Popular City Tours

For sports fans, Brazil is a tourist destination that they should not miss in the coming years. In 2014 and 2016 respectively, the largest and most populous nation in South America will host the world's two premier sporting events -- the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games -- in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil is the third country, after West Germany in the early 1970s and the US in the mid-1990s, to host both events in a row. Rio is also the first Latin American city to win the bid to host the Olympics. Without a doubt, Brazil will become the major focal point for the global sports and tourism industries in the following five years. To woo tourists and sports fans around the world, Brazilian government has invested tens of billions of dollars in infrastructure projects such as airports, stadiums and hotels. Football is the most popular sport in Brazil. "All Brazilians play football because we're born for this sport," says Sergio Taam, Director of Taipei-based Commercial Office of Brazil, who has taken his position for only five months. The Brazilian national football team has clinched five championships in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002. After the third win, it kept the World Cup trophy permanently. These remarkable achievements hit a record high in the history of the FIFA. Pele, hailed as a national hero in Brazil, led his country to win three of those championships. The most popular leisure cities in Brazil include Rio de Janeiro, Foz do Iguacu, Florianopolis, Sao Paulo and Buzios. In 2010, more than 5 million international tourists visited Brazil, bringing in sales of US$5.9 billion. Rio is one of the world's fastest growing tourist destinations thanks to its gorgeous mountains, crystal-clear waters, sunny days, starry nights and breathtaking scenery. Each year the city hosts the Carnival -- one of the world's biggest parties. During the period of this celebration from February to March, samba schools, street parades, open-air dances, band processions and street parties dazzle Brazilians and visitors from around the globe. The 2012 Carnival will begin on February 18 and end on February 21. "Like Brazil, Taiwan has beautiful mountains and sea so it makes me feel at home here," Taam says, welcoming Taiwanese people to visit their booth No. A1413 at the 2011 Taipei International Travel Fair (ITF) in a bid to gain a better understanding of his country.