São Paulo – Brazil is the country that has the main tourist economy, according to a study by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) disclosed this week in Berlin, Germany. In the world, the country has the 13th main tourism economy, according to a study by the organisation. Last year, Brazil was in the 14th position.
The study was elaborated by Oxford Economics and disclosed during the International Tourism Bourse (ITB). It takes into consideration tourism in 181 countries. In Latin America, Brazil reached the first place in the study, which included 19 countries.
Despite forecasting retraction of 3.5% in growth of the global tourism Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the WTCC expects a better scenery for emerging nations. In Brazil there should be retraction of 0.4% in the sector, which, to the institute, represents stability.
"These countries should be fundamental for the return to growth of the global economy, attracting millions of new travellers from middle classes," said WTTC president Jean-Claude Baumgarten, about emerging nations like Brazil. "This may mean both growth in the number of international visits and the establishment, greater each day, of vibrant domestic tourism."
Brazil is in the fifth place worldwide in the number of direct jobs to be generated in the sector in 2009. When taken into consideration the number of direct and indirect jobs, Brazil is in the seventh position. The country is also in eighth place among the nations where expenses of foreign tourists should grow most.
WTTC is an international organisation that includes presidents, CEOs and heads of the 100 main companies in the global travel and tourism industry. Brazil was chosen to host, from May 14th to 18th 2009, in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, the 9th World Tourism Forum, the largest business event in the sector.
*Translated by Mark Ament
