Project provides for investments of 4.8 million from the Ministry of Tourism and the Department of Tourism of the State of Rio Grande do Sul

Brazil's border region with Argentina and Uruguay is to gain nine Tourist Service Centers by June 2014. With a total investment of R$ 4.8 million from the Ministry of Tourism and the Department of Tourism of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, the project aims to improve service to visitors from the neighboring countries, which account for the majority of South American tourists in Brazil. The investment breaks down into R$ 4 million from the Ministry of Tourism and R$ 872,000 from the Department of Tourism of the State of Rio Grande do Sul.

The first five units, scheduled for completion early next year, will be set up in Porto Mauá, Porto Xavier and Uruguaiana, on the border with Argentina, and in Quaraí and Jaguarão, on the border with Uruguay. In the second phase, centers will be created in the municipalities of Bagé, Santana do Livramento, São Borja and Santa Vitória do Palmar. The partnership between the Ministry of Tourism and the Department of Tourism of the State of Rio Grande do Sul also provides for the refurbishment of tourist centers in the Salgado Filho International Airport and the Porto Alegre Bus Station.

"Last year, we allocated R$ 116 million to the host cities in order to set up tourist centers and improve accessibility and tourist signs," said Fábio Mota, the Ministry of Tourism's Secretary for Development Programs. According to Mota, these projects address the array of federal government responsibilities for the World Cup.

The Secretary of Tourism for the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Abgail Pereira, said that the tourist centers work as a management strategy, focusing on creating the right conditions to offer services and not only on providing information. "A tourist center, in our view, should welcome tourists and provide proficient inbound services."

Argentina, which sent 1.67 million tourists to Brazil last year, is the main source of tourists visiting Brazil. Uruguay is fourth in the ranking, after the United States and Germany. Around 250,000 Uruguayans visited Brazilian destinations in 2012.

Source:

Ministry of Tourism

09 July 2013