2016 Olympics’ official logo will be unveiled at the traditional New Year celebration of the Brazilian city. Just moments before the fireworks go off at Copacabana beach on Friday 31st midnight, the logo will be displayed by being projected on a large screen on the sand. International Olympic Committee’s members and local officials will be present on the occasion in addition to the millions of tourists and Rio residents.
In 2009, Rio was selected as the host for the 2016 Olympics. Rio defeated cities like Tokyo, Madrid and Chicago to ensure the honors. 2016 Olympics is also special because in that year, for the first time, Olympic Games will be held in the South American continent.
According to the organizers, the logo was selected after keeping in mind the South American culture. Not only that, they claimed that the logo will be a symbolic representation of the enthusiasm displayed by the South American people and the magnificent natural beauty of the continent.
Read it here:
Friday, December 31, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Brazil upgrades hotel supply as Olympics, World Cup approach
As they gear up for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, Brazil’s Ministry of Tourism and the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) are looking to refresh the country’s hotel inventory with a 1-billion Brazilian reais (US$544.5-million) line of credit for property refurbishment, expansion and ground-up construction.
But unlike the development booms that typically precede other major world events, Brazil’s will likely focus on its existing supply—not new builds, according to advisors and developers who work in and have studied the region closely.
The main reason? Oversupply.
“We already have lots of rooms in the big cities of Brazil. … what we most need is renovation of the existing hotels,” said Diogo Canteras, managing director of HVS in Brazil.
According to STR Global, there are 1,316 hotels comprising 167,035 rooms in the country, thanks in part to a surge in condo-hotel development in the 1980s and 1990s. The result has been a market weighed down by too much product, yielding average daily rates that are half that of other major countries and markets within the Americas. In January 2010, for example, the country posted an ADR of US$95.55, compared with Argentina (US$165.92), Costa Rica (US$172.73), Puerto Rico (US$192.90) and Venezuela (US$147.98).
But it’s not just oversupply that plagues the industry, Canteras said. Age is an equally debilitating factor. “The average age of a hotel is 30 years. … They really deserve a good renovation.”
Nowhere is that more true than the mid-market, which represents the majority of Brazil’s existing supply.
“I see the refurbishment much more focuses on the mid market,” Canteras said. “… They have depreciated a lot during these last years, and with some renovation you can better position this property from a mid-market property to an upper, mid-market segment (property).”
Renovations sought through the new line of credit will do more than provide a face lift; they’ll help propel the Brazilian hotel industry toward the standard of its counterparts throughout South and Central America, said Rogerio Basso, practice leader of Latin America for Ernst & Young.
“It’s certainly a move in the right direction to professionalize and enhance the standards and the quality of the lodging supply,” he said.
But unlike the development booms that typically precede other major world events, Brazil’s will likely focus on its existing supply—not new builds, according to advisors and developers who work in and have studied the region closely.
The main reason? Oversupply.
“We already have lots of rooms in the big cities of Brazil. … what we most need is renovation of the existing hotels,” said Diogo Canteras, managing director of HVS in Brazil.
According to STR Global, there are 1,316 hotels comprising 167,035 rooms in the country, thanks in part to a surge in condo-hotel development in the 1980s and 1990s. The result has been a market weighed down by too much product, yielding average daily rates that are half that of other major countries and markets within the Americas. In January 2010, for example, the country posted an ADR of US$95.55, compared with Argentina (US$165.92), Costa Rica (US$172.73), Puerto Rico (US$192.90) and Venezuela (US$147.98).
But it’s not just oversupply that plagues the industry, Canteras said. Age is an equally debilitating factor. “The average age of a hotel is 30 years. … They really deserve a good renovation.”
Nowhere is that more true than the mid-market, which represents the majority of Brazil’s existing supply.
“I see the refurbishment much more focuses on the mid market,” Canteras said. “… They have depreciated a lot during these last years, and with some renovation you can better position this property from a mid-market property to an upper, mid-market segment (property).”
