Brazil visitors urged to ‘go local’

BRAZIL offers a
wide range of
incentive options
for corporates who want
to ‘go local’, blending
a business focus with
the destination’s unique
tourist activities.
This was the word
from Richard Lengsfeld,
director of Brazilian
Incentive and Tourism
(BIT), who met with
the travel trade in
Johannesburg recently
to introduce the tourism
authority’s ‘Another Brazil’
campaign.
A challenge, Richard
said, was that corporate
clients asked for fresh
incentive ideas but
were unwilling to act on
suggestions if there were
no direct flights to the
destinations involved.
Rio, the Iguaçu Falls,
São Paulo and Brasilia
were popular with South
Africans, he said.
SAA’s national retail
channel manager, Denise
Kotze, said sport events
and the Rio Carnival
were the two biggest
draws for SA travellers
and that group specials
were offered according to
load factors. “As the only
airline flying directly to
Brazil from South Africa,
we watch our load factors
weekly and offer specials
if they can be afforded.”
Both Richard and
Denise said the high
prices associated with
Brazil’s recent economic
boom (thanks to new oil
discoveries, international
interest in the 2014
Soccer World Cup and
2016 Olympics and
improved security) were
now dropping.
Richard added that
package tours taking in
other South American
destinations were a good
option, with add-ons to
Machu Picchu in Peru and
Buenos Aires in Argentina
being popular. “The
beaches of the northeast
region, on the other hand,
are under-marketed.”
São Paulo was a good
hub for continental travel,
he said. “SAA has strong
interline partnerships
with LATAM airlines, which
makes it easy to book
such itineraries,” said
Denise.