Brazilian tour operator thinks Capital's perfect for holiday

THEY are used to sandy beaches, glorious sunshine and world-famous carnivals.

But with all that on their doorsteps, when it comes to holidays, the residents of Rio de Janeiro are clearly looking for something completely different.

A leading Brazilian tour operator believes it has found the perfect destination for its residents after becoming the first in the country to offer a series of short package holiday trips – to Edinburgh.

The idea is not as strange as it may appear. Leith has famously launched a bid to be twinned with Rio and the country has been identified as a key potential market as its economy continues to grow. RCA Tourismo has included the Capital in its latest holiday deals after it was impressed with the city during a VisitScotland Expo event.

Among the options being offered is a Harley Davidson tour of Scotland starting in Edinburgh, and a twin city break taking in both Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Leith Festival board member Sandy Campbell, who was instrumental in the twinning bid, is delighted with the new tourism links.

He said: "It's a brilliant idea. We made an official approach to the council of Rio de Janeiro and we got a sympathetic response, but it was difficult to take any formal arrangements further because Leith is not a municipal entity in its own right. But there's still scope for doing something on a less formal basis.

"Edinburgh is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and another contender is Rio, so in my opinion it's a perfect match."

Brazilian tourists are currently a very small market for Scotland, and only 112,000 Brazilians visited the UK in the whole of 2006. At present there are no direct flights to Edinburgh from Brazil.

But Sinead Guerin, VisitScotland's regional director, said it was an emerging market and it was delighted to seal the deal.

"This new business for the city is just one example of how valued Expo is to buyers from both international and UK markets, and I'm delighted to hear that Edinburgh will be on the map when it comes to Brazilians booking a holiday to Scotland," she said.

Recent research by VisitBritain found that visitors from Brazil stay on average for six nights, with nearly half being on holiday and just under a fifth on business. London, Edinburgh and Oxford were seen as the main places they look to visit. Brazil is now the ninth-largest economy in the world and conditions are seen as favourable for growth, making it a prime tourist target.

WORLD'S APART? HOW THE TWO CITIES COMPARE
Rio de Janeiro is twinned with numerous cities including Istanbul, Barcelona, Montreal, Paris and Sydney. Edinburgh is twinned with Florence, Munich, Nice, San Diego, Vancouver and Xi'an.

• The average temperature in Brazil is 25C, the average in Edinburgh is 10C.

• Rio de Janeiro is famous for its stunning, hotel-lined tourist beaches, such as Copacabana and Ipanema. Edinburgh residents flock to Portobello and Cramond beaches for a day in the sun.

• Rio de Janeiro has numerous carnivals, including the famous samba school parades and the popular Blocos de Carnaval, which has parades right across the city. Edinburgh is host to the world-famous festivals, including the Fringe, International Film Festival and the International Book Festival.

• Landmarks in Rio include the giant statue of Jesus on Corcovado mountain. Edinburgh's landmarks include the Castle, Arthur's Seat and the Scott Monument.