Roberto Alves de Lucena is a Brazilian author and politician related to the Republicans. Born in Santa Isabel (municipality of São Paulo), he served three phrases in São Paulo as a federal deputy.
Throughout this era he additionally held the place of Secretary of State for Tourism of São Paulo, from 2015 to 2016, within the Alckmin authorities.
In an unique interview with the portal iGaming Brazil, the brand new Minister of Tourism and Journey of the State of São Paulo explains the regulation of playing within the nation: “We now have to have a regulation extensively mentioned and permitted in order that it may be regulated. Solely after this process will it’s attainable to assign roles”.
One in every of his hallmarks as Secretary of State was the creation of Municipalities of Vacationer Curiosity (MITs), along with laying the foundations for a ten-year tourism plan and for vacationer areas. Within the Home of Representatives, he was the Secretary for Transparency and chaired the Standing Committee on Monetary Management and Audit.
Watch the complete interview of the brand new SP tourism secretary
iGaming Brazil – Mr. Minister, what would be the new challenges for the Minister of Tourism and Tourism of the State of São Paulo?
Roberto de Lucena – One in every of our huge challenges is to extend connectivity between locations, spend money on the infrastructure of vacationer municipalities with enormous potential and help all our variety. This month, the federal government of São Paulo renewed a decree that reduces the ICMS fee from the present 13.3% to 12% for jet gas with the intention of accelerating air connectivity within the state. In Part 1 of the mission, greater than 700 new flights per week had been added.
With the renewal of the decree, there will likely be a further 150 new flights per week by December/2024, along with sustaining the schedule of normal stopovers (stopovers) and inspiring passengers to remain linked through SP for no less than in the future at no further price. The Tourism and Journey Secretariat can also be engaged on a rural tourism plan to be tabled throughout the first 100 days of presidency. The intention is to construction and promote tourism within the rural areas of the state, present growth and generate employment and earnings. I may also say that we have now numerous municipalities with an enormous vocation for tourism in its most various segments, however there’s nonetheless a scarcity of construction, promotion and connectivity.
The state of São Paulo, for instance, has vacationer sights from the coast to gastronomy; from amusement parks to festivals and companies, in brief, quite a few high-quality sights that appeal to guests from SP, different areas of the republic and from overseas. We’re investing in maritime tourism with a brief provide of 13 buildings that permit crusing throughout dams and rivers. To provide you an concept, there are 630 kilometers of shoreline, round 4,200 km of navigable rivers and greater than 50 reservoirs (lakes and dams). We now have a whole lot of work, a dedicated crew and a united sector.
iGaming Brazil – What would be the first measures of your tenure on the Secretariat? Will there be consensus with different states or will it act alone when it comes to funding, incentives, legal guidelines, and so forth.?
Roberto de Lucena – We took over the federal government with a structured secretariat. We had a easy transition, with the involvement of the technical crew, the tourism communities had been mobilized and we had been in a position to shortly align with the calls for of the enterprise and incorporate our authorities objectives. We now have an preliminary 100-day plan, along with mid-term and long-term objectives. Tourism is a development, transversal and dynamic platform that forces us to reassess our wants and alter our flight plan at each second. We’re certain that with a strengthened partnership with different state administration our bodies, with the help of residents, the educational neighborhood and entrepreneurs, we are going to obtain better and higher outcomes for everybody. Beginning with the funds of Dadetur (division of help for the event of vacationer municipalities), utilized within the infrastructure of the municipalities, which must be a report in 2023.
iGaming Brazil – Tourism is likely one of the sectors most affected by the coronavirus pandemic. How does this market react after this era?
Roberto de Lucena – 2022 was a 12 months of revival. We’re already in a second of growth, as proven by information from the Tourism Economic system Intelligence Heart (CIET), linked to Setur. São Paulo’s tourism efficiency this 12 months would be the highest within the final 5 years. The economic system of this sector is estimated to develop by 7.8% in 2023. With this, the GDP of tourism in São Paulo will attain 299.4 billion, highlighting the state of São Paulo as the biggest vacationer middle within the nation. Home tourism is principally behind the progress.
45 million nationwide vacationers are anticipated, stimulated by three major actions: street tourism, motels and the bar and restaurant sector, 1 million extra vacationers in comparison with 2019, the final 12 months earlier than the pandemic. Worldwide tourism may even totally get better from the losses of the pandemic. In 2023, the state of São Paulo ought to obtain 2.3 million overseas vacationers, in comparison with 2.1 million in 2019. The SP will thus obtain 47.3 million guests in 2023, surpassing the 46.1 million registered in 2019. Throughout this 12 months the airport will register 77 million passengers, the largest motion since 2019, which recorded 76 million passengers, contemplating home and worldwide flights to Congonhas, Guarulhos and Viracopos airports.
Occupancy of lodging services will attain 65.8% this 12 months, 2.3 proportion factors greater than in 2019; and the bar and restaurant sector is predicted to develop by 8% in comparison with 2022. The expansion of tourism brings important impacts to the state’s economic system. Firms related to this sector are anticipated to report gross sales of R$90.1 billion in 2023, which is able to help the creation of 60,000 new jobs in actions associated to this sector. On this process, quite a few efficient measures will likely be expanded and improved. Amongst them, a big promotional program for the state, SP pra Todos; and the creation of recent vacationer areas to additional stimulate the sector. The initiatives are the results of a 20-30 strategic plan created to information the Secretariat’s decision-making till 2030.
iGaming Brazil – What’s your opinion on the legalization of casinos in Brazil?
Roberto de Lucena – I’ve been following all of the motion on this topic. The debates that adopted the essential textual content of Regulation 442/91 permitted by the Chamber of Deputies had been extensively mentioned. Your complete firm had the chance to place matters on the agenda and specific their arguments via the elected deputies. Primarily based on dozens of contributions, we’re constructing a mannequin linked to resorts, insurance coverage and tourism, with the potential to generate growth, jobs and earnings.
I consider that this complete lengthy strategy of understanding was necessary for the maturation of the topic, which really requires a really cautious and even handed analysis. Solely then will we attain the consensus we search.
iGaming Brazil – How a lot might the set up of resorts built-in with casinos contribute to tourism in SP?
Roberto de Lucena – By associating with different vacationer services based mostly on a protected mannequin, casinos can contribute to the diversification of tourism within the state, producing earnings, jobs and growth. São Paulo has the benefit of getting a large structured supply of motels. The state’s infrastructure is probably the most developed in your complete nation.
iGaming Brazil – Which cities (areas) might immediately profit from on line casino regulation Resorts?
Roberto de Lucena – Municipalities that have already got resorts put in would have a bonus as a result of they have already got the infrastructure. Nonetheless, new investments can come up in locations which are nonetheless poorly structured, exactly to generate the specified growth.
iGaming Brazil – Do you consider that the demand for Brazil as a world vacationer vacation spot will enhance and home tourism may even profit from this?
Roberto de Lucena – The potential is there as a result of there’s a very excessive demand for casinos. However every thing will depend upon the mannequin that Brazil adopts, on the type of implementation and, above all, on the laws.
iGaming Brazil – Relating to the approval and regulation of playing for cash managed by the personal sector, do the chief, legislative and judicial authorities of the State of São Paulo perceive what it could take to manage and legalize these video games within the nation?
Roberto de Lucena – We want the regulation to be extensively mentioned and permitted in order that it may then be regulated. Solely after this process will it’s attainable to assign roles.
