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Flag
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VISIT BRAZIL
Ambassador Barbosa Launches
Ambitious Promotion for Tourism
By
TIM BOXER
pon
assuming his post a year ago as Brazil’s new ambassador to the United
States, Rubens A. Barbosa decided to implement his vision. He set out to
accomplish what had been virtually neglected by his office prior to his
arrival – affirming his homeland as a hot tourist attraction.
“When
I arrived last year,” he said, “there was no coherent strategy for a
sustained promotional effort in the American market.”
Called
“Visit Brazil,” his effort has succeeded admirably in raising Brazil’s
profile in the travel trade.
“Many doubted the initiative
would lead anywhere,” Barbosa admitted. “Others thought it simply the
whim of a new ambassador.”
Ambassador
Barbosa |
Barbosa addressed a roomful of tour
operators and travel writers at a “Visit Brazil” presentation held at
the New York Sheraton in June. Previous such gatherings were held in
Washington, Los Angeles and Houston. The next assembly will take place in
December in Miami, followed next year by Chicago and Atlanta.
Although such meetings have
succeeded in strengthening ties between the American travel trade and the
Brazilian embassy, Barbosa isn’t quite satisfied.
These meetings between American
tour operators and travel writers and the Brazilian travel industry “must
become more than a series of periodic road shows,” he insisted.
Recent
opinion poll in U.S. Suggests:
89% of Americans Think of Brazil
as a Beautiful Country
68% Consider Brazil a Tropical
Paradise |
To that end he’s created an
executive council to design and implement all future “Visit Brazil”
activities. The council will be composed of key tourism officials in Brazil,
the embassy in Washington and representatives from the private sector.
“Private sector membership in the
council,” Barbosa said, “will entail financial contributions on a yearly
basis to match funds provided by the Brazilian government.”
Barbosa will first invite all
airlines serving Brazil to be the initial members of the council. The
council may then be expanded to include hotels and tour operators all
working to promote Brazil as a primary tourist destination.
The ambassador expects that by the
time of the Miami meeting in December, the “Visit Brazil” Executive
Council will be fully operational, with activities budgeted and goals
clearly set.
NEXT:
A Tourist in Paradise – One person’s sojourn in Rio.
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