President of Embratur meets with Minister of Tourism of the Arab country to discuss air connectivity and strategies to promote Brazil in the market
The President of Embratur (Brazilian Tourism Institute), Gilson Machado Neto, who accompanies the President of the Republic, Jair Bolsonaro, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, met this Tuesday (29) with the country's Minister of Tourism and Media. , Abdulaziz Almulhem. The city was the last destination on the agenda of the Brazilian government's entourage on the Asian continent.
After granting visa-free travel to Qatari tourists, Brazil's next step, according to representatives on mission in the Middle East, should be to set up an agreement with Saudi Arabia to lower tourism and business visa costs. The intention of a possible agreement is to increase the flow of tourists and businessmen between the two countries, not only by lowering fees, but also by the possibility that visas last up to five years and allow multiple entries. Today, Brazilians only have the possibility to take business travel visas to travel to Saudi Arabia.
Opening up to Western tourism is part of the process instituted by Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who officially announced the measure, which is valid for 49 countries, on 27 September. Previously, Saudi Arabia only granted permission for foreign Muslims to visit the holy city of Mecca.
"Although Saudi Arabia began issuing tourist visas for the first time only in September of this year, the minister confessed that he is enthusiastic about the new vision of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman," Embratur President Gilson Machado said. Grandson.
According to him, with the opening of visas to countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, “we have begun direct flights between Brazil and Saudi Arabia through the Saudi Arabian Airlines,” said Gilson. In addition, the representative of Embratur talked about the possibility of connection between Saudi Arabia and Brazil, via flights via Dubai or Abu Dhabi, given the agreement that Brazil has visa waiver with the United Arab Emirates. "Soon, we will have more flights and connection from Brazil to the Middle East," concluded President Gilson Machado Neto.