President of Brazilian hotel association defends casinos legalization to boost economy

At the beginning of the session, Omori spoke about the progress of bills 442/91 (Chamber of Deputies), and 186/14 (Senate), which deal with the legalization of gaming. According to him, a joint commission is being set up between the two houses that will create a unified project to regulate the activity.

He also talked about the casinos in particular. For the president of ABIH-SP, after legalization it will be important to follow four steps: work on public incentive policies; A tourism master plan; Economic feasibility study; Articulations and negotiations.

Omori also highlighted the importance of casinos in the collection of taxes and to generate important economic factors.

"If we talk only about the tax that will be generated with gaming, it's a lot more than a CPMF." Initially, Brazil would receive 500 thousand machines, which means 500 thousand seats, 500 thousand cups. Increase security team, hall controller, gaming controller, financial part, logistics, entertainment, gastronomy. A economic hotel today generates 0.2 employees per apartment, a casino sometimes has 2 to 5 employees per apartment.”

Omori also spoke about the economic importance of tourism by highlighting data that the sector accounts for 10% of world GDP. He considers that Brazil tourism sector does not work with the necessary seriousness and it is necessary to see it as an export product that can be the basis of the economy.

"Tourism is the industry of the future, along with technology, is where we will find the opportunities. Job generation is in tourism. You will always need a maid, receptionist, because you are a person, you have to look in the eye, answer well. In 1960, the traveler index was almost zero in terms of people traveling around the world. Now we are talking about 1.2 and we can reach 1.4 easely," he said.

At the end of the talk, Games Magazine Brazil spoke with Bruno Omori, who evaluated his participation in the event.

"It is very cool to have the opportunity to talk about what the casinos can bring to Brazil," he said. "It will move and strengthen the tourism production chain. Cities like Punta del Este, in Uruguay, live from what Brazilians spend there. If we can have gaming options in Brazil, with the casinos we will raise our potential much more and leave the current 6 million tourists figure, and reach 18 and maybe 34 million, like Mexico."

The São Paulo Tourism Fair takes place until Friday (23) at the São Luis Convention Center in São Paulo. Besides the congress, in which Bruno Omori spoke, the event still counts an exhibition fair of tourist cities.

Source: GMB