Brazil Estates - real estate in Brazil

International flights to Brazil grow in July

2008-08-28T07:58:00.002-03:00

The number of international arrivals in July reached 630637 pax, an increase of 5,55%.

Interesting is that the growth in 2008, from January to July, has grown mostly by the increase in regular flights (+6%); while the charter flights are growing less.
In fact, charter flights to date totalled only 178.537 pax, still a relatively small number.

Número de desembarques internacionais cresce em julho
Os desembarques de vôos internacionais no Brasil em julho deste ano registraram a entrada de 630.637 passageiros, um aumento de 5,55% em relação ao mesmo mês do ano passado. Nos sete primeiros meses do ano, 3.836.199 pessoas desembarcaram no País em vôos vindos do exterior, um aumento de 3,13% em relação ao acumulado de janeiro a julho de 2007.
Se forem levados em consideração apenas os desembarques em vôos regulares, o crescimento é mais expressivo. Nos sete meses deste ano, a evolução é de 6%, comparado ao mesmo período de 2007. A variação em julho de 2008 em relação ao mesmo mês do ano passado é de 7,78%.
Para o diretor de Estudos e Pesquisas da Embratur (Instituto Brasileiro de Turismo), José Francisco de Salles Lopes, o aumento no número de vôos regulares é um dado positivo. “Este é o segundo melhor resultado do ano, e o crescimento de 6% no desembarque de passageiros de vôos regulares mostra a paulatina recuperação do número de assentos em vôos internacionais”, analisa.
Além do dado em vôos regulares, o cálculo de desembarques internacionais considera os vôos não-regulares, ou charters, que foram responsáveis por 178.537 chegadas nos sete primeiros meses deste ano. O cálculo da Infraero leva em conta estrangeiros e brasileiros em retorno ao País.
Fonte: Pablo Ribera Barbery - Jornal de Turismo

Foreigners buying up Uruguayan land

2008-06-26T16:13:00.001-03:00

Foreigners are buying up Uruguayan land at a fast pace.

Between 2000 and 2006, overseas buyers snapped up a quarter of Uruguayan territory, according to the latest figures from the Ministry of Agriculture.

And real estate analysts believe there is no end in sight to this trend.

"Foreigners, especially Argentines and Europeans, are showing a strong interest in Uruguay," said Lucia Canepa, a real estate operator.

So why is this South American country, sandwiched between Argentina, Brazil and the Atlantic Ocean, so attractive to foreign investors?

"Uruguay is a small area in the broader region where buyers find better prices and political and economic stability," said Eduardo Caldeyro from Caldeyro-Stajano, a land sales broker.

"Curiously enough, for the first time we are receiving enquiries from Americans; within South America we get calls from Argentines, Brazilians and a few Colombians. From Europe, it is mostly Spanish real estate investors, who are facing a sharp slowdown there."

Sovereignty

The government, which is actively encouraging foreign investment, is nonetheless worried.

Ernesto Agazzi, the agriculture minister, wants parliament to consider a ban on land sales along the borders with Argentina and Brazil to non-resident foreigners.

"This is to preserve our sovereignty, to avoid smugglers holding land on both sides of the border (…) and to prevent foot-and-mouth disease from entering the country.

"We all know that Brazilian farmers have lands on both sides, and nobody controls movement on that border," Mr Agazzi told Uruguayan media.

Uruguay uses vaccines to stay free from foot-and-mouth free but struggles to maintain this status every time there is an outbreak in the region.

During the last episode, in Brazil in 2005, Uruguayan cattle escaped infection, thus ensuring beef remained Uruguay's top export.

Other politicians believe there is another reason to regulate land sales.

"The land belongs to our grandchildren. We depend on it for our future food supply," said Jorge Saravia, senator and member of the left-wing Broad Front, the governing party.

He believes the country needs to limit land sales in order "to avoid losing our sovereignty".

The agribusiness community sees matters differently.

"Our country needs foreign investment. It would be silly to limit it based on ridiculous nationalism," said Eduardo Preve, an agribusiness consultant.

Argentine crisis

Uruguay, whose main exports include beef and grains, has benefited from the rise in commodity prices.

Uruguayans have been following the Argentine farm crisis closely

The dispute between the government and farmers in neighbouring Argentina, which dragged on for more than 100 days, has brought gains to Uruguay.

"We are filling gaps in international markets where Argentina failed to deliver", says Octacilio Echenagusia, president of the Rural Federation, the largest farmers' organisation.

"I would hate to think that if they lose we gain, but this is what has happened with beef exports: Uruguay is selling more beef, filling in for Argentina."

Last March, Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner raised taxes on food exports, triggering nationwide strikes and roadblocks.

The Argentine Congress must now debate the contentious export tax increases, but some farmers have warned that they will resume the roadblocks should Congress ratify the tax rises.

