Salvadorian cuisine is a style of cooking derived from the nation of El Salvador.
The traditional cuisine consists of food from Native American cuisine, indigenous Lenca, Maya, Pipil and European Spanish peoples.
Many of the dishes are made with maize corn.
El Salvador's most notable dish is the pupusa, a thick handmade corn flour or rice flour tortilla stuffed with cheese, chicharrón (cooked pork meat ground to a paste consistency), refried beans or loroco (a vine flower bud native to Central America).
There are also vegetarian options, often with ayote (a type of squash) or garlic.
Some adventurous restaurants even offer pupusas stuffed with shrimp or spinach which are served with salsa roja, a simple yet flavorful Salvadoran cooked tomato sauce, often served with curtido.
Pollo encebollado is another popular Salvadoran dish that contains chicken simmered with onions. Salvadoran cheeses, queso duro (hard cheese), queso fresco (fresh cheese), and cuajada, are eaten with meals.
Two other typical Salvadoran dishes are yuca frita and panes rellenos. Yuca frita is deep fried cassava root served with curtido (a pickled cabbage, onion and carrot topping) and chicharron with pepesca (fried baby sardines).
The Yuca is sometimes served boiled instead of fried. Panes Rellenos ("Stuffed Bread") are warm submarine sandwiches. The turkey or chicken is marinated and then roasted with Pipil spices and hand-pulled. This sandwich is traditionally served with turkey or chicken, tomato, and watercress along with cucumber, cabbage, mayonnaise,.
Other well-known Salvadoran dishes include carne guisada (saucy beef with potatoes and carrots), lomo entomatado (beef with tomatoes), carne asada (grilled steak, usually served with a type of Salvadoran salsa called chimol), pasteles de carne (meat pies), pollo guisado con hongos (chicken with mushrooms), pacaya planta (palm flowers breaded in cornmeal, fried and served with tomato sauce), pavo salvadoreño (roast turkey with sauce, often eaten for Christmas), ceviche de camarones (lime-cooked shrimp), and pescado empanizado (breaded, fried fish fillets).
Kinds of Tamales
El Salvador is known for different types of tamales, which are usually wrapped in plantain leaves. These tamales include:
- Tamales de elote (Fresh corn cakes)
- Tamales pisques (Tamales stuffed with black beans)
- Tamales de pollo (Tamales stuffed with chicken and potatoes)
- Ticucos ("Travelers" tamales )
Salads And Soups
Sopa de pata
Soups and salads are popular among Salvadorans of every social level. Sopa de pata is a soup made from the tripe of a cow, plantain, corn, tomatoes, cabbage and spices, locally a delicacy.
Sopa de res is a soup made from beef shank, beef bone with meat, carrots, plantain, corn, potatoes, zucchini, and many other ingredients.
Gallo en chicha is a soup made with rooster, corn, dulce de tapa, and sometimes other things.
Sopa de pescado is a soup made out of fish or seafood with corn flour, tomatoes, green peppers, cumin, achiote and other ingredients, very popularly eaten for the Christian holiday of Good Friday.
Sopa de pollo is a chicken stew with tomatoes, green peppers, guisquil, carrots, potatoes, consommé, and other ingredients.
Sopa de gallina india is a chicken broth with vegetables. Some people add lorocos and cream.
Sopa de frijoles (Bean soup) is a red bean soup which is one of the main dishes not lacking in the diet of Salvadorans .
Salpicón de res
Salpicón is a refreshing salad that is great as a topping for tostadas or wrapped in fresh corn tortillas. It is especially easy to make in large quantities for parties and family gatherings.
Panes Rellenos
Panes rellenos (stuffed bread) is a warm chicken or turkey submarine sandwich, similar to a hoagie. The chicken or turkey is marinated and then roasted with Pipil spices and hand-pulled. This sandwich is traditionally served with tomatoes and watercress.
Desserts
Güisquil filled with melted cheese
Alguashte is a seasoning typical of Salvadoran cuisine made from ground pepitas (pumpkin seeds). Alguashte likely has Mayan origins, as pepitas have been consumed in Mesoamerica for several centuries.
Salvadoran desserts include pan dulce, semita, Salvadoran quesadilla (a type of cheese-based pastry, similar to the Honduran rosquillo and unrelated to the Mexican quesadilla), torta de yema, marquezote, salpores, poleada (vanilla custard), arroz con leche (rice pudding), atol de elote, atol de piña, empanadas de platano (plantain patties), and many others.
The dulce de leche of El Salvador has a soft, crumbly texture, with an almost crystallized form. Fruits are widely consumed, the most popular being mangoes, coconuts, papayas, and bananas.
Sometimes fruit with ice cream and cinnamon sprinkled on top is served.
Beverages
Teenagers usually drink cokas (soft drinks) like Coca-Cola, while young and old alike drink coffee, El Salvador's top export. Viejitas,"little old ladies", are biscuits dipped in morning coffee.
A very popular soda that originated in El Salvador is Kolachampan, which is a soda with sugar cane flavor. Minutas, shaved ice flavored with fruit flavored syrup, and horchata, a beverage made from rice milk and a mix of spices such as cinnamon, peanut beverage, ajonjolí (sesame seeds) and morro, are popular throughout the country and enjoyed on a hot day.
Licuados are like the minutas with added fresh fruit and sometimes milk.
Refrescos refer to lemonades or other sweetened fruit drinks. Other drinks include Arrayán, Chuco and Chilate. Another popular beverage is ensalada ("salad"), made of pineapple juice with finely chopped fruits, usually apples, marañón, mamey, and watercress.
Tamarindo juice is consumed in all of El Salvador.
Coconuts are sold at roadside estansas throughout the country. Typically, they are chopped with machetes and a straw is inserted so that the coconut water can be consumed.
Adults drink coconut milk, mixed with vodka, as an aperitif. Vinagre de piña is a drink of trimmed pineapples mixed with piloncillo and water and set aside to ferment for a few weeks or even months.
Alcoholic Beverages
The most common alcoholic beverage in El Salvador is beer (cerveza). The most popular brand name is Pilsener . Suprema is considered the premier local brew. Both of these and other popular beers are made by Industrias La Constancia. More recently, Cerveza Cadejo has become increasingly popular in El Salvador. Cadejo is a microbrewery based in San Salvador that was inspired by US microbreweries. The company releases several lines and has become increasingly popular among young adults in El Salvador.
The national liquor of El Salvador is Tick Tack, a sugar cane distillate. Tick Tack has similar flavors to Cachaca.
Seafood
Salvadorans eat a large variety of seafood. Salvadoran Banana and ceviches are made with clams, oysters, fish, shrimp, snails, octopus, squid, and a type of black clam called conchas by locals.
Cocktails and ceviches are prepared with a type of tomato and chopped onion sauce or a dark sauce called Salsa Perring, which is a local way of pronouncing Lee & Perrins Worcestershire sauce, and both are sprinkled with lemon juice.
Salvadorans also eat fried crabs and lobsters or fried fish with garlic and lemon. Shrimps are also eaten roasted, al ajillo (aal-aheejo: means in garlic), or in butter.
There is also a type of seafood soup called mariscada (maareescaadaa), which contains fish, clams, octopus, squid, shrimp, and crab.
Tourism, Travel, Hospitality, Conservation: News,Stories And Experiences From Allover The World
Sunday, 2 April 2017
GHANA: Cook And Enjoy Jollof Rice Ghanaian Style
Ghana is one of the several coastal countries of West Africa. Jollof has many variations; the dish can be made with meat, vegetables, or tofu.
The uniquely colored rice is often enjoyed at dinnertime, but is also eaten at various parties and weddings.
The origins of this dish stem from the Wolof people, an ethnic group found in the Senegambian region (Senegal and Gambia).
Although most people know this dish as jollof, another name is benachin, which means “one pot” in the Wolof language.
No matter the name, people from all over West Africa and now by emigration the world revel in this dish, whether it be at parties or in the comfort of their own homes.
Ingredients
Ghanaian jollof rice 1
Cooking oil
Onion
Chili pepper
Green pepper (bell pepper/capsicum pepper)
Fresh/ canned chopped tomatoes
Tomato puree
Stock cube
Salt
Water
Any other spice of your choice
Any other vegetable of your choice
Rice
Ghanaian jollof rice 2
Meat Preparation:
1 ½ jumbo onion, diced
1 habanero pepper, de-stemmed
3 lbs smoked turkey
7 cups water
¾ tablespoon salt
Creating the Stew:
2 cans Hunt’s tomato sauce
½ jumbo onion, diced
1 habanero pepper, diced and de-stemmed
¼ cup of oil
¾ tablespoon salt
Meat broth (from meat preparation step):
½ clove garlic
Adding the rice:
6 cups jasmine rice
½ clove garlic
2 cups water
¼ tablespoon salt
Method 1
Ghanaian Jollof Rice 1
1 - Blend chili pepper and fresh/canned chopped tomatoes. Chop the onion, green pepper and any other vegetables into small pieces.
2 - Pour the cooking oil of your choice in a saucepan and heat it. Add the chopped onions and green pepper pieces. Leave on the fire till you start smelling the green pepper.
3 - Pour in the blended chili pepper and allow to simmer till it just begins to fry. Pour in the blended fresh/canned chopped tomatoes. Add the tomato puree. Allow to simmer.
4 - When the stew thickens, add the stock cube and any other spice. Taste before adding salt to know if the salt already added is sufficient. Keep stirring to ensure that the stew does not burn.
5 - Pour in the rice and stir, ensuring the rice has properly mixed with the stew. Keep stirring till you feel the rice has soaked up the flavours of the stew.
6 - Add enough water to cook the rice. Taste to check the salt content again and cover the saucepan. Allow to boil.
7 - Keep checking the progress to ensure that the rice cooks properly. Once the water drains from the rice and its softness or hardness pleases you, it is ready to be served.
Method 2
Ghanaian Jollof Rice 2
Preparing the meat
1 - Add 1 diced jumbo onion, 1 habanero pepper, 3 lbs smoked turkey, and ¾ tablespoons salt to a large pot.
2 - Add 7 cups water, or just enough water to cover the top of the meat in the pot.
3 - Cover and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes on medium-high heat. Or, cook until the broth in the pot is an inch (2.5cm) from the bottom. Be sure to watch the broth level! Make sure that the broth does not fall too low.
4 - Turn off the stove. Set aside the meat and broth.
Creating the stew
1 - Add ¼ cup oil to another pot. Turn the heat on medium-high.
2 - When the oil gets hot, add ½ diced jumbo onion to oil and spoon on the cooked smoked turkey into oil and onions.
1 - Sauté the onions and turkey for 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown.
2 - Let simmer for 1 hour on medium heat. Stir every 10 to 15 minutes.
3 - After simmering for 1 hour, add the broth (from the meat preparation section), ¾ tablespoon salt, and ½ clove of garlic to the pot.
4 - Stir and let simmer for 1 more hour. Stir every 10 minutes.
Watch the stew level. If the stew level gets below the halfway mark of the pot, add the water and salt as needed, to keep the levels high enough.
Adding the Rice
1 - Add 6 cups jasmine rice to a bowl and wash the rice. Add the rice to the stew by the spoonful, then add a quarter tablespoon of salt.
Be sure that enough rice is added. Also, do not add too much rice, or the dish will not cook well.
The rice level should stay 1- 1 ½ inches below the stew level, to avoid dryness.
2 - Cover and let cook for 20 minutes on low heat. If, after 20 minutes, the rice is still hard or grainy, then mix a ½ a teaspoon of salt and 1 cup of water together and sprinkle over the rice.
3 - Cook for 15 more minutes on low heat. Keep adding water on rice until rice is soft.
4 - Check the texture. The rice should now have a characteristic orange color. Add the ½ a clove of garlic to the rice. Let it cook for 10 more minutes.
Tips
Remember, its other name "Benachin" means "one pot", therefore anything goes, so long as you are comfortable with it.