Renovations sought through the new line of credit will do more than provide a face lift; they’ll help propel the Brazilian hotel industry toward the standard of its counterparts throughout South and Central America, said Rogerio Basso, practice leader of Latin America for Ernst & Young.
“It’s certainly a move in the right direction to professionalize and enhance the standards and the quality of the lodging supply,” he said.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
On the road to Rio For the 2016 Olympics
Travel agents don’t have to wait six years to sell their clients on Rio de Janeiro. The members of the Brazil Tour Operators Association are now offering some great deals to one of the most besutiful cities in the world.
And you can bet that North Americans will get a warm welcome as the people of Rio, the Cariocas, are still celebrating winning the Olympic bid for the summer games in 2016.
Spectacularly sited between towering mountains and lush natural parks and surrounded by turquoise water and miles and miles of white sand beaches, Rio is a feast for the eyes and the senses.
Americans come to this sophisticated city for its sizzling, non-stop nightlife, world-class dining and its infectious party atmosphere – and not just during Carnival.
Balmy breezes and the sounds of samba and pagode fill the air all year round. And then there are the beaches – 55 miles of them – with names like Ipanema, Copacabana, Saõ Conrado, Leblon and Barra.
This Cidade Maravilhosa, or marvelous city, is especially dramatic when viewed from the 1,300-foot Pão de Açúcar, Sugar Loaf Mountain.
Visitors have a choice of two cable cars or – for the very intrepid – climbing. Rising 2,330 feet above the city is Corcovado Mountain, with a 98-foot statue of Christ and another panoramic view of dramatic Rio.
Corcovado lies within the largest park in Rio, Tijuca National Park. In its 8,000 acres visitors can see armadillos, iguanas and marmosets. The 340-acre Botanical Gardens offers more manicured natural beauty with 5,000 species of flora, including Imperial Palms planted in the 1800s.
Visitors can opt for a quiet afternoon walking or cycling around picturesque Lagoa Rodrigo de Frietas.
The Carmen Miranda Museum is located in Botofogo and art lovers will enjoy the Museum of Contemporary Art in Niterói, designed by famed native son Oscar Niemeyer. Santa Teresa has some 50 artists showing their works out of the neighborhood’s 19th century homes.
The city has a well-deserved reputation for its excellent restaurants serving authentic regional food, traditional barbecue, fresh seafood and every international cuisine.
Read more
And you can bet that North Americans will get a warm welcome as the people of Rio, the Cariocas, are still celebrating winning the Olympic bid for the summer games in 2016.
Spectacularly sited between towering mountains and lush natural parks and surrounded by turquoise water and miles and miles of white sand beaches, Rio is a feast for the eyes and the senses.
Americans come to this sophisticated city for its sizzling, non-stop nightlife, world-class dining and its infectious party atmosphere – and not just during Carnival.
Balmy breezes and the sounds of samba and pagode fill the air all year round. And then there are the beaches – 55 miles of them – with names like Ipanema, Copacabana, Saõ Conrado, Leblon and Barra.
This Cidade Maravilhosa, or marvelous city, is especially dramatic when viewed from the 1,300-foot Pão de Açúcar, Sugar Loaf Mountain.
Visitors have a choice of two cable cars or – for the very intrepid – climbing. Rising 2,330 feet above the city is Corcovado Mountain, with a 98-foot statue of Christ and another panoramic view of dramatic Rio.
Corcovado lies within the largest park in Rio, Tijuca National Park. In its 8,000 acres visitors can see armadillos, iguanas and marmosets. The 340-acre Botanical Gardens offers more manicured natural beauty with 5,000 species of flora, including Imperial Palms planted in the 1800s.
Visitors can opt for a quiet afternoon walking or cycling around picturesque Lagoa Rodrigo de Frietas.
The Carmen Miranda Museum is located in Botofogo and art lovers will enjoy the Museum of Contemporary Art in Niterói, designed by famed native son Oscar Niemeyer. Santa Teresa has some 50 artists showing their works out of the neighborhood’s 19th century homes.
