, high resolution images or details of press trips please contact: David Wilson or David Ezra at KBC PR & Marketing: david.wilson@kbc-pr.com / david.ezra@kbc-pr.com / 01825 763636