Jollof rice can be served with chicken. In this instance, the chicken stock can be added to the stew in step 4 of Method One.
Cook any vegetables that needs to be cooked ahead of time (carrots, beans etc) and add in step 5 of Method One.
Jollof rice can also be served with meat cut into small pieces and added in step 5 of Method One, so that it ends up mixed with the rice.
LAOS: Celebrate New Year In Luang Prabang
With a stay at the Grand Luang Prabang, you can step back in time and discover all the cultural and historical gems of the ancient Lao capital, and two nights cost just US$145 (Bt5,000) anytime through June.
The Weekend Getaway Lao New Year includes daily breakfast for two, airport transfers, late checkout, an alms-giving ceremony and a class in Laotian cooking class.
The two-night Romantic Mekong Escape is $195 per night and includes breakfast, transfers, the alms ceremony a welcoming kit of wine and strawberries, a romantic turn-down service and a special gift.
A 15-minute drive from Luang Prabang International Airport, the hotel has 75 rooms and suites with views of the Mekong River, mountains and lush gardens. As well as a restaurant, bar and swimming pool, the hotel is home to the Xiengkeo Museum.
The cooking class with the hotel chef sounds like fun, a chance to make authentic local dishes that vary according to what’s available each day at the market.
Guests can rise at dawn and receive the blessings of monks at Prince Petcharath Palace in return for donations of sticky rice, a wonderful way to begin the New Year.
There are 30 spectacular Buddhist temples around the town, best visited on foot or by bicycle. One of the most significant is Wat Xieng Thong, with its ornate mosaic tiling and sweeping tiered roof.
A sunset cruise along the Mekong features a stop at the famed Pak Ou Caves – twin caves cut into a limestone cliff that hold hundreds of perfectly posed Buddha images in various styles and sizes.
The Grand Laung Prabang Hotel is located on the banks of the grand Mekong River with a spectacular panoramic view of the picturesque mountains surrounding Luang Prabang, approximately 4 kms southwest of Luang Prabang town centre.
The resort is situated on the 59 thousand square meters’ estate of Xiengkeo Palace which belonged to the nationalist hero Prince Phetsarath. The 75 guest rooms were built while preserving the French colonial design with Laotian touch, all accommodations are furnished tastefully with wooden furniture to reminisce the heritage of the building.
Breakfast as well as functions are held at Xiengkeo Restaurant, located beside the elevated banks of the Mekong River. Our restaurant provides guests with the best of international cuisine featuring Western, Thai, and Lao recipes.
The combination of its high ceilings, polished marble floors, stylish colonial architecture and a panoramic view of the Mekong River gives this is one restaurant that will provide guest with a unique dining experience.
Restaurant Xiengkeo
The restaurant provides guests with the best of international cuisine featuring Western, Thai, and Lao recipes.
The combination of its high ceilings, polished marble floors, stylish colonial architecture and a panoramic view of the Mekong River gives this is one restaurant that will provide guest with a unique dining experience.
The breakfast buffet is served daily in the morning on the terrace and the restaurant open daily from 6.00 am until 10.30 pm
Seating Capacity: 55 persons indoors and 55 persons outdoors.
Le Bistrot Restaurant
Panoramic views of the river as it flow past Luang Prabang and winds past the hotel between two mountain ranges.
Le Bistrot Lounge serves light meals and a boasts a full bar.
The lounge and bar is fully air-conditioned and uses its fire place during the cool winter months. Karaoke and live music are available on request.
Le Bistrot Lounge is open daily between: 5.00 pm – 11.30 pm.
Seating Capacity: 60 persons
Executive Private Dining
The Executive private dining areas bring new dimensions to the art of entertaining; there are choices of utilizing the meeting room next to Xiengkeo Restaurant, or outdoor garden area, both with spectacular view view of the Mekong River and surrounding mountain ranges.
Ideal for business conference and meetings or private parties, we offer choices of customized the menu and cuisine to suite their occasion.
Arranged for periods between: 5.00 pm – 11.00 pm.
Seating Capacity: 2-55 persons
Rooms and Suites
The 75 guest rooms were built while preserving the French colonial design with Laotian touch, all accommodations are furnished tastefully with wooden furniture to reminisce the heritage of the building.
Prince Petcharath Ratanavongsa
Prince Petcharath Ratanavongsa (1890-1959) holds a special place in Lao History as the only viceroy of the Kingdom of Laos and had a tenure as prime minister from 1942 to 1945.
His tenure as Prime Minister of Laos was during World War 2 both under French protectorate & Japanese occupation.
During the wartime years he was prime minister and Viceroy of the Kingdom of Luang Prabang, which was first loosely under Vichy French control and them briefly “independent” under the Japanese.
Post the Japanese occupation, Prince Petcharath was in favor of an independent Laos which was to the contrary to the King’s sentiments which was in favor of the French Protectorate.
In 1946, he became the leader of the Lao resistance movement that sought to suppress the country’s return under the tutelage of French colonials in favor of a free Laos.
The difference in opinion led Prince Petcharath to leave the country for Thailand and spend eleven years in exile. During his absence, saw both his younger brothers Prince Souvanna Phouma and Souphananoubvong enter politics, Prince Petcharath returned to Laos in 1956 to resolve tensions between his two brothers as a mediator.
He later passed away at his birthplace of Luang Prabang in 1959.
To Lao people, Prince Phethsarath represented both continuity with the pre-colonial past and the hope of a new, p0st colonial future, he was both a traditionalist, by culture and by his affinity with the Lao people among whom he was so popular), and a modernist, determined to forge a new Lao unity where a history of kingdoms and principalities had existed before.
He was both an aristocrat, a member of a powerful vice regal family, and a democrat. His life is indelibly imprinted into the modern history of Laos. Many Lao hang his picture in their homes
Prince Pethsarath’s popularity to the Lao people is in regards to its countries pre-colonial culture and independence; he was both a traditionalist with an affinity for Lao culture and its people but also a visionary; his life and legacy is indelibly imprinted into modern history of Laos.
To this day, many Lao hang his picture in their home
The Weekend Getaway Lao New Year includes daily breakfast for two, airport transfers, late checkout, an alms-giving ceremony and a class in Laotian cooking class.
The two-night Romantic Mekong Escape is $195 per night and includes breakfast, transfers, the alms ceremony a welcoming kit of wine and strawberries, a romantic turn-down service and a special gift.
A 15-minute drive from Luang Prabang International Airport, the hotel has 75 rooms and suites with views of the Mekong River, mountains and lush gardens. As well as a restaurant, bar and swimming pool, the hotel is home to the Xiengkeo Museum.
The cooking class with the hotel chef sounds like fun, a chance to make authentic local dishes that vary according to what’s available each day at the market.
Guests can rise at dawn and receive the blessings of monks at Prince Petcharath Palace in return for donations of sticky rice, a wonderful way to begin the New Year.
There are 30 spectacular Buddhist temples around the town, best visited on foot or by bicycle. One of the most significant is Wat Xieng Thong, with its ornate mosaic tiling and sweeping tiered roof.
A sunset cruise along the Mekong features a stop at the famed Pak Ou Caves – twin caves cut into a limestone cliff that hold hundreds of perfectly posed Buddha images in various styles and sizes.
The Grand Laung Prabang Hotel is located on the banks of the grand Mekong River with a spectacular panoramic view of the picturesque mountains surrounding Luang Prabang, approximately 4 kms southwest of Luang Prabang town centre.
The resort is situated on the 59 thousand square meters’ estate of Xiengkeo Palace which belonged to the nationalist hero Prince Phetsarath. The 75 guest rooms were built while preserving the French colonial design with Laotian touch, all accommodations are furnished tastefully with wooden furniture to reminisce the heritage of the building.
Breakfast as well as functions are held at Xiengkeo Restaurant, located beside the elevated banks of the Mekong River. Our restaurant provides guests with the best of international cuisine featuring Western, Thai, and Lao recipes.
The combination of its high ceilings, polished marble floors, stylish colonial architecture and a panoramic view of the Mekong River gives this is one restaurant that will provide guest with a unique dining experience.
Restaurant Xiengkeo
The restaurant provides guests with the best of international cuisine featuring Western, Thai, and Lao recipes.
The combination of its high ceilings, polished marble floors, stylish colonial architecture and a panoramic view of the Mekong River gives this is one restaurant that will provide guest with a unique dining experience.
The breakfast buffet is served daily in the morning on the terrace and the restaurant open daily from 6.00 am until 10.30 pm
Seating Capacity: 55 persons indoors and 55 persons outdoors.
Le Bistrot Restaurant
Panoramic views of the river as it flow past Luang Prabang and winds past the hotel between two mountain ranges.
Le Bistrot Lounge serves light meals and a boasts a full bar.
The lounge and bar is fully air-conditioned and uses its fire place during the cool winter months. Karaoke and live music are available on request.
Le Bistrot Lounge is open daily between: 5.00 pm – 11.30 pm.
Seating Capacity: 60 persons
Executive Private Dining
The Executive private dining areas bring new dimensions to the art of entertaining; there are choices of utilizing the meeting room next to Xiengkeo Restaurant, or outdoor garden area, both with spectacular view view of the Mekong River and surrounding mountain ranges.
Ideal for business conference and meetings or private parties, we offer choices of customized the menu and cuisine to suite their occasion.
Arranged for periods between: 5.00 pm – 11.00 pm.
Seating Capacity: 2-55 persons
Rooms and Suites
The 75 guest rooms were built while preserving the French colonial design with Laotian touch, all accommodations are furnished tastefully with wooden furniture to reminisce the heritage of the building.
Prince Petcharath Ratanavongsa
Prince Petcharath Ratanavongsa (1890-1959) holds a special place in Lao History as the only viceroy of the Kingdom of Laos and had a tenure as prime minister from 1942 to 1945.
His tenure as Prime Minister of Laos was during World War 2 both under French protectorate & Japanese occupation.
During the wartime years he was prime minister and Viceroy of the Kingdom of Luang Prabang, which was first loosely under Vichy French control and them briefly “independent” under the Japanese.
Post the Japanese occupation, Prince Petcharath was in favor of an independent Laos which was to the contrary to the King’s sentiments which was in favor of the French Protectorate.
In 1946, he became the leader of the Lao resistance movement that sought to suppress the country’s return under the tutelage of French colonials in favor of a free Laos.
The difference in opinion led Prince Petcharath to leave the country for Thailand and spend eleven years in exile. During his absence, saw both his younger brothers Prince Souvanna Phouma and Souphananoubvong enter politics, Prince Petcharath returned to Laos in 1956 to resolve tensions between his two brothers as a mediator.
He later passed away at his birthplace of Luang Prabang in 1959.
To Lao people, Prince Phethsarath represented both continuity with the pre-colonial past and the hope of a new, p0st colonial future, he was both a traditionalist, by culture and by his affinity with the Lao people among whom he was so popular), and a modernist, determined to forge a new Lao unity where a history of kingdoms and principalities had existed before.
He was both an aristocrat, a member of a powerful vice regal family, and a democrat. His life is indelibly imprinted into the modern history of Laos. Many Lao hang his picture in their homes
Prince Pethsarath’s popularity to the Lao people is in regards to its countries pre-colonial culture and independence; he was both a traditionalist with an affinity for Lao culture and its people but also a visionary; his life and legacy is indelibly imprinted into modern history of Laos.
To this day, many Lao hang his picture in their home
MALDIVES: Easter Submarine Holiday Now Available
Five-star Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort sounds like a perfect Easter destination for families, with recreational activities including a “semi-submarine” excursion and a fun Ozone space made out of recycled materials.
“This Easter the Outrigger is a one-stop retreat for tropical holiday beach relaxation, with an optional marine education twist,” says general manager John Allanson.
From April 14 to 17, the Coral Kids Club will delight youngsters with face painting, egg hunts, egg and spoon races, banana rides and children’s movies on the beach.
Their parents can meanwhile chill out or tap into activities for the body and soul, such as morning meditation and yoga, a massage workshop for couples, a dolphin quest, fishing at sunrise or sunset and sunset cruises.
