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OUTBOUND agents are saying that Singapore Airline's (SIA) Singapore-Sao Paulo service that debuted Monday will open up demand for Brazil as a holiday destination. The demand is expected to peak as the 2014 FIFA World Cup draws closer.
The new route will help make airfares to Brazil more competitive and affordable, said Asia-Euro Holidays’ product manager, longhual, Rosemary Yeo.
“The prohibitive cost of holidaying in Brazil is the main reason why Singaporeans have been reluctant to head there,” Yeo explained. “The airfare from Singapore to Brazil is usually about S$3,000 (US$2,370), so a very basic seven-day trip to Brazil would cost at least S$5,000 per person.”
Yeo expects the improved access to spur partners Trafalgar Tours and Insight Vacations into creating more Brazil itineraries for her agency to sell.
Bonvo Travel (Singapore) travel consultant – channel sales/leisure, Florence Ho, said interest in Brazil had so far only been for business travel, but that the World Cup is expected to change this.
“We will definitely be creating tour packages that feature the World Cup. Soccer fans usually book as far as three years ahead and I think we may start to get some enquiries later this year.”
SIA’s thrice-weekly service via Barcelona to Sao Paulo, SIA’s first port-of-call in South America, operates on a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
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