Recent awards for tourism in Brazil place Fortaleza at the top of the country for progress in competiveness. Fortaleza in the Northeast already stands out as one of the top places for a holiday in Brazil and this latest award reinforces its appeal.
Together with the city of Corumbá in the state of Mato Grosso del Sur, Fortaleza took the prize for “best progress in tourism competiveness” at the annual Competiveness Index awards. The Brazilian Ministry of Tourism responsible for the awards, highlighted the progress made by both destinations in their efforts to become more competitive within the market for Brazilian holidays.
Fortaleza ahead of 65 other Brazilian holiday spots
The Competiveness Index awards, now in their seventh year, take a total of 13 criteria into account. These include general tourism infrastructure, accessibility of Brazilian holiday destinations, tourist attractions, services for tourists and the facilities provided. These criteria are applied to 65 destinations across Brazil to compile the annual national competiveness ranking.
Fortaleza made significant progress across the board in all 13 criteria. Aspects of Fortaleza that were highlighted by this year’s judges included Praia do Futuro beach and the Conference Centre. Praia do Futuro, situated on the east coast of the city and one of the main beaches in Fortaleza, was completely redeveloped in 2014.
With an investment totalling R$103 million, this Fortaleza beach underwent major refurbishment that included a paved seafront promenade, extra parking, a bike lane and new lighting. The redevelopment has made a big difference to the area for both locals and tourists visiting Fortaleza.
Changing face of tourism in Fortaleza
The Conference Centre is another highlight on the list of attractions in Fortaleza. Since opening in 2012, the Centre – one of the largest event centres in Brazil – has gone from strength to strength. In the 11 months to November this year, the Centre has hosted 125 events, conferences, exhibitions and concerts, with a total revenue of R$7.4 million. These figures represent a 13.5 per cent increase on the same period last year.
As well as an important source of revenue for the city, the Centre has also changed the dynamics of tourism in Fortaleza. According to the authorities, business and leisure events at the Conference Centre have led to year-round occupation of hotels in Fortaleza, a city that was previously very dependent on the summer season for income from tourism.
The Competiveness Index also praised the progress made by Fortaleza in social aspects pertaining to tourism. The city was one of the best performers nationally in this criteria.
The busy summer season is about to begin in Brazil where Christmas and New Year herald the start of the country’s main holiday period that runs on into carnival. Fortaleza was recently tipped as one of the best destinations for a New Year holiday in Brazil by the Ministry of Tourism who highlighted Fortaleza’s excellent climate and gastronomy as two of its main tourist attractions.
Source: Brazilian Ministry of Tourism