The pool bar becomes a mini-classroom with a marine biologist educating guests about sea creatures and the underwater world. Young adventurers can boost their adrenaline with scuba diving, ride a stand-up board and join a water polo match.
Executive chef Christopher Long will be charging batteries with an Asian food festival on the beach serving up a surf and turf barbecue.
The resort’s 14-seat semi-submarine takes guests on rides among coral reefs where they can spot manta rays, Hawksbill turtles, large shoals of fusiliers and some friendly sharks.
At night time the nocturnal life of the sea can be observed, including fish camouflaged to hide their usual bright colours, and the schools of squid and other animals attracted by the vessel’s night lights.
The submarine sets off every Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, costing Bt3,280 for day excursions and Bt3,790 at night.
“This Easter the Outrigger is a one-stop retreat for tropical holiday beach relaxation, with an optional marine education twist,” says general manager John Allanson.
From April 14 to 17, the Coral Kids Club will delight youngsters with face painting, egg hunts, egg and spoon races, banana rides and children’s movies on the beach.
Their parents can meanwhile chill out or tap into activities for the body and soul, such as morning meditation and yoga, a massage workshop for couples, a dolphin quest, fishing at sunrise or sunset and sunset cruises.
The pool bar becomes a mini-classroom with a marine biologist educating guests about sea creatures and the underwater world. Young adventurers can boost their adrenaline with scuba diving, ride a stand-up board and join a water polo match.
Executive chef Christopher Long will be charging batteries with an Asian food festival on the beach serving up a surf and turf barbecue.
The resort’s 14-seat semi-submarine takes guests on rides among coral reefs where they can spot manta rays, Hawksbill turtles, large shoals of fusiliers and some friendly sharks.
At night time the nocturnal life of the sea can be observed, including fish camouflaged to hide their usual bright colours, and the schools of squid and other animals attracted by the vessel’s night lights.
The submarine sets off every Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, costing Bt3,280 for day excursions and Bt3,790 at night.
INDONESIA: 26 Missing In Landslide 2 Dead
At least two people were killed and 26 were feared buried under heavy mud after a landslide struck Indonesia, the national disaster agency said Sunday.
Nineteen people were also injured when the landslide slammed into 32 houses in the village of Banaran in Ponorogo district, East Java on Saturday morning.
Search and rescue teams were searching for missing people but heavy rain on Sunday afternoon forced them to stop, the national disaster agency spokesman said.
"The challenge is the road to the disaster zone is very narrow and there are many cars now because people want to watch, so they interrupt or hinder the mobility of the team," national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purno Nugroho said.
Villagers were warned about potential landslides two weeks ago and evacuated the area at night, but many returned to the village the next morning.
Many of the missing people were working on ginger farms when the landslide struck.
This year alone 20 people have died in landslides in Indonesia, the agency noted.
Last September nearly 30 people died in heavy flooding and landslides in Garut, West Java.
Nineteen people were also injured when the landslide slammed into 32 houses in the village of Banaran in Ponorogo district, East Java on Saturday morning.
Search and rescue teams were searching for missing people but heavy rain on Sunday afternoon forced them to stop, the national disaster agency spokesman said.
"The challenge is the road to the disaster zone is very narrow and there are many cars now because people want to watch, so they interrupt or hinder the mobility of the team," national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purno Nugroho said.
Villagers were warned about potential landslides two weeks ago and evacuated the area at night, but many returned to the village the next morning.
Many of the missing people were working on ginger farms when the landslide struck.
This year alone 20 people have died in landslides in Indonesia, the agency noted.
Last September nearly 30 people died in heavy flooding and landslides in Garut, West Java.
BRAZIL: Salvador, Capital Of Bahia State, Is Center Of Afro-Brazilian Culture.
Salvador, also known as São Salvador,Salvador de Bahia, and Salvador da Bahia is the capital of the Brazilian state of Bahia. With 2.9 million people (2013), it is the largest city proper in the Northeast Region and the 3rd-largest city proper in the country, after São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Founded by the Portuguese in 1549 as the first capital of Brazil, Salvador is one of the oldest colonial cities in the Americas. A sharp escarpment divides its Lower Town, Cidade Baixa from its Upper Town Cidade Alta by some 85 meters (279 ft).
The Elevador Lacerda, Brazil's first elevator, has connected the two since 1873. The Pelourinho district of the upper town, still home to many examples of Portuguese colonial architecture and historical monuments, was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985.
The city's cathedral is the see of the primate of Brazil and its Carnival celebration has been reckoned as the largest party in the world.
Salvador was the first slave port in the Americas and the African influence of the slaves' descendants makes it a center of Afro-Brazilian preto culture.
The city is noted for its cuisine, music, and architecture. Porto da Barra Beach in Barra has been named one of the best beaches in the world. Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova was the site of the city's games during the 2014 Brazilian World Cup.
Salvador forms the heart of the Recôncavo, Bahia's rich agricultural and industrial maritime district, and continues to be a major Brazilian port. Its metropolitan area, housing 3,953,290 people (2015) forms the wealthiest one in Brazil's Northeast Region.
Salvador lies on a small, roughly triangular peninsula that separates the Bay of All Saints from the Atlantic Ocean. The bay is the largest in Brazil and the 2nd-largest in the world.
It was first reached by Gaspar de Lemos in 1501, just one year after Cabral's purported discovery of Brazil.During his second voyage for Portugal, the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci sighted the bay on All Saints' Day November 1 1502 and, in honor of the date and his parish church in Florence, he named it the Bay of the Holy Savior of All the Saints.
The first European to settle nearby was Diogo Álvares Correia ("Caramuru"),who was shipwrecked off the end of the peninsula in 1509. He lived among the Tupinambá, marrying Guaibimpara and others.
In 1531, Martim Afonso de Sousa led an expedition from Mount St Paul (Morro de São Paulo) and, in 1534, Francisco Pereira Coutinho, the first captain of Bahia, established the settlement of Pereira in modern Salvador's Ladeira da Barra neighborhood. Mistreatment of the Tupinambá by the settlers caused them to turn hostile and the Portuguese were forced to flee to Porto Seguro c. 1546.
An attempted restoration of the colony the next year ended in shipwreck and cannibalism.
The present city was established as the fortress of São Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos ("Holy Savior of the Bay of All Saints").
In 1549 by Portuguese settlers under Tomé de Sousa, Brazil's first governor-general.It is one of the oldest cities founded by Europeans in the Americas. From a cliff overlooking the Bay of All Saints,it served as Brazil's first capital and quickly became a major port for its slave trade and sugarcane industry.
Salvador was long divided into an upper and a lower city, divided by a sharp escarpment some 85 meters (279 ft) high. The upper city formed the administrative, religious, and primary residential districts while the lower city was the commercial center, with a port and market.
In the Catholic Church, Brazil and the rest of the Portuguese Empire were initially administered as part of the Diocese of Funchal in Portugal but, in 1551, Salvador became the seat of the first Catholic diocese erected in Brazil. The first parish church was the mud-and-thatch Church of Our Lady of Help (Igreja da Nossa Senhora da Ajuda) erected by the Jesuits, which served as the first cathedral of the diocese until the Jesuits finished construction of the original basilica on the Terreiro de Jesus in 1553.
Its bishop was made independent of Lisbon at the request of King Pedro II in 1676; he served as the primate of Congo and Angola until the elevation of Luanda on 13 January 1844 and still serves as the national primate of Brazil.
In 1572, the Governorate of Brazil was divided into the separate governorates of Bahia in the north and Rio de Janeiro in the south.
These were reunited as Brazil six years later, then redivided from 1607 to 1613. By that time, Portugal had become united with Spain and was ruled from Madrid by its kings. In 1621, King Philip III replaced the Governorate of Brazil with the states of Brazil, still based in Salvador and now controlling the south, and the Maranhão, which was centered on São Luís and controlled what is now northern Brazil.
As Spain was then prosecuting a war against the independence of the Dutch, the Dutch East and West India companies tried to conquer Brazil from them. Salvador played a strategically vital role against Dutch Brazil, but was captured and sacked by a West India Company fleet under Jacob Willekens and Piet Hein on 10 May 1624.
Johan van Dorth administered the colony before his assassination, freeing its slaves. The city was recaptured by a Luso-Spanish fleet under Fadrique Álvarez de Toledo y Mendoza on 1 May 1625. John Maurice's two subsequent attempts to retake the town in April and May of 1638 were unsuccessful.
In 1763, the colonial administration was removed to Rio de Janeiro and elevated to a viceroyalty. Salvador remained the heart of the Recôncavo, Bahia's rich agricultural maritime district, but was largely outside Brazil's early modernization. The area formed a center of royal support against Pedro I's declaration of independence on September 7, 1822. Its elites initially remained loyal to the Portuguese crown while rebels from Cachoeira besieged them for a year until finally receiving Portugal's surrender of the town on July 2, 1823, which is now celebrated as Bahia Independence Day.
The local elite was similarly hesitant during Manuel Deodoro da Fonseca's coup that established the republic by in 1889.
Owing to whales' use of the Bay of All Saints as a mating ground, Salvador became a large whaling port during the 19th century but the trade had already begun to fall off by the 1870s.
Under the empire and republic, however, the town slowly began to industrialize. In 1873, Brazil's first elevator, the powerful hydraulic Elevador Lacerda, was constructed to connect the city's upper and lower towns.Having undergone several upgrades, it continues in use.
By the First World War, it was joined by a second elevator and Salvador was connected to four railroads: the Bahia & Alagoinhas to Joazeiro, the Bahia Central, the Nazareth Tramway, and a short line to Santo Amaro.
Its central districts and the major suburbs of Bomsim and Victoria were served by four streetcar lines,which had begun to electrify. It also served as a port of call for most steamship lines trading between Europe and South America.
In 1985, UNESCO listed the city's Pelourinho neighborhood as a World Heritage Site.In the 1990s, a major municipal project cleaned and restored the neighborhood in order to develop it as the cultural center and heart of the city's tourist trade. The development of the Historical Center, however, involved the forced removal of thousands of working-class residents and now necessitates local and municipal events in order to attract people to the area.
The relocated workers, meanwhile, have encountered significant economic hardship in their new homes on the city's periphery, separated from access to work and civic amenities.
In 2007, Porto da Barra Beach in Barra was named by the British Guardian newspaper as the 3rd-best beach in the world. In 2010, the city hosted the 12th UN Congress on Crime Prevention. The city hosted the 2013 Confederations Cup and was one of the host cities of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil at its Arena Fonte Nova.As part of its preparations for the World Cup, the city reestablished its public transportation lines as the Salvador Metro.
Salvador has a tropical rainforest climate with no discernible dry season due to no month having an average rainfall of less than 60 mm. Temperatures are relatively constant throughout the course of the year.
Salvador's driest month of the year is September, when the city receives on average 10 cm (4 in) of precipitation. Salvador's wettest months are between April and June when at least 20 cm (8 in) of rain falls during each of these four months.
In 2010, the city of Salvador was the third-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The city had 474,827 opposite-sex couples and 1,595 same-sex couples. The population of Salvador was 53.3% female and 46.7% male.
According to the 2010 IBGE Census, there were 2,675,000 people residing in the city of Salvador.The census revealed the following self-identification: 1,382,543 persons identify as Pardo (Multiracial) (51.7%); 743,718 as Black (27.8%); 505,645 as White (18.9%); 35,785 as Asian (1.3%); and 7,563 as Amerindian(0.3%).
Salvador's population is the result of 500 years of miscegenation. The majority of the population has African, European and Native American roots. The African ancestry of the city is from Angola, Benin, Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Senegal and Mozambique.
According to an autosomal DNA study from 2008, the ancestral heritage of the population of Salvador was estimated to be 49.20% African, 36.30% European and 14.50% Native American.The study also analyzed the genetic backgrounds of people by type of surname. Those with surnames with a religious connotation were 53.1% African in genetic ancestry and tended to be in lower economic classes.
