São Paulo – The number of foreign tourists visiting Brazil in August was up 5.5% from August 2012, at 346,141. The rate of growth is higher than the global average during the period, which was 5%. The figures have been released this Friday (13th) by the Brazilian Tourism Institute (Embratur).<\/p>\n
“We are well on our way to surpassing the mark of 6 million foreigners a year for the first time in the country’s history,” said Embratur chairman Flávio Dino in a press statement.<\/p>\n
The countries from which tourist issuance to Brazil increased the most were Mexico (up 32% from August 2012) and Colombia (up 30.4% from August 2012). “The increased influx of Mexicans and Colombians is noteworthy, because it shows the consolidation of a trend,” says Dino, according to the statement. In July, Mexican tourist influx to Brazil was up 103.5%. In June, it was up 77.7%.<\/p>\n
“These are new markets which are being consolidated, hence the investment in Goal to Brazil <\/em> events in Mexico, in May, and in Colombia, where we held two editions, one last year and another this year,” says Dino, regarding events to promote Brazil as a travel destination held in those countries. <\/p>\n To the Embratur chairman, mega sports events in Brazil should increase tourist flows from those countries due to the strong interest of Colombians and Mexicans in soccer and others sports. <\/p>\n Tourist flows from Europe increased the most from the United Kingdom (up 15.1%). Next were France (12.6%) and Spain (10.9%). The Brazilian airports which saw the highest increase in foreign arrivals were those of Brasília (8.7%), Rio de Janeiro (6.7%) and São Paulo (5.2%).<\/p>\n *Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum<\/strong><\/p>\n