Olympic Games Travel Forecast Visa projects that Brazil will host an estimated 400,000-500,000 international visitors during the month of August, based on trends observed in recent summer editions of the Olympics. Visa data points to 2016 inbound travel to Brazil increasing by an estimated 1.2 million travelers for the year, compared to the 2010-2015 average, primarily due to preparations for the Olympics Games. The largest share of travelers to Brazil are forecast to come from Latin America and the Caribbean region (45 percent of all international travelers), followed by Europe (30 percent) and North America (15 percent). Based on historical data from past Olympic Games, Brazil can expect to see an increase in per traveler spending. During the London 2012 Olympic Games, spending averaged $1,830 per traveler, which was twice as much per visit than regular tourists to the United Kingdom in 2012. “This data speaks to the increase in commerce generated through the Olympic Games,” said McCarthy. “More than 200 nations, 10,000 athletes, their families, friends and fans are expected to gather in Rio this summer to enjoy this truly global celebration of sports and athletics. Visa is excited to be part of their journey.” Travel Tips for Fans Visiting Rio Visa is the only card accepted at the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games venues and for any official Rio 2016 related transactions. To help fans attending the Olympic Games, Visa has released a series of recommended travel tips, directing cardholders to:
- Notify their issuing bank or financial institution of potential travel plans, including the fact that they will be using Visa debit, credit or prepaid cards abroad to avoid any issues while traveling. Issuing banks can also provide information about travel-related benefits for Visa account holders.
- Register for SMS notification with their specific bank, or bank’s transaction notification service, allowing travelers to track transactions on their Visa accounts.
- Opt-in for services, such as Mobile Location Confirmation via the issuer’s banking app or Visa’s Travel Authorization Tag.
- Set up automatic bill pay for their credit cards for peace-of-mind while traveling abroad.
- Consider paying via a chip-activated terminal with a credit or debit card upgraded with chip technology for enhanced security.
- Look for the Visa or PLUS logo at point-of-sale to ensure international payment cards are accepted.
