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Jun 02, 2016 05:42 PM

RIO 2016 GAMES

Visa waiver for tourist is in force already

Measure will be valid until 18 September and has the goal of encouraging tourists to travel to Brazil from the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan for the Rio 2016 Games

This Wednesday (01.06), the visa waiver for American, Japanese, Canadian and Australian tourists coming to Brazil came into force. The waiver is valid until 18 September. The initiative is part of the Ministry of Tourism strategy to encourage visitors to come to Brazil from countries, which in 2015 alone corresponded to 759,087 visas being issued.

Until 18 September, citizens from these four countries will be able to stay for up to 90 days, from the day they first set foot onto the national territory. The waiver is aimed at foreign nationals coming to Brazil exclusively for tourism. The visitor will not need to prove they have tickets to watch any Olympic event.

The United States Embassy put up a page on their website to inform American citizens, interested in coming to Brazil during this period, that the Brazilian government has made their entrance in the country easier. Last year, the 575,796 tourists from the United States came to Brazil, losing only to Argentina, who sent 2,079,823 visitors, equivalent to 33% of the total number of tourists.

"The Federal Government's visa waiver for tourists from these four countries took into account a set of factors, like countries that spend the most in Brazil, low migration risk and strong Olympic tradition. The thousands of tourists expected to take part in the big party, the Rio Olympics, will move the economy in the country by spending in hotels, restaurants and car rentals, among others", explained Minister Henrique Eduardo Alves.

The expectation is for the measure to reflect in a rise in visitors, as well as enhancing the economy. According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), facilitating travelling may generate an up to 20% increase in the flow between destinations. This represents an increase of approximately 75 thousand international tourists and an influx of USD 80 million in the Brazilian economy.

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Picture: Getty Images

Sources: Ministry of Tourism and EMBRATUR