18 May 2009

South Brazilian state capitalises on tourism summit

The city of Florianopolis and the southern state of Santa Catarina are using the ninth annual Global Tourism and Travel Summit to leverage tourism and potential investment to a region that is not widely known outside of Brazil.

"Santa Catarina must be one of the region’s best kept secrets since few outside Latin America -- or perhaps even Brazil - are aware of its…diversity in terms of landscapes, cultures and people," says Jean-Claude Baumgarten, president of the World Travel & Tourism Council.

Comments came as the city hosts the annual event, which brings together the globe’s tourism leaders.

"Florianopolis is considered one of the most important cities for tourism in Brazil," says Dario Berger, mayor of the city. "And it is the state with the best quality of life.

The leaders of Brazil’s tourism industry stood head to head with the minister of tourism and the president of the country at the events opening ceremony in a bid to showcase both the city and the state to investors and the tourism community.

"Santa Catarina has the most incredible potential for tourism investment," said Luiz Henrique da Silveira, governor of the state. "There is eight per cent growth in the state and nearly the lowest crime rate in Brazil."

The state is particularly popular with tourists from Argentina, many of whom drive by road into Santa Catarina. The region is also known for its protected rainforests -- half of it still remains -- and its pristine beaches.

"I believe the Florianopolis airport is too small for the tourist traffic that is expected," said Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the president of Brazil at the beginning of the event. This came as he made a commitment to invest in local tourism infrastructure.

Tourism generates an estimated 12.5% of the state’s GDP or $6.4 billion and over half a million jobs (11.9% of total employment), according to research done by the WTTC and Oxford Economics.

In the next ten years the travel sector for the state is expected to grow by 4.5% a year in terms of GDP and by 3.2% in terms of the number of jobs, generating $12.8 billion for the economy and a total of 696,000 jobs.

"This is the first time that the WTTC…has quantified the economic contribution of travel and tourism to an individual state in Brazil or Latin America," said Geoffrey Kent, chairman of the WTTC.

*See linked Summit stories.