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On Our Radar: The Olympic city of Rio de Janeiro

This August will see 10,500 athletes from 206 countries flock to the city, bringing with them scores of adoring fans and the hopes and dreams of the nations they represent.

 

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Rio de Janeiro.jpg
Rio de Janeiro.jpg
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This August will see 10,500 athletes from 206 countries flock to the city

Rio will be the second city in Latin America to host the Olympics after the 1968 Mexico Games. The International Olympic Committee is predicting 480,000 visitors to the city with an estimated boost of £201 billion for the Brazilian economy in the years following the event.

 

I joined Eduardo Dos Santos, the ambassador of Brazil, over caipirinhas in the Brazilian embassy in London to discuss the impact of the games.

 

“All venues have been completed and now Rio is ready to receive this spectacle. We hope that with the games we can reinforce our relationship with the EU and especially the UK. We looked at London’s success with the 2012 Olympics and worked with the International Olympic Committee to learn more,” he said.

 

Unfortunately it hasn’t been all clear sailing for Brazil. The country is currently experiencing its worst depression since 1901, with inflation at the highest in 12 years.

 

“It has not been easy organising this event as we are still only an upcoming and developing nation,” he admitted.

 

A £45 billion investment in Brazil’s infrastructure aims to steer the nation away from the economic slump. Plans include the building of 4,350 miles of new roads; the construction of four airports, in Salvador, Florianopolis, Fortaleza and Porto Alegre; and the development of a high-speed rail link between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

 

The 220mph trains, which will be running in time for the Olympics, will have an estimated journey time of 80 minutes between the cities.

 

The games will be held in 32 venues spread across Rio’s three major districts, Deodoro, Barra and Copacabana, while the 78,000-seat Maracana Stadium will host the opening and closing ceremonies.

 

The blood, sweat and tears of the planet’s sporting elite will draw the world’s attention to Rio de Janeiro this summer. With just under 40% of tickets still available, it’s not too late for your customers to be in the heart of the action. But with airline TAP quoting lead-in fares in excess of £2,000 due to demand, they’ll need to act fast.

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