During the colonial era, it was typical practice for Portuguese priests and missionaries to baptize converted African slaves and Native Americans with surnames of religious connotations. These have been passed down to their descendants.
A 2015 autosomal DNA study found out the following ancestral composition in Salvador: 50.5% of African ancestry, 42.4% of European ancestry and 5.8% of Native American ancestry. The researchers explained they oversampled individuals living in poor environments.
Another 2015 autosomal DNA found out Salvador to be 50.8% African, 42.9% European and 6.4% Native American.
And another autosomal DNA study, also in 2015, found out Salvador to be: 50.8% European, 40.5% African and 8.7% Native American.
In Salvador, religion is a major contact point between Portuguese and African influences and, in the last 20 years, Brazil's version of a North American-influenced Pentecostalism. Salvador was the seat of the first bishopric in colonial Brazil (established 1551), and the first bishop, Pero Fernandes Sardinha, arrived already in.
The Jesuits, led by the Manuel da Nóbrega, also arrived in the 16th century and worked in converting the Indigenous peoples of the region to Roman Catholicism.
Many religious orders came to the city, following its foundation: Franciscans, Benedictines and Carmelites. Subsequently, to them are created the Third Orders, the Brotherhoods, and Fraternities, which were composed mainly of professional and social groups.
The most prominent of these orders were the Terceira do Carmo Order and the de São Francisco Order, founded by white men, and the Nossa Senhora do Rosário and São Beneditino Brotherhoods, composed of black men.In many churches maintained by religious men, were housed the Santíssimo Sacramento brotherhoods.
Besides these organizations, the expansion of Catholicism in the city was consolidated through social care work. Santa Casa the Misericórdia was one of the institution that did this kind of work, maintaining hospitals, shelters for the poor and the elderly, as well providing assistance to convicts and to those who would face death penalties.
The convents, on their part, were cultural and religious formation centers, offering seminar coursed that often were attended by the lay.
Even with the present evolution, and the growth of Protestantism and other religions in the city, the Catholic faith remains as one of its most distinctive features, drawing a lot of people to its hundreds of churches. Some aspects, like the use of Portuguese in the Masses, the simplification of the liturgy, and the adoption of "pop" religious songs are key factors to the triumph of Catholicism.
In the Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos Church, Masses are held in the Yorubá language, making use of African chants and typical clothes, which attract many people from the African Brazilian communities.
Most enslaved Africans in Bahia were brought from Sub-Saharan Africa, especially the Yoruba-speaking nation from present-day Benin.
The enslaved were forced to convert to Roman Catholicism, but their original religion Yorùbá was combined with Roman Catholicism to make the syncretic religion known as, Candomblé, which has survived in spite of prohibitions and persecutions.
The enslaved Africans managed to preserve their religion by attributing the names and characteristics of their Yorùbá deities to Catholic saints with similar qualities. Still today all Candomble sessions are conducted in Yoruba, not Portuguese.
These religious entities have been syncretised with some Catholic entities. For instance, Salvador's Feast of Bonfim, celebrated in January, is dedicated to both Our Lord of Bonfim (Jesus Christ) and Oxalá.
Another important feast is the Feast de Yemanja every 2 February, on the shores of the borough of Rio Vermelho in Salvador, on the day the church celebrates
Our Lady of the Navigators. 8 December, Immaculate Conception Day for Catholics, is also commonly dedicated to Yemanja' with votive offerings made in the sea throughout the Brazilian coast.
Religion
Catholic - 51.55%
Protestant - 19.59%
No religion - 17.64%
Spiritist - 3.23%
Umbanda and Candomblé - 1.05%
Jewish - 0.04%
Throughout Brazilian history Salvador has played an important role. Because of its location on Brazil's northeastern coast, the city served as an important link in the Portuguese empire throughout the colonial era, maintaining close commercial ties with Portugal and Portuguese colonies in Africa and Asia.
Salvador remained the preeminent city in Brazil until 1763 when it was replaced as the national capital by Rio de Janeiro. In the last ten years many high-rise office and apartment buildings were constructed, sharing the same blocks with colonial-era housing or commercial buildings.
With its beaches, humid tropical climate, numerous up-to-date shopping malls (The Shopping Iguatemi was the first Shopping in Northeastern Brazil) and pleasant high-class residential areas, the city has much to offer its residents.
Economically Salvador is one of Brazil's more important cities. Since its founding the city has been one of Brazil's most prominent ports and international trading centers. Boasting a large oil refinery, a petrochemical plant and other important industries, the city has made great strides in reducing its historical dependence on agriculture for its prosperity.
Salvador is the second most popular tourism destination in Brazil, after Rio de Janeiro. Tourism and cultural activity are important generators of employment and income, boosting the arts and the preservation of artistic and cultural heritage.
Chief among the points of interest are its famous Pelourinho,named after the colonial pillories that once stood there , its historic churches, and its beaches. Salvador's tourism infrastructure is considered one of the most modern in World, especially in terms of lodging.
The city offers accommodation to suit all tastes and standards, from youth hostels to international hotels. Construction is one of the most important activities in the city, and many international mainly from Spain, Portugal and England,national developers are investing in the city and in the Bahian littoral zone.
Ford Motor Company has a plant in the Metropolitan Region of Salvador, in the city of Camaçari, assembling the Ford EcoSport, Ford Fiesta, Ford Fiesta Sedan. It was the first Automotive industry in Northeastern Brazil. The industry employs 800 engineers.
JAC Motors will have a plant in the Metropolitan Region of Salvador, in the city of Camaçari, the new industry will result 3,500 direct jobs and 10,000 indirect jobs, the production of 100,000 vehicles by year.
In December 2001, Monsanto Company inaugurated, at the Petrochemical Pole of Camaçari, in Metropolitan Region of Salvador, the first plant of the company designed to produce raw materials for the herbicide Roundup in South America. The investment is equivalent to US$500 millions; US$350 millions were spent in this initial phase.
The Camaçari Plant, the largest unit of Monsanto outside of the United States, is also the only Monsanto plant manufacturing raw materials for the Roundup production line. The company started the civil works for the new plant in January 2000.
Tourism And Leisure
The Salvador coastline is one of the longest for cities in Brazil. There are 80 km (50 mi) of beaches distributed between the High City and the Low City, from Inema, in the railroad suburb to the Praia do Flamengo, on the other side of town. While the Low City beaches are bordered by the waters of the All Saints Bay the country's most extensive bay, the High City beaches, from Farol da Barra to Flamengo, are bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. The exception is Porto da Barra Beach, the only High City beach located in the All Saints Bay.
The capital's beaches range from calm inlets, ideal for swimming, sailing, diving and underwater fishing, as well as open sea inlets with strong waves, sought by surfers. There are also beaches surrounded by reefs, forming natural pools of stone, ideal for children.
Attractions Near Salvador Include:
- According to the British newspaper The Guardian, in 2007, Porto da Barra Beach was the third best in the world.
- The large island of Itaparica in the Bay of All Saints can be visited either by a car-ferry, or a smaller foot-passenger ferry, which leaves from near the Mercado Modelo near the Lacerda Elevator.
- BA-099 Highway, or "Line of Coconut" and "Green Line" of towns and cities, with exquisite beaches, north of Salvador heading towards Sergipe state.
- Morro de São Paulo in the Valença region across the Bay of All Saints – an island that can be reached by ferry from Salvador (2 hours), by plane, or by bus to Valença and then by 'Rapido' ('fast') speedboat or smaller ferry. Morro de São Paulo is formed by five villages of the Tinharé Island.
The city is served by many shopping malls, including Shopping Iguatemi, Salvador Shopping,Shopping Barra, and Shopping Paralela.
Salvador has four parks, green areas protected, as Jardim dos Namorados Park, Costa Azul Park, Park of the City, Park of Pituaçu.
Jardim dos Namorados is located right next to Costa Azul Park and occupies an area of 15 hectares in Pituba, where many families used to spend their vacations in the 1950s. It was inaugurated in 1969, initially as a leisure area. It underwent a complete renovation in the 1990s, with the construction of an amphitheater with room for 500 people, sports courts, playgrounds and parking for cars and tourist buses.
Park of the City is an important preservation area of the Atlantic forest. It was completely renovated in 2001, becoming a modern social, cultural and leisure place. The new park has 720 square meter of green area right in the middle of the city. Among the attractions are Praça das Flores or Flowers square, with more than five thousand ornamental plants and flowers.
Besides its environment, the park has an infrastructure for children, with a special schedule of events taking place every October.
Created by state decree in 1973, Pituaçu Park occupies an area of 450 hectares and is one of the few Brazilian ecological parks located in an urban area. It is surrounded by Atlantic forest, with a good variety of plants and animals. There is also an artificial pond in the park, built in 1906 along with the Pituaçu Dam, whose purpose was to supply water to the city.
There are a number of possible leisure activities, ranging from cycloboats rides on the pond, to a 38 km (24 mi) long cycloway circling the entire reserve. A museum is also located in the park. Espaço Cravo is an outdoor museum with 800 pieces created by Mario Cravo, comprising Totems, winged and three-dimensional figures, as well as drawings and paintings.
Educational Institutions
There are international schools, such as the Pan American School of Bahia.
The city has multiple universities:
- Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA) (Federal University of Bahia);
- Universidade Católica do Salvador (UCSal) (Catholic University of Salvador);
- Universidade do Estado da Bahia (UNEB) (Bahia State University);
- Universidade Salvador (UNIFACS) (Salvador University);
- Faculdade de Tecnologia e Ciências (FTC) (College of Technology and Science);
- Instituto Federal da Bahia (IFBA) (Federal Institute of Bahia);
- Faculdade Ruy Barbosa (FRB) (Ruy Barbosa College);
- Campus Integrado de Manufatura e Tecnologia (CIMATEC) (Integrated Campus of Manufacturing and Technology);
- Faculdade Castro Alves (FCA) (Castro Alves College);
- Centro Universitário Jorge Amado (UNIJORGE) (Jorge Amado University Center);
- Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública (EBMSP) (Bahian School of Medicine and Public Health)
The city has several language schools of Portuguese for foreigners and English for locals.
Primary and secondary schools
- Marista Academy
- São Paulo Academy
- Anchieta Academy
- Oficina Academy
- Federal Institute of Bahia (IFBA)
- Djalma Pessoa Academy (SESI Piatã)
- Cândido Portinari Academy
- Antônio Vieira Academy, Módulo Academy
- Military College of Salvador
- Sartre COC Academy
- Integral Academy
- 2 de Julho Academy
- Nossa Senhora da Conceição Academy
- Gregor Mendel Academy
- Nossa Senhora das Mercês Academy
- São José Academy
Public Security
The crime rate of Salvador is statistically higher than other Brazilian cities, it has far more crimes than another touristic beach cities in south Brazil, such as Florianopolis , which is considered one of the safest cities in Brazil for tourism.;it was also named the fourteenth most violent city in world.
Salvador is home to the fourth most homicides of any city in Brazil, and this number increased 418% from 2000 to 2010. From 1998 to 2008, the number of homicides of youths between the ages of 15 and 24 increased 435.1%. Gun violence in the state of Bahia more than doubled in the period from 2004 to 2014, and the city ranks the top ten in gun violence of the 26 state capitals of Brazil.
In 2014 the state of Bahia had the largest number of murderers in the country. At the same time, Salvador has one of the lowest rates of suicide in the country.
Culture
Salvador's historical and cultural aspects were inherited by the intermarriage of such ethnic groups as Native-Indian, African and European. This mixture can be seen in the religion, cuisine, cultural manifestations, and custom of Bahia's people. African cultural practices are particularly celebrated.
Cuisine
The local cuisine, spicy and based on seafood (shrimp, fish), strongly relies on typically African ingredients and techniques, and is much appreciated throughout Brazil and internationally. The most typical ingredient is azeite-de-dendê, an oil extracted from a palm tree (Elaeis guineensis) brought from West Africa to Brazil during colonial times.
