Ceará is one of Brazil’s most popular places for tourism and 2014 looks set to be a record year for the state. The combination of travel accolades and FIFA World Cup matches in Fortaleza are expected to push visitor figures up and raise Ceará’s profile as a prime holiday destination.
In the recently announced TripAdvisor 2014 Traveler’s Choice Destinations Ceará is the only Brazilian state to feature twice in the top ten selection. Fortaleza is rated as the seventh best in the country and nearby Jericoacoara beach comes in tenth place. Furthermore, Fortaleza stands in 17th place in the South American continent listing. The state capital won the award for its combination of a sunny climate, relaxed lifestyle and development. For Bismarck Maia, State Secretary for Tourism, the awards show that Ceará is on the right track for sustainable tourism, one of its hallmarks.
Promotion of Ceará at national and international level is a priority this year. State authorities have just returned from the Centre-West Tourism Fair where tourist attractions in Ceará were presented to local tourist officials and businesses. Ceará aims to increase the number of visitors from this part of Brazil who currently account for nearly 13 per cent of the total and numbered around 357,000 last year.
On an international level, the first direct flight connecting Fortaleza and Buenos Aires took off last week. The service is currently once weekly, but there are plans to increase frequency as well as widen it to include other airports in Argentina. Speaking at the press conference announcing the inauguration of a direct flight between Fortaleza and Buenos Aires, Mr Maia said that Ceará offers all Argentineans holidaymakers need, “beautiful beaches, a stable climate, rich cuisine and hospitable people”.
As one of the host cities in the FIFA World Cup tournament, now less than a month away, Fortaleza has attracted considerable interest from foreign tourists, particularly from the French. Football fans from France have bought 2,300 tickets for games in Fortaleza of their 19,000 total. French officials who recently visited the city, praised the work carried out in preparation for the World Cup, particularly the Castelao stadium. Fortaleza hosts a total of six matches including the first-round Brazil versus Mexico and one quarter final.
Source: Ceara Government
