São Paulo, Brazil's largest city and the main economic hub in the country, received 11 million tourists last year. The figure - 2.8% higher than recorded in 2007 - is an annual record high, according to figures disclosed Monday, January 5, by São Paulo Turismo (SPTuris), a company that promotes tourism in the city.

According to the company, São Paulo received 9.3 million Brazilian tourists and 1.7 million foreigners last year. Visitors spent 8.3 billion Brazilian reais (US$ 3.5 billion) in the municipality, 2.47% more than in 2007.

A survey conducted by the SPTuris and the Economic Research Institute Foundation (Fipe) shows that, among foreigners, those that visited the capital of the state São Paulo the most were the Americans, followed by the Argentineans, Germans, French, Chileans, Portuguese, Italians, Spanish, English and Mexicans.

The main reasons for foreigners' visits, according to the survey, were business (57.2%), followed by visits to relatives and friends (20.7%) and leisure (13.6%). Average spending per tourist in the city was 1,172.07 reais (US$ 503), and the means of transport most used in order to arrive at the municipality was the airplane (77.4%). Most of the foreigners who visited São Paulo in 2008 were men (77.4%).

With regard to Brazilian tourists, 54.9% were women and most came from the interior of the state or coast, followed by Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Santa Catarina, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Bahia, Pernambuco, Espírito Santo and Mato Grosso do Sul.

National visitors (41.7%) mainly used buses to come to the city, followed by aircraft (23.3%) and their own cars (22.2%). The main reasons for trips were visits to relatives and friends, followed by business, purchases and cultural tourism. The average expenses were 951.30 reais (US$ 408) per person and the month in which the greatest number of tourists came was December.

In the hotel sector, the average occupation was 68.5% last year, as against 67% in 2007. The daily average expenses in hotel fees were 159.45 reais (US$ 68).

Anba

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Tourists
written by falupa, January 07, 2009

The tourists are flocking down to Brazil because this time of the year it is much warmer than up north. Business is another large reason because so many companies are investing in Brazil. I think that Brazil will be a large hub for business eventually. It is already a cultural meeting point for many countries.

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Falupa....Falupa "Business is another large reason because so many companies are investing in Brazil. I think that Brazil will be a large hub for business eventually"
written by ch.c., January 08, 2009

You are a nice guy, but a little bit a virgin !

1) the midget Switzerland got more incoming FDI than Giant Mega Brazil in 2007
2) the midget Switzerland got more tourism revenues than Giant Mega Brazil in 2007, despite the midget country
has not ONE meter of sea access or sea beaches against 7000 kms for Brazil.
3) For 2007 an all time record year for World FDI, Brazil got ONLY an average part of the whole cake...... if you compare it to the PER CAPITA !

Just think about it ! For the per capita FDI you are only AVERAGE ! Nothing extraordinary by any measure ! Many countries got a
much higher per capita FDI.
I just remind you that Switzerland population is 7,8 millions, Brazil 190 millions, and Brazil got a lower total FDI.

As for a business hub, let me smile. MEGA Brazil doesnt export more than.... MIDGET SWITZERLAND !
And this is for trade in goods...by definition.
Because then there also is the trade in services....not shown in EXPORTS/IMPORTS STATS.....by definition.
Even in services trades, Switzerland beats Brazil !

Falupa, come down to earth !

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Jealousy hurts sooo much
written by rightman, January 22, 2009

Ch.c,

Is this your jealous way to argue about business??? I believe so... The world changes man... The Rome empire came down so the English empire etc... Now we are seeing another change in the world... Countries like China, Russia, Brazil etc are emerging as big players.. Switzerland has never been a big player to emerge in the first place...
Switzerland is a far older country than Brazil... with far more culture and tradition... in other words, it's a aging country.... Brazil on other hand, is a big baby growing fast..
and If you look at the figures, Brazil has already overtaken Switzerland in terms of Economy, it's just a matter of time to overtake Switzerland in everything else..

I think you should come down to earth

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What an idiot
written by Ch.c_is_an_idiot, January 22, 2009

This Ch.c talks so much shit about Brazil and Switzerland.. and it's clear he understands nothing...

If Switzerland is so much better than Brazil, How come Brazil has a bigger economy than Switzerland ???? Switzerland only survives by being stuck in the middle of Europe and having neutral policy of sucking up to all other countries...

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