Rio sees Olympic tourism boost

The 2016 Rio Olympics prompted the arrival of 541,000 international tourists to the country from July 1 to Aug. 15, according to the latest figures from Embratur.

The number represents an increase of 157,000 people over the same period last year, the organization said. The visa waiver for visitors from the United States, Canada, Japan and Australia benefited 74.7 per cent of the international arrivals who came to Brazil for the Games.

According to the study, eight out of 10 international tourists said the visa waiver facilitates a possible return to Brazil in the future. Ofthose surveyed, 56.5 per cent of foreign respondents were in Brazil for the first time.

The balance based on accommodations bookings showed that 37 per cent of international tourists chose hotels, while 25 per cent opted for rented properties. The average number of days in Brazil was 11.7 days, and average spending was more than US$103.7 per day, representing BRL$335.66 at the current exchange rate.