São Paulo – The Arab tourism companies attending the fair World Travel Market (WTM) Latin America are betting in discounts and special offers to attract Brazilian tourists. Opened this Tuesday (29) in São Paulo, the fair has a stand hosting four Egyptian companies. Emirates Airline, from Dubai, Royal Air Maroc and an independent operator in the region are also attending the fair with their own stands.
Based in Giza, Egypt, the Exotic Tours and Travel operates in the Brazilian market for 15 years already. The company’s president, Mohamed Mossad, said that in this edition the company is not expecting great business opportunities. “We have to be here because Brazil is important to us. Currently, we are offering discounts up to 40%. This is possible because Egypt is also facing troubles and prices there are down”, he said.
According to Mossad, despite the political and economic crisis that Brazil is facing, the country has great potential as source for tourists, especially religious tourism. “But an improvement in business will depend of a solution for the political situation”, he said. WTM Latin America is designed for business between tourism operators and companies and not to the end public. However, the end public serves as basis in which the volume and price of packages are dealt.
Director of Egypt’s Tourism Authority for the United States, Canada and Latin America, Gawaher Ali Youssef said that neither Egypt nor Brazil are going through a good moment. In 2015, an airplane from Russian airline Metrojet exploded over the Sinai Peninsula right after takeoff, in an attack by the Islamic State. Since 2010, the best year for the sector, the number of visitors of the Arab country is declining.
“We are providing great effort to receive more tourists and to receive more Brazilians”, said Youssef. Among the actions planned by the tourism agency for this year are trips for journalists of the sector to Egypt. Besides, in June, one of the world’s leading experts in archeology, Zahi Hawass, will come to Brazil to speak on archaeological treasures of the Arab country. Last year, Egypt received 12,000 Brazilians. The number was below expectations for Egyptians despite representing an increase over 2014.
Airlines are also planning specific actions for the Brazilian market to keep its flights fully booked. Emirates Airline, which has daily flights between Dubai and São Paulo and Dubai and Rio de Janeiro, is offering tickets starting at USD 719 for destinations in Asia, such as Bangkok, Thailand.
In addition, the company’s director general in Brazil, Stephane Perard, said that they are developing actions together with Brazilian tourism operators. In April, Emirates will launch an exclusive campaign for them. Those that sell packages with at least two nights in Dubai, flying Emirates, will be allowed to register in the company’s website in the campaign I Sold Dubai 2016 for a chance to win certificates for gold bars and trips to the emirate.
“We want to popularize Dubai, which is seen as a luxury destination. There is luxury, yes, but a lot of accessible attractions and we are working to show them. We are going through a [economic] downturn in which the client is more careful, researches a lot”, says Perard.
The company doesn’t mention figures, but Perard said that the volume of passengers remained stable in the last few months and that a “potential” decline in revenues is being offset by the low prices of oil. In September of last year, Emirates expanded its presence in the region when replacing the aircraft that flies the route between Dubai and Rio de Janeiro. The Boeing 777-200LR, with a capacity for 266 passengers, was replaced by the 777-300ER for 354 passengers, the same one used in the route between Dubai and São Paulo. This flight goes on to Buenos Aires after landing in Rio de Janeiro.
Royal Air Maroc will fly to Rio de Janeiro starting in May. Currently, the company has a route between Casablanca and São Paulo three times a week. The sales manager, José Eduardo Azzolini, said that the company has been able to keep the volume of passengers due to the number of destinations that the company has in Europe and to the price of tickets, between USD 500 and 600 per passenger. “Royal Air Maroc believes in Brazil, which is important in the company’s budget. Even at this moment, we have plans for Brazil, with more offers and participation in the market”, he said. The company should replace the Boeing 767-300 for the new 787 Dreamliner.
WTM Latin America
March 30, from noon to 8 PM. On March 31, from noon to 6 PM.
Expo Center Norte, Rua José Bernardo Pinto, 333, Vila Guilherme, São Paulo – SP
Stand of Egypt’s Tourism Authority – R70
Information: http://www.wtmlatinamerica.com/
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