For some Argentine agricultural producers, shifting at least a portion of their production to Uruguay seems a sensible way of increasing profits and avoiding export taxes.

"We are receiving more and more inquiries from Argentine investors and producers who want to buy land, in search of risk diversification and fiscal certainty," says Ms Canepa.

Lower taxes are not the only reason - agricultural land sells for an average of $2,000 (£1,000) per hectare in Uruguay compared with up to $10,000 in Argentina.

Boom time

An increasingly popular alternative to buying land is to lease it.

Argentine group Ceres Tolbas has been producing wheat, soy, maize, barley and sorghum in Uruguay for two years.

Agricultural products form a key part of Uruguay's economy
"Most big Argentine companies are already producing here, financed by European and American funds," says Ceres Toblas's local representative, Santiago Bono.

His firm leases land and develops partnerships with local landowners, providing agricultural supplies, training and professional management.

"It is quite difficult for us because landowners are not deeply involved in the agricultural business. They are not up to date with the latest technologies. We start by renting their land and once we get to know them better we can develop businesses together."

For all the disagreement on limiting land sales, there is one thing everyone involved can agree on.

"We are experiencing an agricultural boom," says Mr Echenagusia, "and it looks like it is going to continue this way."

Reuters: Brazil is a dream, Spain is a nightmare

2008-06-26T16:10:00.000-03:00

NEW YORK (Reuters) - For commercial real estate investors, Brazil is a dream and Spain is a nightmare, Michael Pralle, president of real estate private equity firm J.E. Robert Cos, said on Wednesday.

"I'd avoid Spain and Italy right now, and be patient in the United States," Pralle said at the Reuters Global Real Estate Summit in New York. "It's going to get worse before it gets better."

The credit crunch has walloped the U.S. commercial real estate market as borrowing costs soared and lenders have reduced the amounts they will loan. But in developing countries, a dearth of modern office and apartment buildings and shopping centers offers investors lucrative opportunities.

"The U.S. market is pretty tough right now," said Pralle, who was CEO of GE Real Estate, a division of General Electric Co (GE.N: Quote, Profile, Research), until last year.

Eight months ago he became president and chief operating office of J.E. Robert. The private equity company, one of the world's largest commercial real estate private equity firms, creates funds that invest in real estate in the United States, Europe, Latin American and Russia. It also manages real estate investment trust (REIT) JER Investors Trust (JRT.N: Quote, Profile, Research).

The firm plans to raise $3 billion to $5 billion a year from pension and sovereign wealth funds, endowments and wealthy individuals over the next several years to expand into emerging markets, Pralle said.

About 70 percent of its investments currently are in the United States, but it expects that to drop to 50 percent within three years, he said.

Earlier this week, Pralle attended a meeting organized by real estate tycoon Sam Zell and Wharton professor Peter Linneman. The 50 to 60 attendees included the heads of real estate investment units at Morgan Stanley (MS.N: Quote, Profile, Research), Blackstone Group LP (BX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Goldman Sachs Group Inc's (GS.N: Quote, Profile, Research), as well heads of many REITs, Pralle said.

"It was clearly the most negative sentiment that I've ever seen at a real estate meeting," he said."

U.S. commercial real estate prices are off about 5 percent from this cycle's peak last year, and many experts believe that by the time it's all over, the plunge will be 15 to 20 percent.

Still, there is very little distress in commercial real estate as sellers refuse to do deals because they don't need to do them. Pralle expects that in about six to 12 months, many property owners will be forced to sell as they find themselves unable to adequately refinance loans when they come due.

"What will drive the distress in real estate is really going to be the credit markets," he said. "It's not going to be the fundamental oversupply or lack of demand for commercial real estate. It will simply be that people can't get same financing that they had before."

U.S. commercial banks also are looking to rid themselves of questionable real estate loans, which may soon be buying opportunities for investors.

"There's a lot of toxic loans on their balance sheets, and eventually they'll be wanting to sell those, and we'll be there as a buyer," he said.

Office buildings in Orange County, California, may offer good buys as many sellers will be forced to sell because their tenants, many of whom were mortgage brokerage firms, have closed due to the housing collapse.

Still, he is pessimistic about U.S. shopping centers, which he said was the only type of commercial real estate that saw overbuilding in places such as Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Los Angeles.

While U.S. investment opportunities will come in the form of buying other investors' distressed loans or real estate, Brazil and Mexico offer growth, he said.

"I'm excited about Brazil because I think it's a great emerging market with a growing middle class and great macro characteristics," he said. "There's not enough retail. There's not enough housing. There's not enough modern office space. The strategy there is simply build to meet demand."

