São Paulo – Embratur (Instituto Brasileiro de Turismo) chairman Gilson Machado Neto (pictured) said that he and junto Tourism minister Marcelo Álvaro Antônio are going to push for a reduction of airport charges in Brazil. Embratur said in a press release this Thursday (22) that the two executives will try to schedule a meeting with president Jair Bolsonaro to discuss the matter.
The statement was made on Wednesday (21) during a ceremony marking the launch of three new nonstop flights to Brazilian capital Brasília from Paraguay, Peru and Chile. “There’s no tourism without aviation. That’s why we at Embratur are investing heavily in looking to attract new airlines and increase the number of flights to our country,” said Machado. With the addition of new international flights, he expects to increase connectivity in Brazilian tourist destinations, thereby fueling the travel industry.
The Brasília Airport saw a 30%-plus hike in international passenger numbers year-on-year in Q1 2019. “We saw 170,000 passengers from international flights, and 1,216 international flight movements,” an Embratur press release quoted Brasília Tourism secretary Vanessa Mendonça as saying. Mendonça also mentioned that her Secretariat has partnered with Embratur to join international travel shows.
Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
