Tourism discusses proposals to develop the sector in Amazonas

Ministry of Tourism received pleas from Amazonastur to diversify the tourist offer of Manaus and region.

The national secretary of Development and Competitiveness of Tourism of the Ministry of TourismAluizer Malab, met on Tuesday (19), in Brasilia, with the president of the Amazonas State Tourism Company, Roselene Medeiros, and entourage of Amazonastur. On the agenda, the debate about actions to diversify the tourist offer, expand promotion and attract more tourists to the state. One of the projects includes the expansion of the Manaus Convention Center to host major events. The work, worth R$ 40 million, is being executed with funds from the Ministry of Tourism and should be ready this year.

"We need to act so that the region gains competitiveness in services and becomes a more attractive destination even for the domestic market", said the secretary of MTur. Malab was accompanied by the General Tourism Qualification Coordinator, Neusa Portugal, and by the Director of the Department of Tourism Promotion and Products, Sérgio Flores.

One of the measures planned to attract more visitors to the Amazon is the improvement of international air connectivity, to integrate the Amazon destinations most sought after by foreign tourists. Two new air routes are being structured from Manaus. One to the capital of Ecuador, Quito, via Leticia (Colombia), and another to Puerto Maldonado (Peru), with a stopover in Rio Branco, Acre. Currently, tourists who are in Peru, Ecuador and Colombia and want to know the Brazilian Amazon connect to Manaus via São Paulo or from the capital of Panama.

The president of Amazonastur pointed out that the region also receives a large flow of visitors arriving by river cruises. The current season, which started in November, will end in April with 18 foreign ships at the port of Manaus. The ships come mainly from Europe and the United States. Fishing itineraries are also an attraction in the Barcelos region, which offers hotel-boats for sport fishing lovers. Roselene Medeiros requested the inclusion of floating hotels, as a lodging category, among the tourist services of mandatory registration in Cadastur.

"We are restructuring ourselves and we count on the support of the Ministry of Tourism to participate in fairs and events, inside and outside of Brazil, where we can promote the Amazon destinations and re-position ourselves in the domestic and international markets. We have potential and differentiated attractions", said the Amazonas State Tourism Minister. The state, which in the year of the World Cup received more than a million tourists, closed last year with 600 thousand visitors, returning to the level of 2009.

Source: Ministry of Tourism