Brazil to launch int'l campaign to attract tourists: official

The Brazilian government is preparing a large-scale international campaign to attract tourists from both home and abroad, said an official.

The campaign to be organized by the Brazilian Tourism Institute is expected to attract foreign visitors as well as 40 million more domestic tourists, said Brazilian Tourism Minister Marx Beltrao.

The government would take measures, including allowing private companies to run key airports, to boost the number of foreign tourists, Beltrao added.

"With better civil airlines and airport infrastructure, we will see more Brazilians travelling around the country," he said.

According to the minister, a mobile app introducing Brazil's rich tourism resources to people across the world will soon be launched.

The campaign conform to the three recommendations of the United Nations World Tourism Organization, namely better flight connectivity, the promotion of tourism packages and the improvement of visa policies, said the minister.

"Last year, we saw a 5-percent rise in international tourists. We hope the number will increase this year," he said.

In 2016, Brazil saw a tourism spike due to the 2016 Summer Olympics held in Rio de Janeiro. Endi