Government May Waive Travel Visas For Brazil

It’s a move that could make a huge impact on central Florida’s economy. The federal government is expected to soon make travel visas easier to get for Brazilians. That means more people from Brazil will be coming here to spend money. The South American country is the talk of Orlando’s tourism industry because of the U.S. government’s plan to offer Brazil visa waivers. For the first time, Brazilians could skip the long and expensive application process to get permission to travel here.

“Visit Orlando” is airing advertisements down in Brazil right now. While business owners here in Orlando, nearly 9,000 miles away, are already excited about the possibilities.

“For me and my business its going to be amazing,” said Felipe Andre. Andre owns a Brazilian bakery on International Drive.

“Visit Orlando” chief marketing officer Danielle Cortenay says there’s 1.2 million Brazillians cominf to the U.S. right now and the waivers will open the door to more visitors.

“The timing is right, the political and economic stability to move this country forward,” said Cortenay.

Most of the tourists head to central Florida. Tour operator Mario Simas says his company will see 7,000 Brazilian tourists in July and August. He also says Brazillians tend to stay longer and spend more than any other group.

‘We had a family that spent about 10 thousand dollars. Just one family,” Simas told WFTV.

By next year, money generated by Brazilian visitors could double and Cortenay says the impact will go far beyond the theme parks.

“Whether it’s through direct wages, through sales tax; all that helps pump money into the community,” said Cortenay.