He is concerned about Argentina, where underlying inflation may hobble the economy, but is upbeat on Russia, which is booming. J.E. Robert has a fund geared to investment in Russia. So far, it is building five office towers outside of Moscow.

Meanwhile, some European markets are hurting.

"The sick boys of Europe right now are Italy and Spain," he said. Residential overbuilding in Spain is dragging down other real estate markets, he said. Meanwhile, London's office market is down. But Germany, whose real estate market has avoided large swings in prices, is stable.

Although J.E. Robert has yet to enter Asia, Pralle said Japan is the world's best market for commercial real estate investment. Prices are still 20 percent below that of the 1990s and borrowing costs are minute.

"We will eventually be in Asia, and I think Japan will be the first place we'll go," he said.

Eventually, the firm will move into China, which he said will overtake the United States as the world's largest economy within 30 years.

"This is China's century," he said.

Natal - Grupo Sanchez financial problems in Spain

2008-06-10T12:33:00.002-03:00

GRUPO SANCHEZ SUSPENDS ITS DEBT PAYMENTS
Spain, debt, developer, Grupo Sanchez, Brazil

Spanish developer Grupo Sanchez has applied to courts in Barcelona for a ‘concurso voluntario’, or judicial help to manage its debt, as the credit crunch makes raising funding to develop its projects harder to come by.

The company told OPP that although it currently has approximately €95.2million worth of debt, €70.4million of this is tied up in bank loans for Spanish developments and is secured with land and construction guarantees in Caja Madrid and Caixa Catalunya.

Commercial and marketing director Charles Garcia explained that, despite rumours sweeping internet forums, buyers’ deposits on its flagship resort in Natal, Brazil were completely safe as they were backed by a bank guarantee.

“Natal is not affected,” he said. “Just the Spanish developments we are involved with. The Brazilian project is still completely alive. We have planning permission and are close to starting construction. Brazilian banks have been helping to finance the project and Grupo Sanchez likes to keep the Brazilian and Spanish sides of the businesses separate.”

The Elegance Natal Golf Development, bought into by Brazillian footballer Ronaldo and Hollywood actor Antonio Banderas is the company’s biggest project, attracting many international buyers to invest off-plan. In Spain, the company develops property on the Costa del Sol and the Costa Blanca.

Garcia added that due to a “temporary cash flow problem” Grupo Sanchez’s main project in Malaga, Elegance Doña Julia, has been suspended for the short-term until it can renegotiate its debt with local financiers.

“Things are blocked on certain projects. We are negotiating with the banks that provided the finance for the developments to go forward. For Doña Julia, phase one is complete but we will not release it until we have secured funding from the bank for phase two and they give us the green light.

"In Spain it is very tough at the moment and many developers are facing liquidity problems. A newspaper report said recently that of the €16billion in developer debt currently being re-negotiated in Spain, Colonial, Habitat and Martinsa Fadesa are re-negotiating €13billion worth of it. Our amount is small in comparison. At the end of the day, all deposits for Grupo Sanchez developments in Spain and Brazil are protected by lawyers and the buyers’ money is completely safe.”

Israeli investment cy buys second shopping in Brazil

2008-06-04T07:28:00.000-03:00

Gazit Brasil, a subsidiary of Gazit-Globe, Israel’s largest publicly traded real estate investment company, said today it had acquired its second property in Brazil, a shopping center under development in Caxias do Sul.

The company paid $24 million in cash for the property and said it expected to invest another $14 million to complete the development. Gazit Brasil bought the site from a group comprised of about 300 separate owners. Located within walking distance of the city center, the shopping center will have 16,300 square meters. Leasing is under way and the company said it already has a number of signed letters of intent from tenants.

Michael Bar-Haim, Gazit-Globe CEO said in a release today that the number of owners involved in the project had delayed development of the shopping center. He said the company’s experience in building and running shopping centers will be valuable as it gets the development online.

It is the second Brazil acquisition for Gazit-Globe since the beginning of the year. In January, the Brazil subsidiary purchased a 14,238-square-meters shopping center in Sao Paulo for $31.3 million in another all-cash transaction. The center is anchored by a Carrefour supermarket and also has room for expansion, the company said at the time of acquisition. Bar-Haim said today that the company would be looking for more opportunities in Brazil.

“We still see a healthy pipeline of potential acquisition and development in the country that will further enlarge our portfolio,” he stated.

Gazit-Globe is not the only commercial real estate investment company making inroads in Brazil, which has a population of over 180 million people and has the 9th largest economy in the world. A recent report by CB Richard Ellis, How Global is the Business of Retail?, noted that while Brazil is currently low on the list of countries with a large representation of international retailers, it is growing. “In South America, Brazil is the largest and potentially most attractive retail market on the continent, and has also started to see increased penetration of foreign brand retailers.

