Research undertaken with foreign delegates and journalists who attended Rio+20 shows that over 80% believe that the country is or will be prepared to host major sporting events.

Embratur presented the key results of the “Survey of Foreigners Perception of Brazil During Rio+20″ on Tuesday (July 3) in Brasilia. The study was conducted during the UN Conference on Sustainable Development between June 20 and 21 in Rio de Janeiro (RJ). When asked about their visit to the country, 68% said the experience matched or exceeded expectations. Of the respondents, 59% indicated that the image they had of Brazil improved after the visit. When asked about their interest in returning, 97% said they intended to return.

“The results show that natural beauty and the personality and hospitality of Brazilians are the most striking national characteristics. With regard to the services and tourist infrastructure provided by the country, 81% of foreign visitors said they believed that the country is or will be prepared to host the large-scale events scheduled for the coming years”, said the President of Embratur, Flavio Dino, in reference to the 2013 Confederations Cup, the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics to be held in Rio de Janeiro.

Challenges
Items that were evaluated negatively include prices, difficulties with language and transport, the latter having achieved the worst rating: 81% judged it as poor or very poor. “It is important to have tools that assess the work done so far and the direction we should take to better serve tourists. Brazil has a positive agenda ahead, including the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2016, and the image of the country that will remain after these events will be one of our principal legacies”, said Dino.

A total of 228 people were interviewed, including delegates and foreign journalists from 42 countries, among which were the regions responsible for the highest percentage of Brazilian tourist visas; South America, North America and Europe. The research sought to discover what they thought of the attractions and tourist services offered by the country.