Rio, May 25, 2004 (Agência Brasil) - The establishment of regular flights between Brazil and China will help eliminate a bottleneck that impedes tourism from growing in Brazil. This evaluation was made by the Rio de Janeiro state secretary of Tourism, Sérgio Ricardo de Almeida. Varig - a Brazilian airline - will inaugurate the Brazil-China route in August with four weekly flights, following the itinerary Rio-São Paulo-Munich-Beijing.

Seats on Varig's Brazil-China flight are expected to cost US$ 2.8 thousand in economy, US$ 6 thousand in executive, and US$ 10 thousand in first class. Incentives or promotions, however, should be offered, reducing the fares. Two of the company's airplanes should be assigned to this route.

Varig's director for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Carlos Muzzio, declared that, besides the beginning of regular flights between Brazil and China, the authorization conceded to Brazil by the Chinese government opens large possibilities for a greater flow of Chinese tourists to Brazil and, therefore, to South America.

"The warranty the Chinese government is giving Brazil is very significant. It is an incentive for Chinese tourists to come to our country," said Muzzio, who added that this will help increase business as well as leisure tourism.

Brazil's Minister of Tourism, Walfrido Mares Guia, expects that, with the establishment of regular flights to China, Brazil will receive one hundred thousand Chinese tourists annually. Muzzio believes that this figure will be surpassed in the medium run. The route should also attract tourists from Eastern Europe, Russia, and Slovenia to Brazil via Beijing, the Varig director believes.

Translator: David Silberstein