The size and growth potential of the country is likely to encourage many more new entrants over the next decade,” the CB Richard Ellis report stated. Houston-based developer Hines has been active in Brazil since 1998. On Feb. 11, CPN reported noted that Hines and the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) were expected to create a third fund for investment in Brazilian real estate that could total up to $800 million. Hines has developed more than 11 million square feet of office, industrial and residential space in the country and manages about 9.5 million square feet of space in Brazil. More recently, Accor announced a partnership with one of Brazil’s leading real estate investors to develop 20 hotels in Brazil for a total investment of about $317 million, according to an April 8 CPN article.

Six Senses and Txai to open resorts in Alagoas

2008-05-15T11:51:00.002-03:00

Almost two years after our initial trip with Six Senses to Alagoas, the contracts were signed for Six Senses to create a Six Senses Hideaway and a Six Senses Latitude in the area known as Onda Azul. In the remaining part of the land, a mixed use project of hotel + residence will be created by Investtur with the Txai brand.

Vila Gale to open 3 more units in Rio

2008-05-15T10:42:00.002-03:00

Vila Gale is negotiating land for a hotel with 260 rooms in Barra da Tijuca, and is also looking for a plot of 20-30ha near Rio to build a resort in the style of their Salvador unit. Apart from this, they are also looking for a boutique hotel in Rio itself.

Vila Gale, with 150 hotels in Portugal, now owns Vila Galé Fortaleza, on Praia do Futuro, with 300 apartaments; Vila Galé Salvador, with 224 apartaments; and Vila Galé Marés, 42 km from Salvador, with 447 rooms. It also has started construction of Vila Galé Cumbuco, 33 km from Fortaleza.

Fonte: Mario Brizon - Mercado e Eventos

2007: 5 million foreign tourists in Brazil - numbers stable

2008-05-15T09:03:00.004-03:00

In 2007, tourism in Brazil remained stable with 5 million international tourists. Southamerican and European tourists each represented 1.9 million tourists. Argentina and the US are the leading countries with 920000 resp 699000 visitors.

Total spending reached almost $5 billion - 15% more than last year in dollar terms; but given the steady decline.

Country / # of tourists / % share
1. Argentina
920.210
18,31

2. Estados Unidos
699.169
13,91

3. Portugal
280.438
5,58

4. Itália
268.685
5,35

5. Chile
260.430
5,18

6. Alemanha
257.719
5,13

7. França
254.367
5,06

8. Uruguai
226.111
4,50

9. Espanha
216.373
4,31

10. Paraguai
206.323
4,11

Accor speeds up roll out of Ibis and Formula1

2008-05-11T08:54:00.000-03:00

Accor has announced that it has signed a partnership agreement with Walter Torre, one of Brazil's leading real estate investors, to develop a network of 20 Formule 1 and Ibis hotels in Brazil by 2010. The project represents nearly 5,000 rooms and a total investment of about $317 million. There are currently 45 Ibis hotels in Brazil with a total capacity of 7,000 rooms. After opening its first establishment in Sao Paulo in 1999, the brand extended its coverage to other major Brazilian cities. According to the partnership agreement, 13 new Ibis hotels will be built in 10 cities, mainly Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia and Sao Paulo. From its first 300-room hotel in Sao Paulo in 2001, Formule 1 has created a local network of seven large hotels with a total capacity of 2,000 rooms. Based on the agreement, 7 new Formule 1 hotels will be built in 7 cities, including Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia and Porto Alegre.nThe stepped-up development in Brazil is part of the Group's 2006-2010 expansion plan, which calls for a total of 200,000 new rooms around the world. Fifty percent of the rooms will be located in emerging countries like Brazil, India, China and Russia.

Investtur buys hotel and residential land inside Terravista

2007-11-28T11:38:00.000-02:00

InvestTur anuncia projeto de investir R$ 59 mi na Bahia

PanoramaBrasil

São Paulo - A Companhia Brasileira de Desenvolvimento Imobiliário Turístico (InvestTur), com foco no turismo de lazer e negócios, adquiriu uma área na Costa do Descobrimento, no sul da Bahia, entre as cidade de Trancoso e Arraial d'Ajuda e inserida no complexo Terravista. Estão previstos investimentos totais de R$ 22 milhões para o projeto hoteleiro, além de R$ 37 milhões para o desenvolvimento imobiliário, segundo a empresa. De acordo com a Comissão de Valores Mobiliários (CVM), o valor geral de vendas do empreendimento é de R$ 63 milhões.

General Shopping buys Shopping Americanas

2007-11-24T12:01:00.000-02:00

Nov 14, 2007 - General Shopping bought 19660m of gross leasable space, being the total of Shopping Americanas in Pres. Prudente, Osasco and Top Center Shopping in SP. The price was 63.8 million reais or about 3245R$/m2 of commercial space.

