Rio welcomed 243 thousand during Paralympics

Rio de Janeiro received 243 thousand tourists during the 2016 Paralympic Games. Visitors spent an average $83 daily, adding up to a total $125 million. The positive outcome was celebrated by organizers and government officials.

The president's chief of staff, Eliseu Padilha, said Brazil needs to take advantage of the visibility attained in the games to boost tourism. “A survey conducted with foreigners rated Brazilians' efficiency in giving a good, welcoming treatment 98 [on a scale] from zero to a hundred.  We want this to pave the way for the whole country to have its tourism bolstered,” he declared.

“Our participation on the international stage is still paltry, and we should find ways to expand it. Tourism is an industry with no chimneys, where we give jobs to a lot of people, bring a lot of people in, and see high profitability levels,” the minister explained.

Andrew Parsons, chair of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee and vice-president of the International Paralympic Committee, hailed the figures of the Paralympic Games as “very positive.”

Parsons said the target set for ticket sales was met, with 2.1 million tickets sold, 1.8 million of them within a week. He ascribed the success of the event to how much the public relates to Paralympic athletes, who usually have to overcome major obstacles to get a chance to take part in the competition.

“People relate to the Paralympic athletes because they're closer. It's hard to relate to an athlete with a staggering Olympic performance. Not so with Paralympians, who have gone through a very difficult moment in their life—a trauma, an accident... So they're closer to common people. [The public's] affection was made very clear.”

Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes noted that the Paralympics allowed the country to revamp its accessibility conditions. “A total 2,600 streets received urbanization and accessibility works, with some $610 million invested on 59 districts,” he remarked.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira