In a research published by the trip finder Mundi, Salvador appears as the third most sought after Brazilian destination for the summer. Among the ten destinations in the ranking, Bahia’s capital comes before Fortaleza, Recife, Brasília, João Pessoa and Maceió, behind only São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

In the research, Salvador has 9.2% of the votes. The result was based on searches for plane tickets made by travelers, between October and November, in more than fifty thousand destinations and seven hundred airlines in the world. In the ranking, the Northeastern region appears with seven destinations.

This Friday (21), summer starts officially and with it the perspective of an increase in the number of tourists. According to the estimated data of the last research carried out by Fundação Instituto de Pesquisas Econômicas in 2011, the state should receive around 3.5 million visitors coming from other states of Brazil and also from abroad. Other 2 million people from Bahia should visit the touristic zones of the state until March, especially during New Year’s Eve and carnival. 

According to Infraero, there should be an increase of 15% in the number of tourists in Ilhéus and Salvador’s airports in relation to last summer. The maritime cruises should bring more than 300 thousand visitors to Salvador and Ilhéus until May.

The main tourist issuing markets to Bahia are the states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, besides the Federal District. In the international ambit, the countries that send more visitors to Bahia are Argentina, Spain, Italy, France and the USA.

The most sought after destinations should be Salvador, the North Littoral (Praia do Forte, Guarajuba and Imbassaí), Porto Seguro (Arraial D’Ajuda and Trancoso), Ilhéus, Itacaré and Morro de São Paulo, besides the beaches of the Whale Coast.

Charter flights should guarantee the flow of foreign tourists

Between January and February, Bahia will have eighteen extra flights, sixteen being from Argentina, main issuing market. Besides, the route Paris/Salvador will allow 2.3 thousand French tourists to enjoy the season in Bahia, and there will be an extra Air Europa flight from Madrid.

A total of twenty-five international weekly flights will connect Bahia to its main issuing markets: Argentina, Spain, the USA, Portugal, Germany and France.

More information for tourists and locals

Those who are in Bahia or intend to come to the Brazilians’ favorite destination have at their disposal an integrated system with information on the internet and also through a call center service.

 The Bahia Tourism Information Hotline works 24 hours, in English, Spanish and Portuguese through the phone + 55 71 3103-3103.
 

Considered the second biggest popular manifestation and the main religious event in Bahia, Bonfim Festival takes place on January 17th in 2013. “Baianas” wearing typical costumes start the ritual, carrying vases with water and perfume to wash the stairway and the parvis of the church.

The cortege leaves Nossa Senhora da Conceição da Praia Church and goes to Bonfim, a eight-kilometer walk. Thousands of people participate in the celebration, all dressed in white to honor Oxalá, a deity that represents Our Lord of Bonfim in Candomblé (African religion). While the “baianas” wash the stairway with water and perfume, the believers sing the hymn of Our Lord of Bonfim.

The celebration started in 1754, when the image of Senhor Crucificado – brought by the Portuguese captain, Teodósio Rodrigues in 1745 – was transferred from Penha Church, in Itapagipe, to its own church, in Colina Sagrada.

Salvador will now have 870 weekly seats in American Airlines’ regular flights that will depart five times per week from Miami, in the United States. The increase of 40% in the number of seats in the company’s flights to Bahia’s capital was announced this Monday (12/11), during the commemorative event of the fourth anniversary of the company’s activities in Bahia, which was attended by the national Sales and Marketing Director, Dilson Verçosa, Bahia’s secretary of Tourism, Domingos Leonelli and local travel agents and operators.

“From next Thursday on, there were will be no more stops in Recife”, said Verçosa. The flight is operated with a Boing 757, with 174 seats, 14 in the executive class and 160 in the economic, with an average price of US$ 1.000.
 

Bahia will have non-stop international flights to South America, Europe and the United States this summer

Main touristic destination for foreigners that visit Brazil’s Northeastern region, Bahia will have non-stop flights to five countries this summer. United States, Spain, Portugal and Germany are contemplated with regular flights.