Brascan buys 50ha in Tambore for $150 m

2007-10-05T08:07:00.000-03:00

Gazeta Mercantil, Regiane de Oliveira, 04/out

A Brascan Residential Properties, uma das maiores incorporadoras de edifícios residenciais, casas e condomínios planejados nas regiões metropolitanas dos estados de São Paulo e do Rio de Janeiro, anunciou a compra de uma área de 5 milhões de mde propriedade da Tamboré S.A., em São Paulo, por R$ 291 milhões. O valor será pago em uma parcela de R$ 63,5 milhões à vista e cinco parcelas anuais de R$ 45,5 milhões. Segundo fato relevante divulgado pela Brascan, a área pode compreender projetos com valor geral de vendas de R$ 5 bilhões.

A Tamboré tem prazo de seis meses para exercer opção de compra de 25% das ações da sociedade de propósito específico criada por sua controlada Brascan Imobiliária Incorporações.

Com a venda, a Tamboré fica com um banco de terrenos de aproximadamente 370 mil m², afirma Adriana Henriques Pusch, diretora de estratégias e marketing. Em 26 anos de atividade, a empresa urbanizou cerca de 6 milhões de m² nos loteamentos localizados nos municípios de Santana do Parnaíba e Barueri, onde foram implantados 16 condomínios, que hoje abrigam 35 mil moradores.

Em maio deste ano, a Tamboré já havia vendido o Shopping Tamboré para a BR Malls, por R$ 221,5 milhões.

A Brascan pertence ao Grupo Brascan, subsidiária integral do Brookfield Properties Corporation que administra mais de R$ 100 bilhões no mundo.

WTorre and Multiplan to develop mixed used near Morumbi shopping

2007-09-30T07:54:00.000-03:00

SAO PAULO, Brazil, Sept. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Multiplan, Brazil's largest shopping center company in revenues and market cap, and WTorre, which has made significant investments in the construction of corporate projects, executed on September 27 an agreement for a real estate project on a 40,000 sq.m property between Marginal Pinheiros Freeway and Rua Henry Dunant. The schedule includes building two office towers and a five-star hotel integrated to MorumbiShopping.

"It will be a multiuse project, following the international market trend, which we have already implemented in many of our projects," explains Jose Isaac Peres, CEO of Multiplan. The Company intends to take advantage of shopping centers' attraction - large consumer centers - in order to build offices, residential buildings and hotels near them.

Regarding corporate real estate projects, demand has been very high. According to Paulo Remy Gillet, CEO of WTorre, the demand for offices in Sao Paulo has been the highest one since 2000, and occupation rates have been really high. "This pace is likely to be maintained over the following years," he added. Most of the demand for commercial offices has focused on upscale regions, such as Avenida Luis Carlos Berrini, Itaim Bibi and Jardins, in addition to the Marginal Pinheiros Freeway region.

Multiplan - Brazil's largest shopping center company in revenues and market cap, which develops, operates and holds one of the best shopping center portfolio in the country, Multiplan stands out as the most profitable company in the industry. Leader in revenues, Multiplan counts on a portfolio with 16 shopping centers, 12 of which are owned by the Company. BarraShopping, MorumbiShopping, BHShopping and ParkShopping Brasilia stand out, leaders in the cities where they operate, four managed shopping centers and two under development.

WTorre - Having operated in Brazil for over 20 years, WTorre Group has more than 4,000,000 sq.m. of constructed area, and it consolidates its position as one of the largest real estate groups operating in the Brazilian corporate segment, always focusing on the accomplishment of works, innovative proposals, efficiency in floor sq.m compared to constructed sq.m and use of state-of-the-art technology.

Sol Melia and Gafisa develop hotel-residential complex in Salvador

2007-08-09T07:33:00.001-03:00

Sol Meliá has announced additional advances in hotel development in Brazil after having reached an agreement with two local companies, Gafisa and Alphaville, leaders in constructions and real estate promotion, for the joint development of the hotel and residential complex the chain is working on in Salvador de Bahía (Brazil), one of the areas with the greatest potential for growth over the coming years.

Sol Melia and Gafisa develop hotel/residential complex in Salvador

2007-08-09T07:33:00.000-03:00

Sol Meliá has also announced additional advances in hotel development in Brazil after having reached an agreement with two local companies, Gafisa and Alphaville, leaders in constructions and real estate promotion, for the joint development of the hotel and residential complex the chain is working on in Salvador de Bahía (Brazil), one of the areas with the greatest potential for growth over the coming years.

Sol Melia: 1000 rooms in Guarajuba, Salvador

2007-07-26T12:28:00.001-03:00

Complexo hoteleiro do Sol Meliá deve gerar mil empregos diretos na Bahia até 2012
Até a sua conclusão, em 2012, o empreendimento Guarajuba, um complexo turístico hoteleiro que será construído pelo grupo espanhol Sol Meliá em Camaçari, deverá gerar mil empregos diretos na Bahia. A previsão é dos representantes do grupo, que tiveram hoje (9) um encontro com o governador Jaques Wagner, na Governadoria, para tratar do assunto e concretizar negócios com o Estado. O empreendimento consiste em três hotéis com mil quartos, na praia de Guarajuba. A primeira etapa da obra deve estar concluída em janeiro do ano que vem, quando um hotel com 300 quartos já estará pronto e com um saldo de 400 empregos diretos gerados.

Ao solicitar ao governador apoio para o projeto, o diretor geral do Sol Meliá para o Brasil e para a América do Sul, Rui Manuel Oliveira, afirmou que o desenvolvimento turístico da Bahia é importante para o grupo. “Percebemos que o potencial do estado para o turismo está mais maduro. Por essas e outras razões, a Bahia desperta o interesse da Europa”. Na visita, também estava presente o diretor geral do Sol Meliá, Carlos Horno Octavio.

No Brasil há 12 anos, o grupo Meliá conta com 24 hotéis espalhados pelo Brasil, em estados como São Paulo, Alagoas, Ceará e Rio Grande do Sul, além do Distrito Federal. Com 350 hotéis em 30 países, o Meliá destaca-se também como uma das maiores cadeias de operações de hotéis tipo resort do mundo. É ainda a terceira maior cadeia da Europa e contabiliza cerca de 150 hotéis somente na Espanha.

Property Logic creates island resort in Bay of all Saints

2007-07-26T12:26:00.000-03:00

Grupo transnacional tem projeto de 500 milhões de euros para o Recôncavo
O grupo Propertylogic prevê investimentos de até 500 milhões de euros, ao longo de dez anos, na construção de um complexo turístico de alto luxo em uma área de 1.100 hectares de reserva natural, na Ilha de Cajaíba, no município de São Francisco do Conde, Recôncavo baiano. O grupo tem capital britânico e holandês e sede em Málaga, na Espanha.

O projeto prevê a criação de 6 mil novos empregos diretos e será implantado por etapas. Na primeira fase serão construídos quatro hotéis que deverão ser administrados por bandeiras diferentes. Seguindo uma tendência mundial do setor, também estão previstas residências, configurando em mais uma opção para o que preferem se estabelecer no local. Serão construídas Vilas Turísticas com restaurantes, cafés, bares e lojas visando dar movimento ao local.

No total o projeto inclui sete hotéis, com 4.166 apartamentos; 604 vilas turísticas; 2.167 quartos de hotel, padrão cinco estrelas; campo de golfe com 18 buracos; marina; campos esportivos; shopping e serviços; centro educacional; spa; heliporto; centro eqüestre; piscinas; campo de futebol; quadras de tênis; além de outros equipamentos.

Também faz parte do projeto a criação de um centro de pesquisa & educação em cooperação com uma universidade brasileira, além de projetos de conscientização da importância de proteção dos manguezais e o incentivo às trilhas ecológicas para grupos limitados, para enfatizar o conceito de eco-resort do empreendimento.

O resort ocupará aproximadamente 300 hectares e o campo de golfe 100 hectares. O projeto piloto foi apresentado segunda-feira (28), na Secretaria de Turismo da Bahia, em um encontro que reuniu o secretário de Turismo, Domingos Leonelli, representantes do CRA e do Ibama, o arquiteto André Sá, autor do projeto arquitetônico e urbanístico, diretores e assessores da Propertylogic.

Atrativos históricos e belezas naturais

A Ilha de Cajaíba possui atrativos históricos, como sobrado e fábrica do engenho Cajaíba, tombados pelo Instituto do Patrimônio Artístico Cultural (Ipac), um importante remanescente da época da exploração da cana-de-açúcar no Recôncavo baiano. A edificação, de propriedade do Barão de Cajaíba, foi erguida no início do século XIX para substituir o primeiro engenho que teria sido construído no século anterior, entre 1712 e 1715. O Barão também se destacou nas lutas pela Independência da Bahia e, em 1837, converteu o engenho em um centro de operações militares, reunindo líderes legalistas baianos para lutar na revolta conhecida como Sabinada.

Entre as belezas naturais do local, se destacam os manguezais e uma baía com águas mansas e mornas. São oito quilômetros de extensão e sua localização é privilegiada, fica em frente à sede do município, a cidade de São Francisco do Conde, na foz do rio Sergi, separada do continente por um canal. A ilha é circundada por uma vegetação exuberante, composta por plantações de cacau, árvores frutíferas, reserva de Mata Atlântica e palmeiras imperiais.

