“The Wonderful City” wins an international “Oscar” for tourism

Rio de Janeiro won another contest thanks to its beauty. The city was chosen the best destination in South America by the contest “World Travel Awards”, a kind of tourism and luxury travels “Oscar”. Ipanema beach, in Rio, won the best beach award in the same contest.

The award celebration will take place in London, on November 7th, and BBC World will live broadcast it. This contest is part of the World Travel Market, a tourism business fair.

On September 2nd, Rio de Janeiro was elected the happiest city in the world, as published in Forbes magazine, by a survey with 10.000 people in more than 20 countries.

Created on 1993 by an important publication in the tourism business – Travel Weekly – the World Travel Awards has an internet pole system, in which almost 200.000 travel agents and professionals from 198 countries are able to vote. Rio de Janeiro had already won the award for the best destination in South America in the past, as well as several companies in the city.

Rio is also competing for another award: the best gay destination. The city is in the finals with Barcelona (Spain), Buenos Aires (Argentine), London (England), Montreal (Canada) and Sidney (Australia). The voting – hosted by the website www.tripoutgaytravel.com/awards – ends on September, 28th. The winner will be announced on November, 2nd, in Boston.

Published Friday, September 11th, 2009 in O Globo newspaper