As South Africa 2010 ends, 'Sensational Brazil' takes the tourism baton

(AFP PHOTO / CHRISTOPHE SIMON)

Viewers watching the World Cup around the world were treated to a glimpse of the next tournament at the weekend, as Brazil began a massive tourism campaign to boost interest ahead of the Brazil 2014 tournament.

Even before the sun had set on South Africa, Brazil ran its first "Sons do Brazil" (Sounds of Brazil) advert on FIFA-authorized channels on July 12, with the clear message "Brazil. Sensational!"

Over the next two months, the 30-second commercial will run in 100 countries and reach over 400 million people, alongside newspaper adverts in 12 countries and a campaign on the internet.

The campaign is part of an ambitious drive to increase international tourism to Brazil by 300 percent by 2020, helped by hosting the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

"This campaign is a huge step forward in the global positioning of Brazil as a tourist destination," said Jeanine Pires, president of Brazilian Tourism Institute EMBRATUR.

"We'll show the world what Brazil has better to offer to the tourist, like its diversity, its modernity, and especially the joy and the lifestyle of the Brazilian people."

The success of South Africa's World Cup is likely to increase pressure on Brazil 2014 organizers, who already face skepticism (as their South African predecessors did in the early days) about the infrastructure being ready on time.

The biggest fear is that the country's airports - dated and already over capacity - require considerable investment and modernization, along with much of the road infrastructure.

However, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has hit back at the claims, describing them as "pointless" and promising that his country would prove the world wrong, just as South Africa has done so successfully.

Watch the new campaign commercial here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyWajQ3FlTI&feature=pyv&ad=6105679295&kw=brazil

Find out more about Brazil here: http://www.embratur.gov.br/