São Paulo, 3/24/2004 (Agência Brasil ) - Minister of Tourism, Walfrido Mares Guia, reports that the sector will get an injection of US$165.6 million (R$483 million) this year in the form of regular ministry budgetary funding, plus congressional amendments to the budget.

Mares Guia declared that with the establishment of a Ministry of Tourism in January 2003 it has been possible to make an adequate x-ray of the sector and direct investments more efficiently. The result is that the sector has begun to show signs of recovery. The minister pointed out that in 2003 the number of foreign visitors who came to Brazil rose 8.12%, to slightly more than 4 million.

The tourism sector goal is to reach 9 million foreign visitors annually by 2007, create 1.2 million jobs and generate revenue of US$8 billion. As for the domestic tourism market, the goal there is to reach 65 million passengers on domestic flights and offer tourist attractions in all Brazilian states. (translator: Allen Bennett)