The president of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), Julia Simpson, pointed out the need for heavier investments in marketing and internal infrastructure as important points for tourism to grow in Brazil.
The WTTC represents the private sector in the sector and today has more than 200 global companies among its members.
At the meeting, which takes place in Belém do Pará, she stated that Brazil is doing very well, but there will still be “incredible opportunities”.
While the country received around 6.6 million international tourists last year, Mexico received around 40 million, he explained.
It represents almost 8% of the Brazilian Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Julia Simpson praised the work of Embratur (Brazilian Agency for the International Promotion of Tourism), but argued that more money for promoting Brazil abroad is crucial. Even more so as younger generations don’t know the country so well, she said.
“You might think: ‘Ah, everyone knows it, there’s the Amazon’, but in reality, if you talk to young people in the United Kingdom, in other European countries or in the United States, they need to be warned. There’s a whole new generation Z.”
She remembers that Brazil is also in a competitive environment with other countries, in terms of competition.
As for infrastructure, the CEO praised Brazil’s connectivity with other nations, but drew attention to internal transportation, especially due to its continental size.
“They are also opportunities for investment and job creation”, he considered.
Finally, Julia Simpson also mentioned visa policies. She recognizes that reciprocity in requiring or not requiring visas is relevant, for example, but emphasizes that attracting millions in valuable currencies from foreigners must be taken into consideration.
