2014 FIFA WORLD CUP: Sao Paulo
A financial, cultural and entertainment centre : SAO PAULO
Sao Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, with a population of about 11 million composed of Brazilians and immigrants from several countries. The city has an urban area of over 1500 km² and it is especially known for being Brazil’s financial, cultural and entertainment centre, and it serves as a benchmark for Latin America.
As the financial and economic centre of Brazil, São Paulo has the country’s highest GDP, according to the Brazilian Census Bureau (IBGE). Most of the trade shows in Brazil (75%) are held in São Paulo. This sector generates an estimated US$2.9 billion per year.
The city plays host to a plethora of art and culture-themed events for everyone to enjoy. There are 110 museums, 260 movie theatres, 88 libraries and 40 cultural centres, in addition to countless festivals and fairs that take place in its streets.
Sao Paulo currently receives more than 12 million visitors a year. In order to comfortably accommodate all of them, the city has over 42 thousand hotel rooms, eight Tourist Information Centres, and more than 4,000 highly skilled and trained professionals to cater to the demand of visitors. The city is ready with an excellent infrastructure for the upcoming international events, the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games.