Praia do Forte becomes Latin America's largest hotel zone

2007-07-26T12:23:00.001-03:00

Sete novos empreendimentos no maior pólo hoteleiro da AL
A Costa dos Coqueiros está se consolidando como o maior pólo hoteleiro da América Latina, superando Cancún, no México, depois de já ter se tornado o maior da América do Sul. Isso é fruto da instalação de sete novos megaempreendimentos, que estão confirmados para começar a funcionar nos próximos anos na zona turística, a que mais cresce no estado.

O grupo Iberostar anunciou oficialmente o início da construção do segundo hotel, em Praia do Forte, com 500 apartamentos. O primeiro, inaugurado no início do ano, tem 633 apartamentos. Ao norte de Praia do Forte, o grupo Riu, segundo maior da Espanha, acaba de adquirir uma imensa faixa de terra onde vai construir um hotel com 1.100 apartamentos.

O grupo Riu trabalha em parceria com a Tui, operadora alemã, tida como uma das maiores do mundo, o que significa garantia de alta ocupação no hotel durante o ano inteiro. Mais ao norte de Praia do Forte, outro grupo espanhol, o H10, está concluindo os últimos preparativos para a construção de resort com 600 apartamentos, além de um projeto imobiliário de casas.

Os investimentos espanhóis na costa dos coqueiros não param por aí. Mais um grupo hoteleiro da Espanha, o Hotéis Playa, da Andaluzia, comprou uma vasta área também em Praia do Forte, onde está concluindo projeto para a construção de 600 apartamentos.

Os terrenos onde serão construídos os quatro novos empreendimentos foram vendidos pela Trusan, empresa espanhola responsável pela transação da venda do Eco Resort Praia do Forte para o Banco Espírito Santo, de Portugal, controladores do Tivoli, e que está estudando a ampliação do eco resort.

O Tivoli, inclusive, vendeu recentemente uma extensa área em Guarajuba para o grupo espanhol Meliá, conforme informações do diretor da empresa, Gabriel Escaré, que esteve recentemente na Bahia.

A transação vem confirmar o que o ministro do Turismo, Walfrido dos Mares Guia, ouviu do próprio Escaré, em janeiro passado, durante a Fitur (Feira Internacional de Turismo), realizada em Madri, na Espanha, de que o grupo Meliá iria construir um complexo hoteleiro com três hotéis na Bahia.

Golfe

O grupo espanhol Trusan informou à Secretaria da Cultura e Turismo (SCT) e à Bahiatursa a construção de dois campos de golfe em Praia do Forte, com 18 buracos cada um, combinados com um projeto imobiliário de vilages. Somado ao do Iberostar, também com 18 buracos, Praia do Forte se consolida como o maior pólo golfista brasileiro. O Complexo Costa do Sauípe também tem campo de golfe.

Satisfeito com os novos empreendimentos que chegam à Bahia, o secretário da Cultura e Turismo, Paulo Gaudenzi, lembrou que os altos investimentos estrangeiros são conseqüências do trabalho de infra-estrutura feito pelo governo estadual, que nos últimos 15 anos investiu mais de US$ 2 bilhões em obras como saneamento básico, eletricidade, construção de aeroportos e estradas, abastecimento de água, recuperação do patrimônio artístico e cultural, entre outras.

Além da infra-estrutura que o estado oferece, o presidente da Bahiatursa, Cláudio Taboada, destaca as ações no mercado internacional para promover a Bahia, a filosofia da segmentação, os projetos fidelidade, que identificam cada visitante para oferecer atendimento personalizado, e o Qualitur, programa de certificação de qualidade que garante serviços e produtos com padrão internacional.

Trusam will build resort with 4000 beds in Praia do Forte

2007-07-26T11:29:00.000-03:00

O Governo do Estado, através da Secretaria de Infra-estrutura (Seinfra) e do Departamento de Infra-estrutura de Transportes da Bahia (Derba), assina, quarta-feira (11), um convênio de cooperação técnica com o Grupo espanhol Trusam, através da Bensal do Brasil Holding Participações Ltda.

O acordo prevê a construção de um trecho rodoviário de 3,2 quilômetros de extensão, que dará acesso ao Complexo Hoteleiro Praia do Forte Norte, empreendimento a ser construído na Praia do Forte – um dos mais importantes destinos turísticos da Bahia, a 75 km de Salvador.

A obra não terá nenhum ônus para o Estado. O grupo Trusam vai destinar cerca de R$ 6 milhões apenas para a construção do acesso rodoviário. O novo trecho receberá revestimento asfáltico em concreto betuminoso usinado à quente, além de acompanhamento e supervisão do projeto final de engenharia e das obras. Ao todo, serão investidos mais de R$ 1,5 bilhão na construção do Complexo Praia do Forte Norte, que compreende três áreas hoteleiras, uma residencial e outra comercial.

