Expenditure in dollars of foreign tourists in Brazil and the arrival of international flights increased above the average in July. Data from the Brazilian Central Bank show that foreigners spent 34.23% more than in July 2004 and US$ 298 million entered the country, compared to US$ 222 million last year.
According to the Brazilian Airport Infrastructure Company (Infraero), the number of arrivals in international flights was 20.34% superior to the number of passengers that disembarked in July of last year and increased 16.15% in the first seven months of 2005 over equal period in 2004. There were 3,985,920 disembarked passengers this year compared to 3,431,798 in 2004.
From January to July, foreigners spent US$ 2.17 billion in the country. The growth, compared to the same period last year, which had already been the best in history, came to 17.20%. When compared to 2003, the increase is even more expressive: 64,71%.
The expenditures evolved positively month after month; however, the month of July, according to the Brazilian authorities, revealed a growth far beyond all expectations, elevating the annual average.
For the director of Studies and Researches of the Brazilian Institute of Tourism (Embratur), José Francisco de Salles Lopes, the important is that there was a rate acceleration as much in revenue as in the number of arrivals.
“That means that we are reaping the result of Brazil’s collective work, with massive promotion abroad, as much of the Tourism Department, through Embratur, as tourism’s public and private organs”.
The Central Bank’s numbers include official money exchanges and expenditures using international credit cards. At the end of the year, Embratur also should announce revenues generated by the international tourism, which includes non-official expenditures.
ABr