- Title: Olympic gold medal boosts pandemic-hit surf paradise in Brazil
- Date: 2nd August 2021
- Summary: BAIA FORMOSA, RIO GRANDE DO NORTE STATE, BRAZIL (AUGUST 1, 2021) (REUTERS) PEOPLE SITTING ON THE BEACH UNDER AN UMBRELLA TOURISTS AT THE BEACH VARIOUS OF MEN OPENING PARASOL VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT RESTAURANT (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) OWNER OF RESTAURANT AND HOTEL AT BAIA FORMOSA, CINTIA SANTOS, SAYING: "Now after the Olympics it's a great success for the town. I believe it's been very promising. We struggled a lot during the pandemic, the city really survives off tourism and we were stuck for a long time. But now things are bouncing back" ENTRANCE TO RESTAURANT TOURISTS BATHING IN SEA PEOPLE SITTING IN BEACH PEOPLE WALKING ON BEACH ICE CREAM VENDOR ON BEACH PEOPLE WALKING ON BEACH VARIOUS OF SURFERS IN THE SEA (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) OWNER OF RESTAURANT AND HOTEL AT BAIA FORMOSA, CINTIA SANTOS, SAYING: "Demand at the Hotel is 50% higher than we had before and the restaurant is always full. We have a waiting list and we are expecting this boom to last a long time here" T-SHIRT STORE VARIOUS OF MAN MAKING T-SHIRTS WITH OLYMPIC SURFING CHAMPION ITALO FERREIRA'S FACE (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) BUSINESSMAN, RAFAEL ALVES, SAYING: "We don't have any idea yet because of the demand in search of (Ferreira related) items: t-shirt, shops, hotels, tourism..." VARIOUS OF MAN MAKING T-SHIRTS WITH FERREIRA'S FACE MAN HANGING T-SHIRTS ON HANGERS (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) BUSINESSMAN, RAFAEL ALVES, SAYING: "The penny hasn't dropped yet because the demand has been so high for t-shirts, business, hotels, tourism..." BAIA FORMOSA, RIO GRANDE DO NORTE STATE, BRAZIL (JULY 30, 2021) (REUTERS) OLYMPIC SURF CHAMPION ITALO FERREIRA GETTING OUT OF CAR FERREIRA'S GOLD MEDAL FERREIRA SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) OLYMPIC SURFING GOLD MEDALIST, ITALO FERREIRA, SAYING: "Without a doubt today people are coming to visit the beach to get to know the place where I came from, and now there will be a few more (visitors). It's cool because it helps the economy of the city, and of those locals who depend on (tourism). In one way or another it will contribute to this." BAIA FORMOSA, RIO GRANDE DO NORTE STATE, BRAZIL (JULY 31, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DRONE SHOT OF CITY AND BEACH (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF SEA (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF CITY AND BEACH (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF SEA (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF CITY AND BEACH (MUTE) SURFERS AND PEOPLE AT SEA DURING SUNSET PEOPLE WALKING ON BEACH DURING SUNSET
- Embargoed: 16th August 2021 19:43
- Keywords: Ferreira Formosa Rio Grande do Norte surf
- Location: BAIA FORMOSA, RIO GRANDE DO NORTE STATE, BRAZIL
- City: BAIA FORMOSA, RIO GRANDE DO NORTE STATE, BRAZIL
- Country: Brazil
- Topics: South America / Central America,Sport,Surfing
- Reuters ID: LVA001EOL8NYF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Brazil's gold medal performance in surfing did not just boost the country's medal tally in Tokyo, it also gave a boost to businesses in the small town where champion Italo Ferreira began his athletic career.
Ferreira, who won the first ever Olympic gold in the surfing discipline last week, left Japan and headed straight to Baia Formosa, the small town on Brazil's northeastern coast where he was born and grew up.
Business owners there said the attention has brought them a windfall as the media, tourists and surf enthusiasts congregate to soak up the winning atmosphere.
"It's a great success for the town," said Cintia Santos, owner of a local bed and breakfast. "We struggled a lot during the pandemic, the city really survives off tourism and we were stuck for a long time. But now things are bouncing back."
Rafael Alves, who runs a design business in the region, agreed. Alves was forced to shut down during the pandemic but he reopened as interest spiked due to Ferreria's gold.
"The penny hasn't dropped yet," he said after selling 300 t-shirts with Ferreira's picture on them.
Brazil has been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than 550,000 people dying and innumerable businesses failing as lockdowns and economic ruin took their toll.
On his trip back home the 27-year old Ferreira was also delighted to see his triumph had wider implications.
"It's cool because it helps the economy of the city, and of those locals who depend on (tourism)," he said.
(Leonardo Benassatto, Geraldine Downer, Nina Lopez) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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