A solenidade de assinatura acontecerá na Governadoria, com a presença do governador Jaques Wagner, do secretário de Infra-estrutura, Antonio Carlos Batista Neves, do diretor-geral do grupo Trusam no Brasil, Joaquín Rodríguez Rovira, além do diretor-geral do Derba, Luiz Sérgio Martins.

A expectativa é que o novo empreendimento – em fase de licenciamento ambiental e previsão de entrega para cinco anos – promova o crescimento da arrecadação do município de Mata de São João (a 56 km da capital), e a consolidação do desenvolvimento econômico da Praia do Forte, com a criação de três mil novos postos de trabalho.

Serão construídos três complexos hoteleiros de padrão internacional, somando 4.100 leitos e uma vila turística composta de 1.568 residências, além de equipamentos de serviços. A chegada do Complexo Praia do Forte Norte vem de encontro à crescente demanda do turismo doméstico e internacional registrada no estado da Bahia.

Banif to expand network to 25 bank offices

2007-06-30T04:41:00.001-03:00

Banif, the portuguese bank, will increase its number of offices to 25 by the end of next year.

Fraga invests in shoppings

2007-06-30T04:24:00.000-03:00

Last April, Fraga took a 23.5% stake in Alliansce, an administrator of shopping malls, which has a portfolio of 15 shoppings (and shares in 8 of them).

The group manages 2600 shops over 418000m2, and sales of 2.5 billion reais in 2006.
The most visible of those are Moinhos (POA), Leblon.

His partners will be Nacional Iguatemi (managed by Renato Rique) with 26.5% and the US General Growth Properties with 50%.

Jereissati plans new luxury shopping next to Daslu

2007-06-30T04:16:00.000-03:00

The "king of shopping" - known from Iguatemi - announces an investment of 200m reais for a high-end shopping combined with hotel and office tower, next to Daslu. It will be developed by WTorre.

The neighbourhood, Vila Olimpia, is already flooded by new projects - Cidade Jardim by JHSF, Shopping Vila Olimpia (Multiplan / Plaza).

Jereissati himself is also planning a second high-end shopping at the entrance of Alphaville - an investment of R$300m, financed with the R$549m he collected with his recent IPO.

For the hotel, he cites names like Four Seasons and Ritz. The residential part would benefit from the high square meter prices of Vila Olimpia; where a 250m2 apartment tends to cost around 1 milion reais - three times as much as in central Sao Paulo.

Jose Carlos Aguilera, partner of Galeazzi & Associados, who manage Daslu, says that Daslu is not afraid of the new shopping - and has a 10-year rental contract renewable for another 10. Between March 2006 and March 2007, monthly sales rose from 12 to 19 million reais; and the average ticket from 1200 to 1800 reais.

Aquiraz - Dom Pedro Laguna

2007-06-29T13:45:00.001-03:00

Works are starting this month on the Aquiraz Riviera, on the beach of Marambaia, 25km from Fortaleza, which is scheduled for completion as of end 2010.

The 1800m of beachfront will be used for 8 hotel lots - 4 ha each.

The investors - Consorcio Luso-Brasileiro Aquiraz investimentos consist of local group Dias Branco, the Portuguese Ceara Investment Fund (Fundo Imobiliario, Dom Pedro, Solverde).

The first hotel, Dom Pero Laguna should be open by end 2008, with 68 rooms and 90 bungalows - plus an 18-hole golf course. It is the 8th hotel of the Dom Pedro group.

Salvador shopping opens - and plans extension

2007-06-29T13:42:00.000-03:00

Salvador shopping, the mega-mall from Joao Carlos Paes Mendonca, which just opened in July, is already planning to increase the number of stores to 458 in two years.

The mall was built by Andrade Mendonca at the astonishing rate of 20000m2 per month.

Portuguese tourism to Brazil slowing down

2007-06-29T13:27:00.000-03:00

Eastern Europe, the Caribbean, India and South Africa... new destinations with all-in hotels and cheaper prices are competing with Brazil - whose strong real makes trips to Brazil a lot more expensive than 2, 3 years ago.

Operators like Club 1840, Iberojet, Terra Brasil, Mundovip and Travelplan, who make for the bulk of charters to Brazil and the Caribbean, are reducing their number of flights, faced with low demand. Flights can be found for as little as 400 Euros.

In 2006, Portuguese tourism in Brazil ended with roughly the same number as 2005 - around 540000 pax. Salvador, with 162.212 pax, showed a growth of 4.5%; Natal rose by 7.9% to 115000 pax; while Fortaleza stagnated at 123000 pax - and Recife lost more than 9%, now at 137575 pax.