Using the milky coconut juice, they prepared a variety of seafood based dishes, such as Ensopados, Moquecas and Escabeche. The sugar cane bagasse was mixed with molasses and Rapadura, in the creation of coconut desserts like Cocada Branca and Preta.
The remaining of the Portuguese Stew sauce was mixed with manioc flour to make a mush, which is a traditional Indian dish. In the markets of Salvador, it is possible to find stands selling typical dishes of the colonial era.
In the Sete Portas Market, customers eat Mocotó on Friday nights since the 1940s, when the market was inaugurated. In the restaurants of Mercado Modelo, Sarapatel, stews and several fried dishes are served regularly.
In the São Joaquim, Santa Bárbara and São Miguel markets, there are stands selling typical food. They are also sold at stands located on the beaches, specially crab stews and oysters. The restaurants that sell typical dishes are located mostly along the coast and in Pelourinho. They prepare a wide variety of recipes that take palm tree oil.
Traditional dishes include caruru, vatapá, acarajé, bobó-de-camarão, moqueca baiana, and abará. Some of these dishes, like the acarajé and abará, are also used as offerings in Candomblé rituals.
But Salvador is not only typical food. Other recipes created by the slaves were the Haussá Rice (rice and jerked beef cooked together), the Munguzá, used as offering to the Candomblé deity Oxalá (who is the father of all deities, according to the religion) pleased the matrons very much. So did the Bolinhos the Fubá, the Cuscuz (cornmeal) and the Mingau (porridge).
According to Arany Santana, the African Ipetê (used in the rituals to the deity Oxum) became the Shrimp bobó, and the Akará (honoring the deities Xangô and Iansã) became the world-famous Acarajé. The city has restaurants specialized on international cuisine also. There are also places that serve dishes from other states of Brazil, especially from Minas Gerais and the Northeast region.
Capoeira in Salvador
Capoeira is a unique mix of dance and martial art of Afro-Brazilian origin, combining agile dance moves with unarmed combat techniques. Capoeira in Portuguese literally means "chicken coop". The presence of capoeira in Brazil is directly connected to the importation of African slaves by the Portuguese, and Salvador is considered the home of modern capoeira branches.
In the first half of the 20th century, Salvador-born masters Mestre Bimba and Mestre Pastinha founded capoeira schools and helped standardize and popularize the art in Brazil and the world. The practice of Capoeira was banned in 1892, though in 1937 it was made legal.In recent years, Capoeira has become more international and accessible even in Salvador.
Museums
The streets of Salvador are decorated with numerous murals and sculptures, many of which have been produced by the resident artist Bel Borba, a native of the city.
Carnival
The Bahian Carnival is the largest party on the planet.Its dimensions are gigantic. For an entire week, almost 4 million people celebrate throughout 25 kilometers (16 mi) of streets, avenues, and squares. The direct organization of the party involves the participation of over 100,000 people and Salvador receives an average of over 800,000 visitors.
The affair is heavily policed and covered. Streets are patrolled by lines of police in single file and guarded by seated teams of five or six officers. In 2010, coverage was provided by 4,446 journalists from the local, national, and international press and broadcast to 135 countries through 65 radio stations, 75 magazines, 139 video productions, 97 newspapers (including 21 international papers), 14 tv stations, and 168 websites.
The party official begins when Rei Momo ("King Momo", the King of Carnival) is handed the key to the city in the morning of the Thursday before Mardi Gras. In the Campo Grande, streets are lined with grandstands (camarotes). 60-foot-long trucks known as Trios Eléctricos carry a kick line of scantily-clad dancers along with the city's best-loved performers, such as Ivete Sangalo, Daniela Mercury, Cláudia Leitte, Chiclete com Banana, and Carlinhos Brown.
Much of the music played is axé or samba-reggae. Groups known as blocos participate, with the most famous being the blocos afros such as Malé Debalé, Olodum, and Filhos de Gandhi.
The parades are organized into separate circuits. The Osmar Circuit, the oldest, goes from Campo Grande to Castro Alves Square. The Downtown Circuit runs through downtown and Pelourinho. The Dodô Circuit goes from Farol da Barra to Ondina along the coast.
Since the Osmar Circuit is the oldest, it is where the event's most traditional groups parade. In Dodô, where the artist box seats are located, the party becomes lively toward the end of the afternoon and continues until morning.
Black Bahia Funk Balls play more American music—including English music—than their counterparts in Rio, while Rio's music is considered inferior and less played. The local dancehalls which host the balls are also distinct.
Handcrafts
The handcraft legacy of Bahia using only raw materials (straw, leather, clay, wood, seashells and beads), the most rudimentary crafts are reasonably inexpensive. Other pieces are created with the use of metals like gold, silver, copper and brass.
The most sophisticated ones are ornamented with precious and semi-precious gems. The craftsmen and women generally choose religion as the main theme of their work.
They portray the images of Catholic saints and Candomble deities on their pieces. The good luck charms such as the clenched fist, the four-leaf clover, the garlic and the famous Bonfim ribbons express the city's religious syncretism. Nature is also portrayed on these pieces, reflecting the local wildlife.
Music appears in the atabaque drums, the rain sticks, the water drums and the famous berimbau, along with other typical instruments.
Salvador holds an international reputation as a city where musical instruments that produce unique sounds are made. These instruments are frequently used by world-famous artists in their recording sessions. The main handcrafts production in Salvador is located in Mercado Modelo, which is the biggest handcraft center in Latin America.
Pieces can also be purchased at Instituto de Artesanato de Mauá and at Instituto do Patrimônio Artístico e Cultural (IPAC). These are organizations that promote typical art in Bahia.
Airports
Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport is located in an area of 6,900 square metres (74,271 sq ft) between sand dunes and native vegetation. The airport is located 28 km (17 mi) north of Downtown Salvador and the road to the airport has already become one of the city's main scenic attractions.[104]
Ports
With cargo volume that grows year after year following the same economic development rhythm implemented in the State, the Port of Salvador, located in the Bahia de Todos os Santos, holds status as the port with the highest movement of containers of the North/Northeast and the second-leading fruit exporter in Brazil.
Salvador Metro
Salvador Metro System is in operation since 2014, and its 1st phase was ready since March 2008, between Lapa and Aceso Norte Stations, and in 2009 was ready the metro stations between Estação Accesso Norte and Pirajá. In December 2014 it opened until Retiro. In 2014 the system had 12.5 km (7.8 mi) and 8 stations and have link with the bus system.
The main shareholders in Metro Salvador are the Spanish companies Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, Dimetronic, and ICF. It is expected that Metro Salvador will invest US$150 million in rolling stock and signalling and telecommunications equipment.
The contract covers the first 11.9 km (7.4 mi) line from Pirajá to Lapa, which is due to open in 2003. The project is also financed by a US$150 million World Bank loan and contributions from the federal, Bahia state, and Salvador city governments.
Salvador Metro system was one of the actions of urban mobility to the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The connection of Line 2 with Line 1 of Salvador Metro contributes to connect the International Airport to Downtown Salvador and the Fonte Nova Stadium. The new Line 2 of Salvador Metro integrates the metro stations of the Rótula do Abacaxi and the beach city of Lauro de Freitas in the metropolitan area, passing through the Salvador International Airport, with the Airport metro station.
Highways
The BR-101 and BR-116 federal highways cross Bahia from north to south, connecting Salvador to the rest of the country. At the Feira de Santana junction, take the BR-324 state highway. The capital of Bahia is served by several coach companies from almost every Brazilian state. BR-242, starting at São Roque do Paraguaçu (transversal direction), is linked to BR-116, bound to the middle–west region.
Among the state highways stands BA-099, which makes connection to the north coast and BA-001, which makes connection to the south of Bahia. Buses provide direct service to most major Brazilian cities, including Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Brasília, as well as regional destinations. In 2007, the city had 586,951 vehicles, the largest number of the Northern and Northeastern Brazil. Salvador has 2,500 public buses, and 2 million people are transported every day.
The bus station or Rodoviária of Salvador is located in Iguatemi district, with direct buses to larger cities in the country and to many destinations in the state of Bahia. On the second floor exixts the counters of the different bus companies, on the first floor there is a small supermarket and a 24 hours left luggage. Across the street there is a large shopping center, Iguatemi, with a food court, connected by a pedestrian crossing.
Four paved highways connect the city to the national highway system. Running north from the Farol (lighthouse) de Itapoã are hundreds of miles of wonderful beaches. These beaches are accessible via the BA-099 Highway or (Line of Coconut and Green Line), a (toll) road, kept in excellent condition, running parallel to the coast, with access roads leading off to the coast itself.
The road runs along dunes of snow-white sand, and the coast itself is an almost unbroken line of coconut palms. The communities along this coast range from fishing villages to Praia do Forte.
Neighborhoods
Although the creation of Salvador was masterminded by the Kingdom of Portugal and its project conducted by the Portuguese engineer Luís Dias who was responsible for the city's original design, the continuous growth of the capital through the decades was completely spontaneous.
The walls of the city-fortress could not hold the expansion of the city, towards the Carmo and the area where now stands Castro Alves Square. At the time of its foundation, Salvador had only two squares and the first neighborhood ever built here was the Historic City Center.
Pelourinho and Carmo came subsequently, created as a consequence of the growing need of space that the religious orders had. With the rapid expansion, the neighborhoods grew and many of them were clustered in the same area, so today there are not accurate records as to their exact number. For urban management purposes, the city is currently divided on 17 political-administrative zones.
However, due to their very cultural relevance and to postal conveniences, the importance of the neighborhoods of Salvador remains intact.
Salvador is divided into a number of distinct neighborhoods, with the most well known districts being Pelourinho, Comércio, and Old Downtown, all located in West Zone. Barra, with its Farol da Barra, beaches and which is where one of the Carnival circuits begins, Barra is home of the Portuguese Hospital and Spanish Hospital, the neighborhood is located in South Zone.
Vitória, a neighborhood with many high rise buildings, is located in South Zone. Campo Grande, with its Dois de Julho Square and the monument to Bahia's independence, is also located in South Zone, as is Graça, an important residential area. Ondina, with Salvador's Zoobotanical Garden and the site where the Barra-Ondina Carnival circuit ends, the neighborhood is home of the Spanish Club, is also a neighborhood in the South Zone.
Itaigara, Pituba, Horto Florestal, Caminho das Árvores, Loteamento Aquárius, Brotas, Stiep, Costa Azul, Armação, Jaguaribe and Stella Maris are the wealthiest and the New Downtown neighborhoods in the East Zone and the city. Rio Vermelho, a neighborhood with a rich architectural history and numerous restaurants and bars, is located in the South Zone. Itapoã, known throughout Brazil as the home of Vinicius de Moraes and for being the setting of the song "Tarde em Itapoã", is located in East Zone.
The Northwest area of the city in along the Bay of All Saints, also known as Cidade Baixa ("Lower city"), contains the impoverished suburban neighborhoods of Periperi, Paripe, Lobato, Liberdade, Nova Esperança, and Calçada. The neighborhood of Liberdade (Liberty) has the largest proportion of Afro-Brazilians of Salvador and Brazil.
Pelourinho
The Historic Center of Salvador was designated in 1985 a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.The city represents a fine example the Portuguese urbanism from the middle of the 16th century with its higher administrative town and its lower commercial town, and a large portion of the city has retained the old character of its streets and colourful houses.
As the first capital of Portuguese America, Salvador cultivated slave labor and had its pillories ("pelourinhos") installed in open places like the Terreiro de Jesus and the squares know today as Tomé de Sousa and Castro Alves. The pillories were a symbol of authority and justice for some and of lashings and injustice for the majority.
The one erected for a short time in what is now the Historical Center, and later moved to what is now the Praça da Piedade (Square of Piety), ended up lending its name to the historical and architectural complex of Pelourinho, part of the city's upper town.
