Fortaleza holiday lets feature in the top ten fastest-growing districts in Airbnb’s latest travel trends report. Ranked at number nine for most growth in booking interest during 2015, holiday lets in Fortaleza in Northeast Brazil rub shoulders with districts in well-known tourist hotspots in Buenos Aires, Melbourne, Seville and Dallas. This latest news piece from BRIC Group explains why.
Airbnb recently released a report on travel trends in 2015 and ranked the world’s 16 most popular local neighbourhoods based on how much holiday let bookings grew in these areas. The findings reveal that travellers are increasingly opting for a holiday in an up-and-coming area rather than staying in somewhere on the well-beaten tourist track.
Living like locals
Based on the bookings made on Airbnb last year by 40 million site users, the report discovers that holidaymakers want to be in neighbourhoods with thriving art scenes, good food (preferably local flavours) and good transport connections to visit nearby attractions.
Airbnb also reports that travellers want to experience more than the usual tourist attractions and value the local insight provided by Airbnb hosts in these up-and-coming neighbourhoods. Reporting on the findings, CNN claims that the top 16 districts for holiday let growth in 2015 are also the “hottest neighbourhoods to visit in 2016”.
At the top of the ratings is the Chuo-ku district in Japan’s Osaka followed by Banglampoo neighbourhood in Bangkok. In ninth place on the list is the Meireles district of Fortaleza in Northeast Brazil where holiday let bookings went up by 287 per cent last year.
Fortaleza is holiday let hotspot
According to CNN, Meireles – a seafront neighbourhood in the north of the city of Fortaleza – has several attractions. “The beaches alone make this area worth a visit,” says the news article, “though it’s becoming known for its restaurants and late night bars too.”
For their part, Airbnb begin their description with “if gazing out into emerald waters is of interest, look no further than Meireles in Fortaleza, Brazil”. As well as the beaches and seafront, the holiday let company suggests getting a boat to a nearby fishing village – the coastline north of Fortaleza is home to several such as Flecheiras and Lagoinha, barely been touched by tourism.
Airbnb also says that Meireles has “a budding reputation” for its foodie scene and late night spots. Outside this up-and-coming holiday let district and in Fortaleza itself, tourists can make the most of the almost daily parties with live music and dance, known as forró.
“At BRIC Group we’re not surprised to see Fortaleza featuring on a list of holiday let hotspots for 2016,” says Dies Poppeliers, Managing Director of the property investment company. “This part of Northeast Brazil is gradually appearing on the tourist radar, although much of Ceará state remains an insider’s secret.”
An investment company specialising in global real estate opportunities, BRIC Group is currently developing The Coral resort, in Northeast Brazil, a luxury beachfront resort. BRIC Group also offers US real estate investments including turnkey properties in Florida and Houston, and land plots in Florida. BRIC Group has been creating wealth for its clients since 1996 and has offices in Brazil, Dubai (consulting office), Hungary, Spain and the US.
Sources: CNN, Airbnb
