by Brian Major
Last updated: 10:07 AM ET, Wed November 20, 2013
Brazil's top tourist city of Rio de Janiero is preparing for the FIFA World Cup 2014 soccer tournament and by building and renovating 5,000 hotel rooms to accommodate visitors and fans when matches begin in June, said officials at the Brazilian Tourism Board (Embratur).
The city will additionally increase hotel capacity to more than 50,000 as the city prepares to host the 2016 Olympics.
Rio currently has 34,130 hotel rooms. Embratur officials expect World Cup demand to reach 39,200 rooms, split between 26,000 rooms in conventional hotels and another 12,600 rooms in short-term apartments, hostels and motels.
World Cup matches will be held in 12 Brazilian cities, including Rio, between June 12 and July 14, 2014. FIFA has received 6.2 million requests for World Cup tickets from 203 countries, with 374,065 requests originating from the United States, second only to Brazil itself.
Rio will further increase the city's hosting capacity to 52,500 rooms for the 2016 Olympics, which will be held in the city.
Brazil's government has created incentives for hoteliers to invest in new properties in Rio, leading to the construction of new hotels in and around Rio from Accor, Ramada, Marriott, Hyatt and Hilton, among other brands. The projects collectively represent a $4 billion investment, according to Embratur officials.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