Since 1992, the Pelourinho neighborhood has been subject to a nearly US$100 million "restoration" that has led to the rebuilding of hundreds of buildings' façades and the expulsion of the vast majority of the neighborhood's Afro-descendent population.
This process has given rise to substantial political debate in the State of Bahia, since the Pelourinho's former residents have been for the most part excluded from the renovation's economic benefits reaped by a few. A major restoration effort resulted in making the area a tourist attraction.
Salvador's considerable wealth and status during colonial times as capital of the colony during 250 years and which gave rise to the Pelourinho is reflected in the magnificence of its colonial palaces, churches and convents, most of them dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. These include:
- Cathedral of Salvador: Former Jesuit church of the city, built in the second half of the 17th century. Fine example of Mannerist architecture and decoration.
- Convent and Church of São Francisco: Franciscan convent and church dating from the first half of the 18th century is another fine example of the Portuguese colonial architecture. The Baroque decoration of the church is among the finest in Brazil.
- Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim: Rococo church with Neoclassical inner decoration. The image of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim is the most venerated in the city, and the Feast of Our Lord of Good Ending (Festa de Nosso Senhor do Bonfim) in January is the most important in the city after Carnival.
- Mercado Modelo (Model Market): In 1861, at the Cayrú Square, the Customs Building was constructed, with a rotunda (large circular room with a domed ceiling) at the back end, where ships anchored to unload their merchandise.
- Lacerda Elevator (Elevador Lacerda): Inaugurated in 1873, this elevator was planned and built by the businessman Antônio Francisco de Lacerda, The four elevator cages connect the 72 metres (236 ft) between the Thomé de Souza Square in the upper city, and the Cayru Square in the lower city. In each run, which lasts for 22 seconds, the elevator transports 128 persons, 24 hours a day.
Sports
Salvador provides visitors and residents with various sport activities. The Fonte Nova Arena, also known as Estádio Octávio Mangabeira is a football stadium inaugurated on 28 January 1951 in Salvador, Bahia, with a maximum capacity of 66,080 people.
The stadium has now been replaced with a new stadium named Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova with a capacity of 56,000 people. This stadium hosted matches of 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and the subsequent 2014 FIFA World Cup, and will host football competition in the 2016 Summer Olympics. The stadium is owned by the Bahia government, and is the home ground of Esporte Clube Bahia.
Its formal name honors Octávio Cavalcanti Mangabeira, a civil engineer, journalist, and former Bahia state governor from 1947 to 1954. The stadium is nicknamed Fonte Nova, because it is located at Ladeira das Fontes das Pedras. The stadium was in 2007 closed due to an accident, and the E.C. Bahia home matches now happen in another stadium, in Pituaçu.
Esporte Clube Bahia and Esporte Clube Vitória are Salvador's main football teams. Bahia has won 2 national titles, Brazil Trophy in 1959 and the Brazilian League in 1988, while Vitória was a runner up in the Brazilian league in 1993 and Brazil Cup in 2010.
Salvador has two large green areas for the practice of golf. Cajazeiras Golf and Country Club has an 18-hole course, instructors, caddies and equipment for rent. Itapuã Golf club, located in the area of the Sofitel Hotel, has a 9-hole course, equipment store, caddies and clubs for rent.
Tennis is very popular among Salvador's elites,with a great number of players and tournaments in the city's private clubs. Brasil Open, the country's most important tournament happens every year in Bahia.
During the last decades, volleyball has grown steadily in Salvador, especially after the gold medal won by Brazil in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.The most important tournaments in Bahia are the State Championship, the State League tournament and the Primavera Games, and the main teams are Associação Atlética da Bahia, Bahiano de Tênis, and Clube the Regatas Itapagipe.
There are also beach volleyball events. Salvador has housed many international tournaments. Federação Bahina de Voleibol (the state league) can inform the schedule of tournaments. Bowling is practiced both by teenagers and adults in Salvador. Boliche do Aeroclube and Space Bowling are equipped with automatic lanes as well as a complete bar infrastructure.
Bahia's basketball league exists since 1993 and has 57 teams. The sport is very popular in the city of Salvador, especially among students.There are several courts scattered across the city, where is possible to play for free, like the one located at Bahia Sol square, where people play.
There are also several gymnasiums, in clubs like Bahiano de Tênis and Associação Atlética and the Antonio Balbino Gymnasiums, popularly known as "Balbininho", which is an arena that can hold up to 7,000 people.
Todos os Santos Bay and Salvador's climatic conditions are ideal for competition and recreational sailing. The city is equipped with good infrastructure for practice of sailing, such as rental and sale of dock space, boat maintenance, restaurants, snack bar, convenience stores, nautical products stores, boat rental agencies, VHF and SSB communication systems, events, and total assistance to crews.
The large number of sailing events organized by clubs and syndicates, like oceanic races and typical boats wooden fishing boats and canoes races, demonstrates the sport's growing force. Currently, Salvador has a national racing schedule with dozens of events, also receiving the Mini Transat 6.50 and Les Illes du Soleil races.
Rowing boat races started in the city more than a hundred years ago.It was originally practiced by young men from traditional families, who spent their summer vacations there. The sport is a leisure option in Cidade Baixa,the lower part of the city. Esporte Clube Vitória and Clube São Salvador were the pioneers in the sport.
Nowadays, these two entities and also Clube de Regatas Itapagipe lead the competitions that take place in the city. With the recent renovation of the Dique do Tororó area, Salvador received new lanes for the practice of the sport.
Popular Residents
- Ivete Sangalo, singer.
- Singer and politician Gilberto Gil
- Castro Alves, poet.
- Jorge Amado, writer.
- Ruy Barbosa de Oliveira, writer, jurist and politician.
- Maria Bethânia, singer.
- Simone Bittencourt, singer.
- Carlinhos Brown, singer.
- Dorival Caymmi, singer.
- Elsimar M. Coutinho, scientist and professor.
- Gal Costa, singer.
- Irmã Dulce, Catholic nun.
- Priscila Fantin, actress
- Adriana Ferreyr, actress.
- Óscar Freire, physician and professor.
- Acelino Freitas, boxer.
- Bebeto Gama, football forward.
- Gilberto Gil, singer.
- João Gilberto, musician.
- Dias Gomes, playwright.
- Tony Kanaan, race car driver.
- Cláudia Leitte, singer.
- Adriana Lima, supermodel.
- Manuel dos Reis Machado (Bimba), capoeira master.
- Lyoto Machida, mixed martial artist.
- Antônio Carlos Magalhães, politician.
- Gregório de Mattos, poet.
- Margareth Menezes, singer.
- Daniela Mercury, musician.
- Wagner Moura, actor.
- Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira, (Minotauro), MMA fighter.
- Amanda Nunes, mixed martial artist in UFC.
- Paquito, musician.
- Vicente Ferreira Pastinha, capoeira master.
- Pitty, musician.
- Lázaro Ramos, actor.
- João Ubaldo Ribeiro, writer.
- Glauber Rocha, movie director.
- Dante Bonfim Costa Santos, professional footballer.
- Junior dos Santos, mixed martial artist.
- Lateef Crowder Dos Santos, Capoeira practitioner
- Marcos Andre Batista Santos (Vampeta), soccer player.
- Milton Santos, geographer.
- Ricardo Santos, beach volleyball player.
- Raul Seixas, musician.
- Nelson de Jesus Silva (Dida), soccer goalkeeper.
- Hugo Viana mixed martial aritst in UFC
- Edvaldo Valério, swimmer.
- Caetano Veloso, musician.
- Antônio Carlos Vovô, leader of Ilê Aiyê Afro Bloco.
- Tom Zé, musician.
Founded by the Portuguese in 1549 as the first capital of Brazil, Salvador is one of the oldest colonial cities in the Americas. A sharp escarpment divides its Lower Town, Cidade Baixa from its Upper Town Cidade Alta by some 85 meters (279 ft).
The Elevador Lacerda, Brazil's first elevator, has connected the two since 1873. The Pelourinho district of the upper town, still home to many examples of Portuguese colonial architecture and historical monuments, was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985.
The city's cathedral is the see of the primate of Brazil and its Carnival celebration has been reckoned as the largest party in the world.
Salvador was the first slave port in the Americas and the African influence of the slaves' descendants makes it a center of Afro-Brazilian preto culture.
The city is noted for its cuisine, music, and architecture. Porto da Barra Beach in Barra has been named one of the best beaches in the world. Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova was the site of the city's games during the 2014 Brazilian World Cup.
Salvador forms the heart of the Recôncavo, Bahia's rich agricultural and industrial maritime district, and continues to be a major Brazilian port. Its metropolitan area, housing 3,953,290 people (2015) forms the wealthiest one in Brazil's Northeast Region.
Salvador lies on a small, roughly triangular peninsula that separates the Bay of All Saints from the Atlantic Ocean. The bay is the largest in Brazil and the 2nd-largest in the world.
It was first reached by Gaspar de Lemos in 1501, just one year after Cabral's purported discovery of Brazil.During his second voyage for Portugal, the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci sighted the bay on All Saints' Day November 1 1502 and, in honor of the date and his parish church in Florence, he named it the Bay of the Holy Savior of All the Saints.
The first European to settle nearby was Diogo Álvares Correia ("Caramuru"),who was shipwrecked off the end of the peninsula in 1509. He lived among the Tupinambá, marrying Guaibimpara and others.
In 1531, Martim Afonso de Sousa led an expedition from Mount St Paul (Morro de São Paulo) and, in 1534, Francisco Pereira Coutinho, the first captain of Bahia, established the settlement of Pereira in modern Salvador's Ladeira da Barra neighborhood. Mistreatment of the Tupinambá by the settlers caused them to turn hostile and the Portuguese were forced to flee to Porto Seguro c. 1546.
An attempted restoration of the colony the next year ended in shipwreck and cannibalism.
The present city was established as the fortress of São Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos ("Holy Savior of the Bay of All Saints").
In 1549 by Portuguese settlers under Tomé de Sousa, Brazil's first governor-general.It is one of the oldest cities founded by Europeans in the Americas. From a cliff overlooking the Bay of All Saints,it served as Brazil's first capital and quickly became a major port for its slave trade and sugarcane industry.
Salvador was long divided into an upper and a lower city, divided by a sharp escarpment some 85 meters (279 ft) high. The upper city formed the administrative, religious, and primary residential districts while the lower city was the commercial center, with a port and market.
In the Catholic Church, Brazil and the rest of the Portuguese Empire were initially administered as part of the Diocese of Funchal in Portugal but, in 1551, Salvador became the seat of the first Catholic diocese erected in Brazil. The first parish church was the mud-and-thatch Church of Our Lady of Help (Igreja da Nossa Senhora da Ajuda) erected by the Jesuits, which served as the first cathedral of the diocese until the Jesuits finished construction of the original basilica on the Terreiro de Jesus in 1553.
Its bishop was made independent of Lisbon at the request of King Pedro II in 1676; he served as the primate of Congo and Angola until the elevation of Luanda on 13 January 1844 and still serves as the national primate of Brazil.
In 1572, the Governorate of Brazil was divided into the separate governorates of Bahia in the north and Rio de Janeiro in the south.
These were reunited as Brazil six years later, then redivided from 1607 to 1613. By that time, Portugal had become united with Spain and was ruled from Madrid by its kings. In 1621, King Philip III replaced the Governorate of Brazil with the states of Brazil, still based in Salvador and now controlling the south, and the Maranhão, which was centered on São Luís and controlled what is now northern Brazil.
As Spain was then prosecuting a war against the independence of the Dutch, the Dutch East and West India companies tried to conquer Brazil from them. Salvador played a strategically vital role against Dutch Brazil, but was captured and sacked by a West India Company fleet under Jacob Willekens and Piet Hein on 10 May 1624.
Johan van Dorth administered the colony before his assassination, freeing its slaves. The city was recaptured by a Luso-Spanish fleet under Fadrique Álvarez de Toledo y Mendoza on 1 May 1625. John Maurice's two subsequent attempts to retake the town in April and May of 1638 were unsuccessful.
