Brasília – The minister of the General Secretariat of the Presidency, Gilberto Carvalho, has said this Tuesday (3rd) that the FIFA World Cup is fuelling the economies of host cities at a time of international crisis. At the opening of the Tourism and Hospitality Seminar, Carvalho stated that the tournament is also an opportunity for strengthening tourism and retail. “At a time of international crisis, a time when our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is meagre, [the Cup] is a beckoning for us to develop an industry such as this, which boasts a vast potential,” he said.
“Already, the World Cup is helping the economy along, creating jobs in infrastructure works and stadium construction. We have seen the economies of these 12 host-cities rebound, especially tourism, hotels and bars. Retail in these cities will surely see a significant increase,” he added. The minister once again conceded that some of the World Cup works are delayed, but said the government is pleased with what has been built in time. According to him, whatever works are not completed before the event will be finished in the following months, and will remain as a legacy to the population.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
