BRAZIL TO MOUNT FIRST OFFICIAL ARABIAN TRAVEL MARKET PARTICIPATION ECO-TOURISM TO BE KEY SALES PITCH

Brazil has confirmed its first official participation in Arabian Travel Market, the Middle East's premier travel and tourism exhibition, which takes place at the Dubai World Trade Centre, United Arab Emirates this May.

A dedicated Brazilian pavilion is to be mounted at the 2001 show by the Brazilian Arab Chamber of Commerce.

"We expect to have representatives from Embratur, the official Brazilian tourism organisation, as well as leading hoteliers and major Brazilian tour operators on the stand," said Michel Abdo Alaby, Secretary General and Foreign Trade Director, Brazilian Arab Chamber of Commerce.

"We can see potential for outbound tourism to Brazil from the Middle East but also considerable inbound tourism in the opposite direction. Brazil has a large Arab community of nine million, many of whom want to revisit their roots and though many come from the Levantine region, stop-overs in the Gulf are a distinct possibility."

Alaby said the Brazilian promotion at Arabian Travel Market 2001, will focus largely on the country's eco-tourism and sports training opportunities.

"Brazil is now a world leader in eco-tourism, particularly in the Amazon and Pantanal areas," explained Alaby. "The Pantanal marshes make the world's largest flooded area and one which is inhabited by a great variety of wildlife. There's also Bonito, a city surrounded by crystal waters with many grottos and caverns, which are almost perfectly conserved. Though Brazil is a great distance from the Middle East we believe our eco-tourism programmes will appeal to many Europeans and Americans residing in the region as well as the considerable number of young Middle East nationals who are pursuing education in the USA."

According to Alaby, Brazil's fame as a breeding ground for soccer stars has seen the country host five-star football training resorts, some with up to 25 kilometres of beach.

"Soccer teams from Saudi Arabia and Oman have already utilised Brazilian training facilities and we see this as a specialised but high potential sector," said Alaby.

Tourist sector investment opportunities will also come under the spotlight at the Brazilian stand.

"There are good opportunities for Middle East investors in the Brazilian tourism industry with no restrictions, the ability to repatriate profits and with some regions offering incentives, such as preferential land leases or tax exemptions," said Alaby.

Brazil's official Arabian Travel Market participation comes as the country's trade with the Middle East is on the increase. "Last year Brazil exported US $1 billion worth of goods to the region, mainly poultry, paper, steel, foodstuffs, coffee, furniture and footwear," explained Alaby. "Interest in the Middle East is rising throughout the Brazilian commercial sector."

According to Alaby in the decade from 1985, Brazilian-Middle East trade was stagnant at around US $100 million in export value a year.

"From 1995 to the end of 1998 trade soared till it reached an annual export capacity of US $900 million. It slipped slightly in 1999 to come back strongly with a growth of around six per cent in 2000 to its highest level of US $1 billion," he explained.

The Chamber is now hoping to build further links through Arabian Travel Market and a Brazil-Arab Commercial Forum being held in Copacabana in July.

"At Arabian Travel Market we hope to recruit additional delegates for the Forum so that stronger relationships are forged for the future," said Alaby.

Brazil is one of a number of countries being this year officially represented for the first time at Arabian Travel Market. "Belgium and Norway will also be represented in an official capacity," said Matt Thompson, Exhibition Director, Arabian Travel Market.

"The official Brazilian presence is a major coup for the show as it greatly widens the exhibitor geographical reach and is testimony to the expanding reputation of Arabian Travel Market. We are also looking to recruit travel professionals from South America as visitors, opening up new business vistas for visiting Middle East travel trade professionals," said Thompson.

Arabian Travel Market 2001, which is being organised by Reed Travel Exhibitions, (RTE), part of the Reed Exhibitions Companies Ltd. (REC), will be held from May 1-4 this year. To date, exhibitors from 43 nations have registered for the show, which is set to be the biggest in the event's eight year history with a targeted 12-15% increase in contracted floor space.

Reed Travel Exhibitions organises ten events worldwide, including World Travel Market, Arabian Travel Market, C.I.S. Travel Market, EIBTM, British Travel Trade Fair, PATA Travel Mart, International Golf Travel Market, Mediterranean Travel Fair, Top Resa and AIME.