Brazil Now Campaign Promotes Brazil to Foreign Tourists.

Public-private partnership's objective to attract foreign tourists to Brazil during international economic crisis

BRASILIA, Brazil -- Embratur, Brazil's Ministry of Tourism, today launched the Brazil Now campaign to identify promotions offered by airlines, hotels and tour operators that offer packages to Brazil. The campaign's goal is to inform travelers that "The best time to visit Brazil is now!"

Initial participants in the Brazil Now initiative are three airlines operating international routes to Brazil - TAM, Gol/Varig and TAP; as well as ABIH (Brazilian Association of the Industry of Hotels) and BITO (Association of Receptive Tourism in Brazil).

The first phase of the promotion offers lower tax on commercial tour operator packages from the United States and South America to Rio de Janeiro. The next stage adds European tour operators and flights to additional Brazilian cities.

"The objective of the campaign is to identify the promotion's participants, stimulating sales of tour packages for Brazil. In accordance with Embratur's research, foreign tourists will continue traveling during the economic recession, but will try to spend less," said Embratur President Jeanine Pires. "We want to seize this opportunity to bring revenue and new tourists to our country."

Information about Brazil Now will be available online in Spanish and English, on the campaign's web site, also launching today at www.braziltour.com/brasilnetwork.

"Beyond the current economic situation, the program will provide information regarding promotions during non-peak tourist season in Brazil. Businesses in Rio de Janeiro, specifically, are taking advantage of this benefit to offer lower prices for hotels and shows," explains Alexandre Sampaio, director of the National ABIH.

During the second half of May, the Brazil Now campaign will also be incorporated into the Brazil Sensational! advertising campaign, which will target consumers in twelve countries, illustrating Brazilian destinations to foreign tourists. Embratur will investment approximately R$ 48 million in international advertising in 2009.

"Embratur's initiative is basic, allowing the promotion to be spread more quickly by tour operators - which is, without a doubt, a factor that can be used independently of the economic crisis," stated Octavio Martins, president of the Commission for Commercial Subjects of the BITO.

About EMBRATUR

The mission of the Brazilian Tourist Board, Embratur, is to promote Brazil in the international market as a destination for travelers. The Brazilian Federal Government and Embratur have implemented the Aquarela Plan which calls for generating consumer awareness about Brazil and attracting more tourists. The established target for the U.S. sector is increasing the annual numbers for tourists entering the country to 9 million, and attracting a total amount of $8 billion in revenue by 2010. There are nine Embratur offices globally including Lisbon (Portugal), Paris (France), London (U.K.), Frankfurt (Germany), Madrid (Spain), Milan (Italy) and Tokyo (Japan). There is also a Bureau for Tourism for Latin America, based at the Embratur office, in the city of Brasilia. For more information visit http://www.brasilnetwork.tur.br/ and visit the Newsroom.