Host-Cities: Fortaleza

05 Feb, 2014

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By Wellington Medeiros
Translated by Jessica Whitfield

One of the most sought after tourist destinations in Brazil, Fortaleza , founded in 1726, stands out for the beauty of its coastline. On the limits of the municipality are 15 beaches; the most famous is Iracema , which boasts historic buildings such as the Church of Sao Pedro, Estoril and the Metallic Bridge, as well as the Sea Dragon Centre of Art and Culture.

The capital of Ceara and the 5 ^th most populated city in Brazil. It has gained international fame for its natural beauty: rivers, lakes, mangroves and beaches.

Fortaleza is known for its gastronomy and its joyful typical forró music . Other attractions include the themed Beach Park, which receives close to 500 thousand visitors a year; the Sea Dragon Centre of Art and Culture, which includes museums, theatres, cinemas, libraries and a planetarium; there’s the waterfront which is dotted with little stalls selling artisanal goods and also has stages for concerts. Every year more and more Brazilian and international tourists visit Fortaleza, the majority from Portugal, Italy and France.

The State Government and council are also investing in tourism, events and local business. In 2007 they commissioned a new convention centre, the Fortaleza Fair and Events Pavilion.

The Stadium: Castelão (The Big Castle)

Fortaleza’s main stadiums are Plácido Castelo , also known as Castelão , and Presidente Vargas, widely known as PV. Nearly all of the two biggest local teams’ matches are played at Castelao , Ceara and Fortaleza are currently in league B.

Castelao is the most modern stadium in Ceara and it seats 58 thousand. The space includes air-conditioned boxes, changing rooms, dressing-room suites and bars with panoramic views. In order to live up to Fifa standards, the stadium needed to increase the number of indoor and outdoor parking spaces and improve its offers for group bookings for businesses.

Castelao will have to go through a reform phase, following Fifa’s project , with publicity from investments made by the private sector. But repaying these investors will depend on the results of “the number of games x entry fee x average income”. Possible solutions would be to increase the stadiums income by carrying out concerts there or using the space commercially.

Tourism infrastructure in Fortaleza

It is a holiday destination for a huge number of Brazilian and international tourists, so it has a strong hotel network with almost 17 thousand beds distributed in over 200 hospitality locations; the vast majority are located close to the seafront. As tourism figures are always rising, the city has already witnessed the arrival of luxury resorts, this has increased the number of available rooms.

Challenges it faces

The challenges and opportunities ahead of Fortaleza and Ceara during the World Cup 2014 go beyond the sporting event and into 2015 and the following years. The city’s biggest difficulties will involve the historic lack of urban infrastructure, transport systems and public health and cleanliness. A huge challenge will be overcoming the stigma due to the presence of prostitution, particular of minors, which could attract the most negative form of tourism. Beyond that, it is necessary to establish a sustainable income for the new stadium. It is located in an urban suburb, surrounded by housing projects. The surrounding area will need massive planning and investment as part of the World Cup preparation.