In 1763, the colonial administration was removed to Rio de Janeiro and elevated to a viceroyalty. Salvador remained the heart of the Recôncavo, Bahia's rich agricultural maritime district, but was largely outside Brazil's early modernization. The area formed a center of royal support against Pedro I's declaration of independence on September 7, 1822. Its elites initially remained loyal to the Portuguese crown while rebels from Cachoeira besieged them for a year until finally receiving Portugal's surrender of the town on July 2, 1823, which is now celebrated as Bahia Independence Day.
The local elite was similarly hesitant during Manuel Deodoro da Fonseca's coup that established the republic by in 1889.
Owing to whales' use of the Bay of All Saints as a mating ground, Salvador became a large whaling port during the 19th century but the trade had already begun to fall off by the 1870s.
Under the empire and republic, however, the town slowly began to industrialize. In 1873, Brazil's first elevator, the powerful hydraulic Elevador Lacerda, was constructed to connect the city's upper and lower towns.Having undergone several upgrades, it continues in use.
By the First World War, it was joined by a second elevator and Salvador was connected to four railroads: the Bahia & Alagoinhas to Joazeiro, the Bahia Central, the Nazareth Tramway, and a short line to Santo Amaro.
Its central districts and the major suburbs of Bomsim and Victoria were served by four streetcar lines,which had begun to electrify. It also served as a port of call for most steamship lines trading between Europe and South America.
In 1985, UNESCO listed the city's Pelourinho neighborhood as a World Heritage Site.In the 1990s, a major municipal project cleaned and restored the neighborhood in order to develop it as the cultural center and heart of the city's tourist trade. The development of the Historical Center, however, involved the forced removal of thousands of working-class residents and now necessitates local and municipal events in order to attract people to the area.
The relocated workers, meanwhile, have encountered significant economic hardship in their new homes on the city's periphery, separated from access to work and civic amenities.
In 2007, Porto da Barra Beach in Barra was named by the British Guardian newspaper as the 3rd-best beach in the world. In 2010, the city hosted the 12th UN Congress on Crime Prevention. The city hosted the 2013 Confederations Cup and was one of the host cities of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil at its Arena Fonte Nova.As part of its preparations for the World Cup, the city reestablished its public transportation lines as the Salvador Metro.
Salvador has a tropical rainforest climate with no discernible dry season due to no month having an average rainfall of less than 60 mm. Temperatures are relatively constant throughout the course of the year.
Salvador's driest month of the year is September, when the city receives on average 10 cm (4 in) of precipitation. Salvador's wettest months are between April and June when at least 20 cm (8 in) of rain falls during each of these four months.
In 2010, the city of Salvador was the third-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The city had 474,827 opposite-sex couples and 1,595 same-sex couples. The population of Salvador was 53.3% female and 46.7% male.
According to the 2010 IBGE Census, there were 2,675,000 people residing in the city of Salvador.The census revealed the following self-identification: 1,382,543 persons identify as Pardo (Multiracial) (51.7%); 743,718 as Black (27.8%); 505,645 as White (18.9%); 35,785 as Asian (1.3%); and 7,563 as Amerindian(0.3%).
Salvador's population is the result of 500 years of miscegenation. The majority of the population has African, European and Native American roots. The African ancestry of the city is from Angola, Benin, Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Senegal and Mozambique.
According to an autosomal DNA study from 2008, the ancestral heritage of the population of Salvador was estimated to be 49.20% African, 36.30% European and 14.50% Native American.The study also analyzed the genetic backgrounds of people by type of surname. Those with surnames with a religious connotation were 53.1% African in genetic ancestry and tended to be in lower economic classes.
During the colonial era, it was typical practice for Portuguese priests and missionaries to baptize converted African slaves and Native Americans with surnames of religious connotations. These have been passed down to their descendants.
A 2015 autosomal DNA study found out the following ancestral composition in Salvador: 50.5% of African ancestry, 42.4% of European ancestry and 5.8% of Native American ancestry. The researchers explained they oversampled individuals living in poor environments.
Another 2015 autosomal DNA found out Salvador to be 50.8% African, 42.9% European and 6.4% Native American.
And another autosomal DNA study, also in 2015, found out Salvador to be: 50.8% European, 40.5% African and 8.7% Native American.
In Salvador, religion is a major contact point between Portuguese and African influences and, in the last 20 years, Brazil's version of a North American-influenced Pentecostalism. Salvador was the seat of the first bishopric in colonial Brazil (established 1551), and the first bishop, Pero Fernandes Sardinha, arrived already in.
The Jesuits, led by the Manuel da Nóbrega, also arrived in the 16th century and worked in converting the Indigenous peoples of the region to Roman Catholicism.
Many religious orders came to the city, following its foundation: Franciscans, Benedictines and Carmelites. Subsequently, to them are created the Third Orders, the Brotherhoods, and Fraternities, which were composed mainly of professional and social groups.
The most prominent of these orders were the Terceira do Carmo Order and the de São Francisco Order, founded by white men, and the Nossa Senhora do Rosário and São Beneditino Brotherhoods, composed of black men.In many churches maintained by religious men, were housed the Santíssimo Sacramento brotherhoods.
Besides these organizations, the expansion of Catholicism in the city was consolidated through social care work. Santa Casa the Misericórdia was one of the institution that did this kind of work, maintaining hospitals, shelters for the poor and the elderly, as well providing assistance to convicts and to those who would face death penalties.
The convents, on their part, were cultural and religious formation centers, offering seminar coursed that often were attended by the lay.
Even with the present evolution, and the growth of Protestantism and other religions in the city, the Catholic faith remains as one of its most distinctive features, drawing a lot of people to its hundreds of churches. Some aspects, like the use of Portuguese in the Masses, the simplification of the liturgy, and the adoption of "pop" religious songs are key factors to the triumph of Catholicism.
In the Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos Church, Masses are held in the Yorubá language, making use of African chants and typical clothes, which attract many people from the African Brazilian communities.
Most enslaved Africans in Bahia were brought from Sub-Saharan Africa, especially the Yoruba-speaking nation from present-day Benin.
The enslaved were forced to convert to Roman Catholicism, but their original religion Yorùbá was combined with Roman Catholicism to make the syncretic religion known as, Candomblé, which has survived in spite of prohibitions and persecutions.
The enslaved Africans managed to preserve their religion by attributing the names and characteristics of their Yorùbá deities to Catholic saints with similar qualities. Still today all Candomble sessions are conducted in Yoruba, not Portuguese.
These religious entities have been syncretised with some Catholic entities. For instance, Salvador's Feast of Bonfim, celebrated in January, is dedicated to both Our Lord of Bonfim (Jesus Christ) and Oxalá.
Another important feast is the Feast de Yemanja every 2 February, on the shores of the borough of Rio Vermelho in Salvador, on the day the church celebrates
Our Lady of the Navigators. 8 December, Immaculate Conception Day for Catholics, is also commonly dedicated to Yemanja' with votive offerings made in the sea throughout the Brazilian coast.
Religion
Catholic - 51.55%
Protestant - 19.59%
No religion - 17.64%
Spiritist - 3.23%
Umbanda and Candomblé - 1.05%
Jewish - 0.04%
Throughout Brazilian history Salvador has played an important role. Because of its location on Brazil's northeastern coast, the city served as an important link in the Portuguese empire throughout the colonial era, maintaining close commercial ties with Portugal and Portuguese colonies in Africa and Asia.
Salvador remained the preeminent city in Brazil until 1763 when it was replaced as the national capital by Rio de Janeiro. In the last ten years many high-rise office and apartment buildings were constructed, sharing the same blocks with colonial-era housing or commercial buildings.
With its beaches, humid tropical climate, numerous up-to-date shopping malls (The Shopping Iguatemi was the first Shopping in Northeastern Brazil) and pleasant high-class residential areas, the city has much to offer its residents.
Economically Salvador is one of Brazil's more important cities. Since its founding the city has been one of Brazil's most prominent ports and international trading centers. Boasting a large oil refinery, a petrochemical plant and other important industries, the city has made great strides in reducing its historical dependence on agriculture for its prosperity.
Salvador is the second most popular tourism destination in Brazil, after Rio de Janeiro. Tourism and cultural activity are important generators of employment and income, boosting the arts and the preservation of artistic and cultural heritage.
Chief among the points of interest are its famous Pelourinho,named after the colonial pillories that once stood there , its historic churches, and its beaches. Salvador's tourism infrastructure is considered one of the most modern in World, especially in terms of lodging.
The city offers accommodation to suit all tastes and standards, from youth hostels to international hotels. Construction is one of the most important activities in the city, and many international mainly from Spain, Portugal and England,national developers are investing in the city and in the Bahian littoral zone.
Ford Motor Company has a plant in the Metropolitan Region of Salvador, in the city of Camaçari, assembling the Ford EcoSport, Ford Fiesta, Ford Fiesta Sedan. It was the first Automotive industry in Northeastern Brazil. The industry employs 800 engineers.
JAC Motors will have a plant in the Metropolitan Region of Salvador, in the city of Camaçari, the new industry will result 3,500 direct jobs and 10,000 indirect jobs, the production of 100,000 vehicles by year.
In December 2001, Monsanto Company inaugurated, at the Petrochemical Pole of Camaçari, in Metropolitan Region of Salvador, the first plant of the company designed to produce raw materials for the herbicide Roundup in South America. The investment is equivalent to US$500 millions; US$350 millions were spent in this initial phase.
The Camaçari Plant, the largest unit of Monsanto outside of the United States, is also the only Monsanto plant manufacturing raw materials for the Roundup production line. The company started the civil works for the new plant in January 2000.
Tourism And Leisure
The Salvador coastline is one of the longest for cities in Brazil. There are 80 km (50 mi) of beaches distributed between the High City and the Low City, from Inema, in the railroad suburb to the Praia do Flamengo, on the other side of town. While the Low City beaches are bordered by the waters of the All Saints Bay the country's most extensive bay, the High City beaches, from Farol da Barra to Flamengo, are bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. The exception is Porto da Barra Beach, the only High City beach located in the All Saints Bay.
The capital's beaches range from calm inlets, ideal for swimming, sailing, diving and underwater fishing, as well as open sea inlets with strong waves, sought by surfers. There are also beaches surrounded by reefs, forming natural pools of stone, ideal for children.
Attractions Near Salvador Include:
- According to the British newspaper The Guardian, in 2007, Porto da Barra Beach was the third best in the world.
- The large island of Itaparica in the Bay of All Saints can be visited either by a car-ferry, or a smaller foot-passenger ferry, which leaves from near the Mercado Modelo near the Lacerda Elevator.
- BA-099 Highway, or "Line of Coconut" and "Green Line" of towns and cities, with exquisite beaches, north of Salvador heading towards Sergipe state.
- Morro de São Paulo in the Valença region across the Bay of All Saints – an island that can be reached by ferry from Salvador (2 hours), by plane, or by bus to Valença and then by 'Rapido' ('fast') speedboat or smaller ferry. Morro de São Paulo is formed by five villages of the Tinharé Island.
The city is served by many shopping malls, including Shopping Iguatemi, Salvador Shopping,Shopping Barra, and Shopping Paralela.
Salvador has four parks, green areas protected, as Jardim dos Namorados Park, Costa Azul Park, Park of the City, Park of Pituaçu.
Jardim dos Namorados is located right next to Costa Azul Park and occupies an area of 15 hectares in Pituba, where many families used to spend their vacations in the 1950s. It was inaugurated in 1969, initially as a leisure area. It underwent a complete renovation in the 1990s, with the construction of an amphitheater with room for 500 people, sports courts, playgrounds and parking for cars and tourist buses.
Park of the City is an important preservation area of the Atlantic forest. It was completely renovated in 2001, becoming a modern social, cultural and leisure place. The new park has 720 square meter of green area right in the middle of the city. Among the attractions are Praça das Flores or Flowers square, with more than five thousand ornamental plants and flowers.
