44 TOURISM The reinvention of Brazilian tourism By Pedro Novais Minister of Tourism The task of facing up to new situations, leaving the comfort zone, is not an easy one, but it can be enjoyable. The changes that Brazil has been through in recent years pose a new challenge for the tourism industry, namely: how can the sector adapt to the current market, with its new consumer profile? The praiseworthy entrance to the market of members of society from what is known as social class C creates a new dynamic, which is not fully visible or clear for many businesspeople. However, for the more adventurous and those who do not shy away from challenges, the advent of this new Brazil has been recognized as an unprecedented and powerful opportunity for good business and high profits. Today it is imperative to be aware of the homemakers who until recently never ever thought about taking a vacation but who are now catching airplanes with their families. In this context, this demand for life’s little extras, basic needs having been satisfied, is as welcome as it is to be desired. And what does car rental have to do with this? What should be done to include this segment in an effective and profitable manner in this new niche market? It is clear that it is up to each company to discover the most appropriate response. Go beyond off the beaten track, on short but no less-exciting trips – that is what we want tourists to do. After all, Brazil is fortunate in being such a diverse country that on one-day trips from any state capital you can have so many experiences. And why not rent a car to do this? It may still seem to many people that rental cars are affordable only to the privileged few – a luxury, in other words. But this paradigm can be broken down. After all, if even air travel is within the reach of a market that was previously unimaginable, the same idea can be stretched to other sectors of the tourism chain. The gauntlet has been thrown down for the car rental segment. And we at the Ministry of Tourism understand that the solution can benefit everyone - the end consumer, who will have better access to new destinations, businesspeople, who can increase their turnover, and the communities outside the established centers, who can benefit from the new intake of visitors. 2011 ABLA YEARBOOK
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDU0Njk=