The biggest tourism event expects 40,000 visitors in Rio de Janeiro

The biggest tourism event in the country is expected to welcome between 36,000 and 40,000 visitors, between September 27 and 29, at Riocentro, a convention center in Barra da Tijuca, west of Rio de Janeiro. It is the 50th edition of Abav Expo, organized by the Association of Travel Agencies of Brazil (Abav).

The Tourism Incentives Fair is being held again in Rio de Janeiro after 11 years. The last edition was in Olinda, Pernambuco, when it received 26 thousand visitors. For the next edition, 2 thousand exhibitors are confirmed, 37% more than the previous edition. There will be representatives from all states and the Federal District, in addition to 22 companies in the hotel sector. The details were announced by Abav this Tuesday (1st), at the headquarters of the Federation of Trade in Goods, Services and Tourism of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Fecomércio).

The opening will take place exactly on World Tourism Day, September 27. The event is mainly aimed at tourism agents, such as travel agents and tour guides.

The president of Abav, Magda Nassar, said that it is not possible to predict how many businesses the event will generate, but recalled that in 2022, this amount was R$84.5 million. “For the state, the biggest legacy is the public we bring, because they are the big influencers of travel in the country. The desire to travel is created by these agencies. So our big partners are travel agents. They come here and take it all over Brazil,” said Abav’s president.

foreign attraction

The fair will bring 50 international agencies from 15 countries to help in the drive to attract foreign tourists. The Brazilian agency for International Tourism Promotion (Embratur) will also participate in the event. Magda Nassar hopes that tourism will manage, this year, to overcome the damage caused to the industry due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which started in 2020. “I firmly believe that our numbers this year should be equal to or greater than those of 2019”.

This year’s Abav Expo will bring some innovations, such as a booth for encouraging and receiving blood donations, created by Hemorio, the state blood center service. There will also be a training area for professionals in the tourism sector, Abav Talks and the implementation of ESG measures (acronym for environmental, social and corporate governance practices), such as an energy generator floor with totems for charging mobile phones.

co-founder of Apple

The use of technology in the tourism sector will be one of the topics discussed at the event. The organizers have confirmed that the opening speech will be given by the American Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple with Steve Jobs and one of the biggest references in technology in the world.

To make it easier for tourists to travel to Rio de Janeiro, Abav has partnered with Gol, Latam and Azul airlines, which will offer discounts of at least 20% to event participants. In addition, more than 25 hotels will offer lower rates for visitors to the exhibition.

Benefits for Rio

“The city of Rio is working tirelessly to attract more national and international visitors. One of these strategies was to bring the Abav Expo, such is the importance of the tourism sector in Rio de Janeiro. The town hall is fully committed to making this edition the best, historic and unforgettable,” said the municipal Secretary of Tourism, Daniela Maia.

The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Gustavo Tutuka, clarified that the government will set up booths to publicize 12 tourist areas in the state, in addition to showcasing handicrafts and agro-industry products. “The resumption of the Abav Expo in Rio after more than 10 years, which is now at the heart of tourism in Brazil, is necessary to show the power of tourism in Rio and the recovery of the credibility of our state,” he said.

Fecomércio RJ will support the organization of the event. The president of the federation, Antonio Florencio de Queiroz Junior, explained that tourism represents a multiplier effect of the economy. “Everyone is preparing to welcome the tourist and you, with that, move the whole economic cycle. Trade has a huge share in tourism, tourism encourages transport, hotels, in short it is the economy as a whole”.