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● 50th Anniversary of Walt Disney World to Launch in October. There are reasons why it is generally acknowledged that Orlando is the largest Brazilian city outside of Brazil. It is evident everywhere in the Orlando area—from Brazilian bank branches to Brazilian-owned homes and vacation properties to Orlando-based tour operators who specialize in Disney product. The city and its attractions—Disney in particular—have made the area the theme park capital of the world and the most visited long-haul destination for Brazilians.
So, it follows that the company will stage a celebration for Disney’s 50th anniversary. It was on October 1, 1971, the Walt Disney World Resort officially opened, including Magic Kingdom Park, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Resort and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. Disney World’s 50th Anniversary Celebrations in Orlando begin in October and span 18 months, including special events, exclusive merchandise, new shows and attractions and many surprises.
For starters, Azul Airlines‘ first Airbus 320 has been painted in honor of the 50th anniversary. Beginning in October, the first commemorative aircraft for the 50th anniversary celebration will be in operation in Brazil, in a partnership between Disney and Azul, which operates about a third of all departures from the country. In total, there will be four Azul aircraft in honor of the special date, which will arrive until 2022. The Airbus A320, painted red, yellow and black, accommodates 174 customers and will pass through airports in more than 40 Brazilian cities, including Congonhas Airport, in São Paulo, and Santos Dumont Airport, in Rio de Janeiro. Disney and Azul named the action The Most Magical Fleet in the World.
The last time Disney did a similar promotion here was pre-pandemic, with Latam Airlines, in honor of the opening of Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge, in Orlando and Anaheim parks.
● Signs of recovery show up in latest ABRACORP survey. As reported by the Brazilian travel trade publication PANROTAS, the recently released second quarter report of the Brazilian Association of Corporate Travel Agencies (ABRACORP) showed, as expected, that this sector of the country’s travel and tourism industry remains weak and underperforming. Overall turnover for the sector was 75 percent less than it was for the same period in 2019. There were, however, some positive signs of recovery.
For instance:
—The national figure for car rentals registered a decline of just 2.17 percent compared to the benchmark year of 2019.
—The national hotel industry, has reached an almost 50 percent recovery compared to 2019, with a decline in ADR of some 18 percent.
—As anticipated, the segment most impacted was international air travel, with a drop-off of 90 percent. Domestic air travel, meanwhile, fell by 73 percent, according to the ABRACORP survey, with a reduction of 18 percent in fares.
“The performance of the national rental gives us an indication that the travel habit is changing a little, with a greater presence of this mode of transport, more individualized.” Said ABRACORP executive president Gervasio Tanabe.
● And from PANROTAS and FecomercioSP, the partnership between the Brazilian trave trade publican and the São Paulo-based economic research organization, respectively, there is this outlook in its just published Brazil Overview: “JULY SALES ARE HEATING UP. Sales of leisure travel in Brazil in the first half of July were the best since the beginning of the pandemic. Hotel rates and airfares for travel in Brazil are already at pre-pandemic levels. For tour operators, according to Braztoa (Brazilian Association of Tour Operators) results are equal or better than pre-pandemic levels for 22 percent of the members.”
But, says José Guilherme Alcorta, CEO of PANROTAS, conflict between individual governments is impeding a recovery—some countries still don’t accept Sinovac or Coronavirus vaccines (50 percent of Brazilians have received Coronavac shots). He says, that “without speaking the same “language” we will not come back as we should. As we can.”
For a PDF version of the Overview, click here
