90% occupancy in hotels in Alagoas and new airport excite the tourism sector

December 8, 2021

Robert

Getting to the beach was easy, and the landscape was pleasant. From Maceió to São Miguel dos Milagres, one of the tourist spots in Alagoas, 120 km were covered in two hours on a well-paved road.

The friendly reception on the part of the workers when they reached the sand and the due distance between the tables made the environment even more pleasant. Restaurants with typical food, with architecture characteristic of the city, drew attention on the side of the road, in addition to offering tours in the natural pools.

With crystal clear water and calm sea, São Miguel dos Milagres is one of the most popular destinations in Alagoas, in addition to Japaratinga and Maragogi, which are a little further north of the coast. The second largest barrier reef in the world is located in this region, comprising small towns and fishing villages, as well as natural pools, handicrafts and ecologically sustainable tourism.

The Tatuamunha River is also in the Costa dos Corais region, more precisely in Porto de Pedras. Known as the nursery of the manatee, the place values the preservation of the mangroves and the manatees that roam freely around the estuary, where the observation tour takes place.

There is also a growth in visitors in the Sertão region of Alagoas, especially in the region of the São Francisco Canyons, as well as in the União dos Palmares region, where Quilombo dos Palmares, the largest quilombo in Latin America, is located, as well as historical destinations , such as the Penedo and Marechal Deodoro municipalities.

On the south coast of the state, Marechal Deodoro and Frances are the most popular destinations, as is Massagueira, due to the bars and restaurants that offer seafood and artisanal coconut sweets sold at roadside stands.

The Palateia community, located in Barra de São Miguel, a little further on, is home to the largest oyster farm in Alagoas and is attractive due to the beauty and receptiveness of the local community.

The resumption of tourism has been good in Alagoas, which is recovering from the effects of the pandemic. According to the ABIH-AL (Brazilian Association of the Hotel Industry in Alagoas), it is expected to maintain the occupancy of hotels between 80% and 85%. On the November 15 holiday, occupancy in the state reached 92%.

The flow from Zumbi dos Palmares airport, in August, registered 168,000 visitors, an increase of 292%. Abrasel (Brazilian Association of Bars and Restaurants) also estimates that the largest flow of tourists in cities like Maceió should promote a 20% increase in hiring next season.

Three hotels have opened since last year (Tropicals Verano, Ibis Budget and Village Saint Patrick), with 2,900 beds in total. Large resorts, such as Vila Galé, Brisa Maragogi and Ipioca, will be completed in 2022, with more than 3 thousand beds.

Alagoas will also gain a new airport, in the municipality of Maragogi, called Costa dos Corais. The work, financed with 100% of the resources of the Government of Alagoas, was budgeted at approximately R$ 120 million and is under construction.

The site will feature a passenger embarkation and disembarkation terminal, a 2,200-meter runway, and a patio to house two aircraft simultaneously, located in an area of 340,888 hectares, according to a topographic study.

Tourism was one of the sectors in which the government invested the most for recovery. In the northern region alone, between 2018 and 2022, around BRL 466 million will be invested, with the State Secretariat for Economic Development and Tourism spearheading the movement to make Alagoas one of the most sought after tourist spots in the country through programmatic media and partnerships with travel operators and travel companies.

In response to the pandemic, Alagoas maintains the obligation to use a mask, both for adults and children, and the provision of alcohol gel in establishments. Concerts, fairs, congresses and football matches are admitted upon proof of complete immunization or presentation of a negative antigen or RT-PCR test performed up to 72 hours in advance, together with a photo ID.

The resumption has the Safe Travels seal from the WTTC (World Travel & Tourism Council), an international tourism organization that recognizes destinations around the world that have implemented worldwide standard sanitary protocols. Alagoas already has eight cities with the seal —Maragogi, Porto de Pedras, Penedo, Japaratinga, Piranhas, Delmiro Gouveia, Marechal Deodoro and Roteiro.

The state also registers around 1,866 tourist enterprises with the Responsible Tourism seal from the Ministry of Tourism, ranking first in the Northeast in issuing seals. Both certifications take into account the practice of behaviors that bring safety to tourists, workers and residents of tourist regions.