São Paulo – To promote Jordan as a tourist destination in Brazil, the Arab country is participating in the 32nd Brazilian Association of Tourism Operators (Braztoa), which started yesterday (17th) and ends today at the Frei Caneca Convention Centre, in São Paulo.
"The destination is becoming very popular. Ever since the election of Petra as one of the [new] seven wonders of the world, the demand for Jordan has been growing," said to ANBA Braztoa president José Eduardo Barbosa. According to him, the entry of airlines Emirates and Turkish Airlines in Brazil also helped boost trips to the Arab countries.
"Jordan is a destination that sells itself alone and also in other combinations with Egypt, Israel and Lebanon. Brazilians like this kind of trip very much, in which they can visit several countries," said the president.
To promote the destination and train travel operators to sell the Arab country in Brazil, Gisele Abrahao, a representative of the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB), is in São Paulo. She worked in the organisation’s offices in Washington, in the United States, for eight years and has now opened her own office in São Paulo, Global Vision Access (GVA). "I am going to train and help support operators to promote Jordan in the press," said Gisele.
Yesterday, the businesswoman made a presentation to travel operators and agents in panel "Discover Jordan. Its History, Culture and Unique Hospitality", in which she spoke about the routes prepared to visit the country. "It is a very hospitable country with several attractions," she said, recalling Petra, the Red Sea, the mountains of Dana, the desert, the Roman temples, churches and the several eco-tourism and religious routes.
According to her, the advantage of going to Jordan is that it is possible to cross the entire country in few hours. "You can travel the country from North to South in four and a half hours," said Gisele. According to her, the interest of Brazilians in the country is already growing. From 2007 to 2008, there was growth of 80% in the number of tourists who travelled to Jordan and, according to her, the figure should expand further with the start of Globo TV soap opera "Viver a Vida" (Living Life), which should be partly filmed in the country.
Last year, 7.1 million tourists arrived in Jordan, which represented growth of 8.8% over 2007, according to figures supplied by the JTB. "This meeting is the best moment to present Jordan in Brazil, as it includes travel operators from all over the country," said Adel Auada, who is responsible for the Tourism Committee at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and is also a board member.
The Jordanian stand at the Braztoa Trade Meeting includes pictures and information about the country. Gisele is also at the space to help travel operators and agents to better structure or create their routes.
Contact
Global Vision Access
Site: www.globalvisionaccess.com
Email: gisele@globalvisionaccess.com
*Translated by Mark Ament