The city has a well-deserved reputation for its excellent restaurants serving authentic regional food, traditional barbecue, fresh seafood and every international cuisine.
Read more
Monday, February 1, 2010
Paraty or Parati, Brazil's Baroque Pearl of the Tropics
One of the most enchanting of all the old Portuguese colonial towns in Brazil, Paraty has been dubbed "a virtual museum in a tropical paradise" because of its blend of natural and architectural beauty.
Its grid of rough, cobblestone streets is lined with stark, white stone buildings decorated with brightly hued doors and window shutters. It's sandwiched between a backdrop of misty rainforest-encrusted mountains and sparkling seas graced with little yachts and schooners named after Pele and other famous Brazilian footballers.
You can hop on one of these boats, which will take you for a tour around the beautiful little islands nearby, but I prefer exploring the gorgeous town itself.
A small Indian settlement until the late 17th century, Paraty quickly grew in importance after the Bandeirantes, the Portuguese version of the Spanish conquistadors, stumbled across enormous gold deposits in the mountains of inland Brazil.
They needed somewhere from which to launch the booty back to Lisbon and Paraty, with its wide, curving harbour, fitted the bill.
It wasn't long before the rich began to construct lavish buildings and churches here and, four centuries on, Paraty still evokes something of a bygone feel - despite its smattering of souvenir shops, art galleries and cosmopolitan eateries.
If you visit, don't wear high heels and do think twice about hiring a bicycle to get around town. The rough and ready cobbled streets are challenging, to say the least.
To read more click here
and here
Its grid of rough, cobblestone streets is lined with stark, white stone buildings decorated with brightly hued doors and window shutters. It's sandwiched between a backdrop of misty rainforest-encrusted mountains and sparkling seas graced with little yachts and schooners named after Pele and other famous Brazilian footballers.
You can hop on one of these boats, which will take you for a tour around the beautiful little islands nearby, but I prefer exploring the gorgeous town itself.
A small Indian settlement until the late 17th century, Paraty quickly grew in importance after the Bandeirantes, the Portuguese version of the Spanish conquistadors, stumbled across enormous gold deposits in the mountains of inland Brazil.
They needed somewhere from which to launch the booty back to Lisbon and Paraty, with its wide, curving harbour, fitted the bill.
It wasn't long before the rich began to construct lavish buildings and churches here and, four centuries on, Paraty still evokes something of a bygone feel - despite its smattering of souvenir shops, art galleries and cosmopolitan eateries.
If you visit, don't wear high heels and do think twice about hiring a bicycle to get around town. The rough and ready cobbled streets are challenging, to say the least.
To read more click here
and here
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Bahia Brazil
All eyes will turn to sultry Rio de Janeiro when it hosts the 2016 Olympic Games, but right now Brazil’s white-hot destination may be the northeastern state of Bahia. With its distinctive African-influenced flavors, cultural diversity, palm-fringed beaches and a new crop of chic hotels, the region is fast emerging as a jet-set playground.
In the village of Trancoso, a hideaway that gets more fashionable by the minute, the Dutch designer Wilbert Das (longtime creative director of the Diesel label) opened Uxua Casa Hotel (www.uxua.com) using recycled materials including old roof tiles and abandoned fishing boats. The hotel’s colorful casas and lush gardens were a canvas for the 2010 Pirelli calendar, shot by the bad-boy photographer Terry Richardson. Speaking of the town’s rising cachet, a luxury Fasano resort — with 30 beachfront villas, a restaurant and a spa — is in the works.
In Salvador, known for its pulsing street carnival and the historic Pelourinho district, head to one of the city’s boutique lodgings. Zank (www.zankhotel.com.br) recently opened in the residential Rio Vermelho section and seamlessly blends modern and classic styles, with exceptional views of the Atlantic Ocean just steps away. Nearby is the Pestana Bahia Lodge (www.pestana.com), with a hilltop infinity pool and sunny sea-view rooms. While there, don’t miss “The Kiss” and “The Thinker” by Auguste Rodin, on temporary view at the Palacete das Artes (palacetedasartesrodinbahia.blogspot.com), which opened a gallery devoted to the French sculptor.
