Brazil is enjoying record levels of tourism, with some 5.4 million foreign tourists swelling the country's economy by nearly 7 million dollars last year. From the Amazon basin to Rio de Janeiro, tourism is fast becoming a lucrative sector, and the aim is to spread the benefits to everyone.

Brazil has always had a certain charm and excitement about it, from it's beautiful miles of golden beaches to its spectacular carnival. Rio de Janeiro is the number one destination and its reaping the benefits. Eduardo Marques runs a small tour company in Rio. His earnings have gone up an average of 20% a year since he started in 2004. He has gone from being a one man tour guide to employing several people

Eduardo Marques, director of Brazil expedition, said, "Since we started we have doubled our income and we have been growing on a small scale but we are still growing and it's a potential market so we have the potential to grow even more".

CCTV's Helen Clegg said, "These tourists are enjoying a day away from the beaches of Ipanema in this forest in the middle of Rio and eco-tourism and nature tours are one of the most quickly growing areas of tourism in the country."

Despite the economic crisis, tourist spending in Brazil and Rio de Janeiro is higher than ever at an average of 92 US dollars a day. But the image of a budget destination is long gone.

Jeremy Marchant, tourist, said, "Brazil has been really nice, really friendly people, very lively but very expensive aswell, from a travelling point of view. How the infrastructure is set out it is a very expensive place to travel"

With the country economy thriving the number of Brazilian tourists has also increased, counting for 85% of the market. In Rio de Janeiro, Sub Secretary of tourism Pedro Guimaraes, stresses the money being invested in the city to make it a better place should benefit everyone.

Pedro Guimaraes, sub secretary of Rio De Janeiro Tourism, said, "Through the tourist we need to create the conditions to grow in order to create possibilities for the people, for the people who live in the city and for the people coming to the city."

Figures show 96% of people said they would come back to Rio so they must be doing something right.

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)