State, municipal and ecclesiastical authorities participated yesterday (25) in the first non-scheduled commercial flight at Edu Chaves airport, in Guaratinguetá, which inaugurated the Route of Faith. The event was promoted by Rede VOA, in partnership with Azul Conecta, to commemorate the bicentennial of Frei Galvão, on a direct flight from Jundiaí, VOA headquarters, to Guaratinguetá .
The flight started the charter operation to serve faith tourism throughout the Vale Paraíba Region. Yesterday, in Guaratinguetá, more than ten thousand people ed through the Frei Galvão Sanctuary and twelve million faithful go to Aparecida, annually. In the Region, there are also Canção Nova and Fazenda da Esperança, an internationally recognized social project.
For Friar Hans, director of Fazenda da Esperança, for four decades Guaratinguetá had been waiting to receive an airport worthy of the pilgrims. “It is an immense happiness to participate in this first flight, which will bring new options to the faithful of the entire Region.”
The Archbishop of the Sanctuary of Aparecida, Dom Orlando Brandes, was also present at the event and welcomed the initiative. “Our faithful need to get to know this blessed Valley, which will now have more transport options.”
Azul Conecta's commercial manager, Cesar Merigo, says that chartered flights can now be requested on Gran Caravan aircraft. “As charters grow, we will place larger aircraft to serve this public in the Region.”
The president of Rede VOA, Marcel Moure, stated that it was a joy to inaugurate the new “home” of faith tourism that will receive its first fully sustainable enger terminal and new investments in the patio and in all the infrastructure in the next six months. “I am certain that this will be a successful route, which will serve all religious tourism in the Region, in addition to boosting the economy, generating jobs and income.”
For Luiz Sobrinho, advisor to the State Department of Tourism, the Region has potential for tourism development, with the arrival of new engers. “The Region will be leveraged with this new initiative.”
As of today, anyone interested in scheduling flights to Guaratinguetá should Azul Viagens, Agência Turismo da Fé and the National Sanctuary Agency of Nossa Senhora Aparecida.
On this inaugural flight were present the state advisor for Tourism, Luiz Sobrinho, the mayor of Guaratinguetá, Marcus Soliva and the first lady Andrea Soliva, the deputy mayor of Guaratinguetá, Régis Yasumura, director of the National Sanctuary of Frei Galvão, Alexandre Rohling, the founder of Fazenda da Esperança, Frei Hans, the commercial manager of Azul Conecta, Cesar Merigo, as well as the president of Rede VOA, Marcel Moure.
