The main obstacle to the development of theme and water parks in Brazil has fallen. Mercosur approved and the Brazilian Government published last week the import tax exemption for equipment purchasing. The sector invoices more than $ 3 billion per year in Brazil, receives 30 million visitors, generates more than 15 thousand direct jobs and 100 thousand indirect jobs. With the news, the numbers should grow even more. 

Until today, the import tax, added to the cost of freight due to the large size of the equipment, practically prevented a further development of parks in the country, an industry which is encouraged in various regions of the planet. Around the world, they have been recognized as a major driver of leisure and family tourism. For this reason, the definitive exemption was an industry claim that had lasted nearly three decades. The issue was being led by the Integrated System of Parks and Tourist Attractions (SINDEPAT), with support from the Ministry of Tourism, which was firmly in the fight.

Who also understood the importance of the initiative for the growth of parks – and all the movement they generate in the economy – was the Executive Secretary of the Foreign Trade Chamber (Camex) of the Ministry of Economy. After being unanimously approved at the plenary meeting of Mercosur Technical Committee 1 (CT1), the Resolution No. 4, was published last week by the Federal Government, formalizing the achievement, effective January 10, 2020. 

Entrepreneurs can take advantage and contribute even more to the increase of tourism in their regions, through the attractiveness of the parks in operation and the opportunity to open new ones. “Our parks are already one of the top Latin American destinations. They are economic anchors in the places where they are located, inducing development and generating jobs and income for the population.”said Tourism Minister Marcelo Alvaro Antônio, who understood and embraced the sector’s claim. He thus concludes an effort that had the active participation of former ministers Marx Beltrão, Vinicius Lummertz and their teams. 

“This was our great struggle and its achievement will mean a turning point in the history of parks and tourist attractions in the country, stimulating investments, renovation and the entrance of new facilities,” says SINDEPAT President Murilo Pascoal, who is CEO from Beach Park, in Ceara. “We have believed in Brazil as the next frontier of park development. But for that to happen, it was essential to rely on change.” he continues. “To give you an idea, in the last two years, all SINDEPAT members have launched at least one big news. This still without the definitive exemption”,  reinforces Pascoal. The executive recalls Brazil’s vocation for parks, the climate and the style of its people. And the fact that the whole country receives investments in the sector, once the attractions are well distributed and in several states. 

The development in Brazil of the family entertainment sector, one of the main motivations for leisure travel around the world, was blocked for many years due the tax amounted to more than double the final value of equipment. Now we have definitely entered the map of large and new investments and also the strong growth of existing parks, ”says Alain Baldacci, president of Wet’n Wild, São Paulo, and former president of SINDEPAT, who since 1994 has made this claim one of the great struggles of the sector. 

• «Previous Post
• Next Post »

---