Brazil 2014: 350,000 tourists spend total of €331m in Porto Alegre

350,000 tourists spent 1bn reais (€331m), or €945 on average per tourist, during the five 2014 World Cup fixtures in Porto Alegre (four group stage fixtures and one round of 16 match), the Brazilian government reported on 04/07/2014.

150,000 foreigners from 74 countries and 200,000 Brazilian tourists attended the matches in Porto Alegre. Approximately 215,000 spectators came to the Beira-Rio Stadium (capacity 43,394), for an average attendance of 42,994 per game. 316,000 tourists came to the fan fest in the Sunset Amphitheater, from 12/06 to 01/07/2014.

Hotels within a 200 kilometre-radius of Porto Alegre had an occupancy rate of 80%. Activity in the service sector increased by 50% and in the tourism sector by 40% during the tournament.

€294m loaned by federal government for road improvements

• Loans worth 888m reais (approximately €294m) were granted by the Brazilian federal government for road improvements.
  • "They are loans with low interest rates that have been offered to all World…