Nielmar de Oliveira
Reporter – Agência Brasil

Rio – 4.7 million foreign tourists came to Brazil in 2004, 14% more when compared to 2003. The numbers are from the Annual Research on Tourism Economic Situation, a joint initiative of the Ministry of Tourism, Brazilian Tourism Corporation (Embratur), and the Getúlio Vargas Foundation.

International trips generated 3.2 billion dollars for Brazil, in 2004, according to Brazilian Central Bank. This amount was 30% higher than that registered in 2003. The Tourism Account balance was positive in 2004, reaching US$351 million, 61% more than in 2003, when it reached US$218 million.

This was the second year of positive balances after over a decade with negative results in the Tourism Account (the difference between what Brazilians spend abroad and what foreign tourists consume in Brazil).

Translation: Andréa Alves