— Paola Singer
Read full story here
In the village of Trancoso, a hideaway that gets more fashionable by the minute, the Dutch designer Wilbert Das (longtime creative director of the Diesel label) opened Uxua Casa Hotel (www.uxua.com) using recycled materials including old roof tiles and abandoned fishing boats. The hotel’s colorful casas and lush gardens were a canvas for the 2010 Pirelli calendar, shot by the bad-boy photographer Terry Richardson. Speaking of the town’s rising cachet, a luxury Fasano resort — with 30 beachfront villas, a restaurant and a spa — is in the works.
In Salvador, known for its pulsing street carnival and the historic Pelourinho district, head to one of the city’s boutique lodgings. Zank (www.zankhotel.com.br) recently opened in the residential Rio Vermelho section and seamlessly blends modern and classic styles, with exceptional views of the Atlantic Ocean just steps away. Nearby is the Pestana Bahia Lodge (www.pestana.com), with a hilltop infinity pool and sunny sea-view rooms. While there, don’t miss “The Kiss” and “The Thinker” by Auguste Rodin, on temporary view at the Palacete das Artes (palacetedasartesrodinbahia.blogspot.com), which opened a gallery devoted to the French sculptor.
— Paola Singer
Read full story here
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
It's Not Too Soon To Plan For The 2016 Summer Olympics?
If you're Brazilian, or, a Cariocaphile (a Rio lover) then you've already started the countdown for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Back in October, we were down in the "Marvelous City" and right smack in the middle of Copacabana Beach with the rest of Rio for the world announcement. Don't worry, our writer Shira Levine cased the joint to check things out for those of you considering getting your Olympic Games on in, uhhh six and half years.
Based on how utterly psyched Brazilians, tourists in Brazil, and everyone on Twitter responded to the news that Rio would be hosting the 2016 Summer Olympics, it might be wise to get samba steppin' now to book that hotel stay and flight.
And good news to Southerners! As of Dec. 15, US Airways brought it with the Brazil-bound convenience and began direct service to Rio from its hub in Charlotte, North Carolina. So now you have a flight option, but what about a hotel? Never fear, we've pulled together some options below.
Brazil is one of the few economies that's grown during our global economic recession. By 2016 expect a completely reinvented Summer Games-ready Rio. Rio scored a $14.2 billion Olympic budget and has reportedly $60.3 billion in public and private investments. The city plans to develop an additional 14,000 hotel rooms to the currently 28,000 hotel rooms already lining the 50 miles of beaches. Yes, that's a lot of housekeeping.
As of now, those gunning for Carioca-style joie de vivre, can have their pick of our favorite fancypants hotels in Rio. Yes, they will cost you a pretty Brazilian Real whether your visit is for an overnight stay, a dip in the pool, or, a few caipirinhas.
Read More here
Based on how utterly psyched Brazilians, tourists in Brazil, and everyone on Twitter responded to the news that Rio would be hosting the 2016 Summer Olympics, it might be wise to get samba steppin' now to book that hotel stay and flight.
And good news to Southerners! As of Dec. 15, US Airways brought it with the Brazil-bound convenience and began direct service to Rio from its hub in Charlotte, North Carolina. So now you have a flight option, but what about a hotel? Never fear, we've pulled together some options below.
Brazil is one of the few economies that's grown during our global economic recession. By 2016 expect a completely reinvented Summer Games-ready Rio. Rio scored a $14.2 billion Olympic budget and has reportedly $60.3 billion in public and private investments. The city plans to develop an additional 14,000 hotel rooms to the currently 28,000 hotel rooms already lining the 50 miles of beaches. Yes, that's a lot of housekeeping.
As of now, those gunning for Carioca-style joie de vivre, can have their pick of our favorite fancypants hotels in Rio. Yes, they will cost you a pretty Brazilian Real whether your visit is for an overnight stay, a dip in the pool, or, a few caipirinhas.
Read More here
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