- Title: BRAZIL: Rio de Janeiro's hotels get ready for 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics
- Date: 26th March 2013
- Summary: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (MARCH 26, 2013) (REUTERS) COPACABANA BEACH FROM ABOVE WAVES CRASHING ON THE BEACH VARIOUS THE EXTERIOR OF THE HOTEL MARINA VARIOUS OF THE PRESIDENT OF RIO DE JANEIRO'S HOTEL INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION, ALBERTO LOPES, PRESENTING TO JOURNALISTS INSIDE SMALL MEETING ROOM (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) PRESIDENT OF RIO DE JANEIRO'S HOTEL INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION, ALBERTO LOPES, SAYING: "We will see an increase of 20,000 new rooms by the Olympics. It's a significant increase in a short space of time. But, it's very important that the city consolidates its schedule of events, anchored in various industries like the shipbuilding industry, construction industry, and shows so that having 50,000 available rooms, is sustainable." RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (FILE) (REUTERS) CONSTRUCTION CRANE ELEVATED OVER HOTEL GLORIA VARIOUS OF HOTEL GLORIA UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (MARCH 25, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OUTSIDE COPACABANA PALACE HOTEL VARIOUS OUTSIDE MARRIOTT HOTEL RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (MARCH 26, 2013) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) PRESIDENT OF RIO DE JANEIRO'S HOTEL INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION, ALBERTO LOPES, SAYING: "If you have the means to control prices, and you have growth in the industry and supply, you are able to launch competitive tariffs and promotional campaigns in domestic and international markets."
- Embargoed: 10th April 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Brazil
- Country: Brazil
- Topics: Business,Industry,Travel / Tourism
- Reuters ID: LVADGNRSNKB7ALBJ9P3I7JPME0LT
- Story Text: Leaders from Rio de Janeiro's hotel industry said on Tuesday (March 26) that the city will reach goals set by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for rooms to accommodate the surge of tourists expected to descend on the city for the 2016 Games.
The city was required by the IOC to add at least 15,000 new hotel rooms by 2015 as part of their winning bid to host the games.
A study conducted by the Rio de Janeiro government last year showed that more than 18,000 rooms were already planned or under construction.
There has been no official word about how many will be ready by 2014's World Cup, but a thousand newly constructed rooms entered the market in the last year.
The president of Rio's hotel industry association, Alfred Lopes, said the industry is also tasked with the challenge of filling the rooms after the 2014 World Cup and the Olympics.
"We will see an increase of 20,000 new rooms by the Olympics. It's a significant increase in a short space of time. But, it's very important that the city consolidates its schedule of events, anchored in various industries like the shipbuilding industry, construction industry, and shows so that having 50,000 available rooms is sustainable," said Lopes.
Some of Rio de Janeiro's more iconic hotels like Hotel Gloria and Copacabana Palace are undergoing renovations in expectation of the World Cup and Olympics, but it is mid-priced hotel chains that will provide the major increase in future available rooms, according to industry watchers.
Lopes said he expects the addition of the new rooms to help grow Rio's tourism industry.
"If you have the means to control prices, and you have growth in the industry and supply, you are able to launch competitive tariffs and promotional campaigns in domestic and international markets," Lopes said.
Rio de Janeiro is the primary tourist destination in Brazil and business related to tourism accounts for more than 65% of the city's GDP, according to industry organizations. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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