wigstheone
Nov 11, 01, 10:32 am
RIO DE JANEIRO -- WERE it not for the headlines in the paper, it would be hard to tell from Brazil that the world is grappling with perhaps its greatest crisis since World War II. Fewer Americans may be traveling here, but with summer approaching, the beaches are packed and restaurants and clubs are still open until the wee hours as Brazilians continue to demonstrate a talent for living to the fullest.
In contrast to many other places, Brazil has done relatively little to beef up security since the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States, at least visibly. Airport procedures for international flights are only marginally more cumbersome than before, barely noticeable for domestic flights. Protective measures at popular tourist sights such as the statue of Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado Mountain here and the churches and colonial buildings of northeastern Brazil remains at normal levels, with no inspection of personal items.
"Security is a concern everywhere in the world, but here it is of much less significance than elsewhere," said Caio Luiz de Carvalho, president of Embratur, the Brazilian government's tourism authority. With the national currency, the real, at an all-time low against the dollar, its value having declined by more than 35 percent since the start of the year, Brazil had been expecting a record number of American tourists this year. As a result of the Sept. 11 attacks, however, the official estimate has been lowered by 30 percent, from 500,000 to 350,000.
But an expected increase in visitors from Europe is likely to compensate for that decline. Charter flights, mostly from Europe, have more than doubled since 1999, to 2,500 during the first eight months of this year, and Brazil is also expecting 1.7 million visitors from neighboring Argentina, where the strong local currency is tied to the American dollar at a one-to-one rate.
"We see no reason not to maintain our original forecast for 2001 of 5.5 million foreign visitors," Mr. Carvalho said. "We believe that the total is not going to change, only the composition."
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/11/travel/11REP.html
In contrast to many other places, Brazil has done relatively little to beef up security since the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States, at least visibly. Airport procedures for international flights are only marginally more cumbersome than before, barely noticeable for domestic flights. Protective measures at popular tourist sights such as the statue of Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado Mountain here and the churches and colonial buildings of northeastern Brazil remains at normal levels, with no inspection of personal items.
"Security is a concern everywhere in the world, but here it is of much less significance than elsewhere," said Caio Luiz de Carvalho, president of Embratur, the Brazilian government's tourism authority. With the national currency, the real, at an all-time low against the dollar, its value having declined by more than 35 percent since the start of the year, Brazil had been expecting a record number of American tourists this year. As a result of the Sept. 11 attacks, however, the official estimate has been lowered by 30 percent, from 500,000 to 350,000.
But an expected increase in visitors from Europe is likely to compensate for that decline. Charter flights, mostly from Europe, have more than doubled since 1999, to 2,500 during the first eight months of this year, and Brazil is also expecting 1.7 million visitors from neighboring Argentina, where the strong local currency is tied to the American dollar at a one-to-one rate.
"We see no reason not to maintain our original forecast for 2001 of 5.5 million foreign visitors," Mr. Carvalho said. "We believe that the total is not going to change, only the composition."
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/11/travel/11REP.html