Besides its environment, the park has an infrastructure for children, with a special schedule of events taking place every October.
Created by state decree in 1973, Pituaçu Park occupies an area of 450 hectares and is one of the few Brazilian ecological parks located in an urban area. It is surrounded by Atlantic forest, with a good variety of plants and animals. There is also an artificial pond in the park, built in 1906 along with the Pituaçu Dam, whose purpose was to supply water to the city.
There are a number of possible leisure activities, ranging from cycloboats rides on the pond, to a 38 km (24 mi) long cycloway circling the entire reserve. A museum is also located in the park. Espaço Cravo is an outdoor museum with 800 pieces created by Mario Cravo, comprising Totems, winged and three-dimensional figures, as well as drawings and paintings.
Educational Institutions
There are international schools, such as the Pan American School of Bahia.
The city has multiple universities:
- Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA) (Federal University of Bahia);
- Universidade Católica do Salvador (UCSal) (Catholic University of Salvador);
- Universidade do Estado da Bahia (UNEB) (Bahia State University);
- Universidade Salvador (UNIFACS) (Salvador University);
- Faculdade de Tecnologia e Ciências (FTC) (College of Technology and Science);
- Instituto Federal da Bahia (IFBA) (Federal Institute of Bahia);
- Faculdade Ruy Barbosa (FRB) (Ruy Barbosa College);
- Campus Integrado de Manufatura e Tecnologia (CIMATEC) (Integrated Campus of Manufacturing and Technology);
- Faculdade Castro Alves (FCA) (Castro Alves College);
- Centro Universitário Jorge Amado (UNIJORGE) (Jorge Amado University Center);
- Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública (EBMSP) (Bahian School of Medicine and Public Health)
The city has several language schools of Portuguese for foreigners and English for locals.
Primary and secondary schools
- Marista Academy
- São Paulo Academy
- Anchieta Academy
- Oficina Academy
- Federal Institute of Bahia (IFBA)
- Djalma Pessoa Academy (SESI Piatã)
- Cândido Portinari Academy
- Antônio Vieira Academy, Módulo Academy
- Military College of Salvador
- Sartre COC Academy
- Integral Academy
- 2 de Julho Academy
- Nossa Senhora da Conceição Academy
- Gregor Mendel Academy
- Nossa Senhora das Mercês Academy
- São José Academy
Public Security
The crime rate of Salvador is statistically higher than other Brazilian cities, it has far more crimes than another touristic beach cities in south Brazil, such as Florianopolis , which is considered one of the safest cities in Brazil for tourism.;it was also named the fourteenth most violent city in world.
Salvador is home to the fourth most homicides of any city in Brazil, and this number increased 418% from 2000 to 2010. From 1998 to 2008, the number of homicides of youths between the ages of 15 and 24 increased 435.1%. Gun violence in the state of Bahia more than doubled in the period from 2004 to 2014, and the city ranks the top ten in gun violence of the 26 state capitals of Brazil.
In 2014 the state of Bahia had the largest number of murderers in the country. At the same time, Salvador has one of the lowest rates of suicide in the country.
Culture
Salvador's historical and cultural aspects were inherited by the intermarriage of such ethnic groups as Native-Indian, African and European. This mixture can be seen in the religion, cuisine, cultural manifestations, and custom of Bahia's people. African cultural practices are particularly celebrated.
Cuisine
The local cuisine, spicy and based on seafood (shrimp, fish), strongly relies on typically African ingredients and techniques, and is much appreciated throughout Brazil and internationally. The most typical ingredient is azeite-de-dendê, an oil extracted from a palm tree (Elaeis guineensis) brought from West Africa to Brazil during colonial times.
Using the milky coconut juice, they prepared a variety of seafood based dishes, such as Ensopados, Moquecas and Escabeche. The sugar cane bagasse was mixed with molasses and Rapadura, in the creation of coconut desserts like Cocada Branca and Preta.
The remaining of the Portuguese Stew sauce was mixed with manioc flour to make a mush, which is a traditional Indian dish. In the markets of Salvador, it is possible to find stands selling typical dishes of the colonial era.
In the Sete Portas Market, customers eat Mocotó on Friday nights since the 1940s, when the market was inaugurated. In the restaurants of Mercado Modelo, Sarapatel, stews and several fried dishes are served regularly.
In the São Joaquim, Santa Bárbara and São Miguel markets, there are stands selling typical food. They are also sold at stands located on the beaches, specially crab stews and oysters. The restaurants that sell typical dishes are located mostly along the coast and in Pelourinho. They prepare a wide variety of recipes that take palm tree oil.
Traditional dishes include caruru, vatapá, acarajé, bobó-de-camarão, moqueca baiana, and abará. Some of these dishes, like the acarajé and abará, are also used as offerings in Candomblé rituals.
But Salvador is not only typical food. Other recipes created by the slaves were the Haussá Rice (rice and jerked beef cooked together), the Munguzá, used as offering to the Candomblé deity Oxalá (who is the father of all deities, according to the religion) pleased the matrons very much. So did the Bolinhos the Fubá, the Cuscuz (cornmeal) and the Mingau (porridge).
According to Arany Santana, the African Ipetê (used in the rituals to the deity Oxum) became the Shrimp bobó, and the Akará (honoring the deities Xangô and Iansã) became the world-famous Acarajé. The city has restaurants specialized on international cuisine also. There are also places that serve dishes from other states of Brazil, especially from Minas Gerais and the Northeast region.
Capoeira in Salvador
Capoeira is a unique mix of dance and martial art of Afro-Brazilian origin, combining agile dance moves with unarmed combat techniques. Capoeira in Portuguese literally means "chicken coop". The presence of capoeira in Brazil is directly connected to the importation of African slaves by the Portuguese, and Salvador is considered the home of modern capoeira branches.
In the first half of the 20th century, Salvador-born masters Mestre Bimba and Mestre Pastinha founded capoeira schools and helped standardize and popularize the art in Brazil and the world. The practice of Capoeira was banned in 1892, though in 1937 it was made legal.In recent years, Capoeira has become more international and accessible even in Salvador.
Museums
The streets of Salvador are decorated with numerous murals and sculptures, many of which have been produced by the resident artist Bel Borba, a native of the city.
Carnival
The Bahian Carnival is the largest party on the planet.Its dimensions are gigantic. For an entire week, almost 4 million people celebrate throughout 25 kilometers (16 mi) of streets, avenues, and squares. The direct organization of the party involves the participation of over 100,000 people and Salvador receives an average of over 800,000 visitors.
The affair is heavily policed and covered. Streets are patrolled by lines of police in single file and guarded by seated teams of five or six officers. In 2010, coverage was provided by 4,446 journalists from the local, national, and international press and broadcast to 135 countries through 65 radio stations, 75 magazines, 139 video productions, 97 newspapers (including 21 international papers), 14 tv stations, and 168 websites.
The party official begins when Rei Momo ("King Momo", the King of Carnival) is handed the key to the city in the morning of the Thursday before Mardi Gras. In the Campo Grande, streets are lined with grandstands (camarotes). 60-foot-long trucks known as Trios Eléctricos carry a kick line of scantily-clad dancers along with the city's best-loved performers, such as Ivete Sangalo, Daniela Mercury, Cláudia Leitte, Chiclete com Banana, and Carlinhos Brown.
Much of the music played is axé or samba-reggae. Groups known as blocos participate, with the most famous being the blocos afros such as Malé Debalé, Olodum, and Filhos de Gandhi.
The parades are organized into separate circuits. The Osmar Circuit, the oldest, goes from Campo Grande to Castro Alves Square. The Downtown Circuit runs through downtown and Pelourinho. The Dodô Circuit goes from Farol da Barra to Ondina along the coast.
Since the Osmar Circuit is the oldest, it is where the event's most traditional groups parade. In Dodô, where the artist box seats are located, the party becomes lively toward the end of the afternoon and continues until morning.
Black Bahia Funk Balls play more American music—including English music—than their counterparts in Rio, while Rio's music is considered inferior and less played. The local dancehalls which host the balls are also distinct.
Handcrafts
The handcraft legacy of Bahia using only raw materials (straw, leather, clay, wood, seashells and beads), the most rudimentary crafts are reasonably inexpensive. Other pieces are created with the use of metals like gold, silver, copper and brass.
The most sophisticated ones are ornamented with precious and semi-precious gems. The craftsmen and women generally choose religion as the main theme of their work.
They portray the images of Catholic saints and Candomble deities on their pieces. The good luck charms such as the clenched fist, the four-leaf clover, the garlic and the famous Bonfim ribbons express the city's religious syncretism. Nature is also portrayed on these pieces, reflecting the local wildlife.
Music appears in the atabaque drums, the rain sticks, the water drums and the famous berimbau, along with other typical instruments.
Salvador holds an international reputation as a city where musical instruments that produce unique sounds are made. These instruments are frequently used by world-famous artists in their recording sessions. The main handcrafts production in Salvador is located in Mercado Modelo, which is the biggest handcraft center in Latin America.
Pieces can also be purchased at Instituto de Artesanato de Mauá and at Instituto do Patrimônio Artístico e Cultural (IPAC). These are organizations that promote typical art in Bahia.
Airports
Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport is located in an area of 6,900 square metres (74,271 sq ft) between sand dunes and native vegetation. The airport is located 28 km (17 mi) north of Downtown Salvador and the road to the airport has already become one of the city's main scenic attractions.[104]
Ports
With cargo volume that grows year after year following the same economic development rhythm implemented in the State, the Port of Salvador, located in the Bahia de Todos os Santos, holds status as the port with the highest movement of containers of the North/Northeast and the second-leading fruit exporter in Brazil.
Salvador Metro
Salvador Metro System is in operation since 2014, and its 1st phase was ready since March 2008, between Lapa and Aceso Norte Stations, and in 2009 was ready the metro stations between Estação Accesso Norte and Pirajá. In December 2014 it opened until Retiro. In 2014 the system had 12.5 km (7.8 mi) and 8 stations and have link with the bus system.
The main shareholders in Metro Salvador are the Spanish companies Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, Dimetronic, and ICF. It is expected that Metro Salvador will invest US$150 million in rolling stock and signalling and telecommunications equipment.
The contract covers the first 11.9 km (7.4 mi) line from Pirajá to Lapa, which is due to open in 2003. The project is also financed by a US$150 million World Bank loan and contributions from the federal, Bahia state, and Salvador city governments.
Salvador Metro system was one of the actions of urban mobility to the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The connection of Line 2 with Line 1 of Salvador Metro contributes to connect the International Airport to Downtown Salvador and the Fonte Nova Stadium. The new Line 2 of Salvador Metro integrates the metro stations of the Rótula do Abacaxi and the beach city of Lauro de Freitas in the metropolitan area, passing through the Salvador International Airport, with the Airport metro station.
Highways
The BR-101 and BR-116 federal highways cross Bahia from north to south, connecting Salvador to the rest of the country. At the Feira de Santana junction, take the BR-324 state highway. The capital of Bahia is served by several coach companies from almost every Brazilian state. BR-242, starting at São Roque do Paraguaçu (transversal direction), is linked to BR-116, bound to the middle–west region.
Among the state highways stands BA-099, which makes connection to the north coast and BA-001, which makes connection to the south of Bahia. Buses provide direct service to most major Brazilian cities, including Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Brasília, as well as regional destinations. In 2007, the city had 586,951 vehicles, the largest number of the Northern and Northeastern Brazil. Salvador has 2,500 public buses, and 2 million people are transported every day.
The bus station or Rodoviária of Salvador is located in Iguatemi district, with direct buses to larger cities in the country and to many destinations in the state of Bahia. On the second floor exixts the counters of the different bus companies, on the first floor there is a small supermarket and a 24 hours left luggage. Across the street there is a large shopping center, Iguatemi, with a food court, connected by a pedestrian crossing.
Four paved highways connect the city to the national highway system. Running north from the Farol (lighthouse) de Itapoã are hundreds of miles of wonderful beaches. These beaches are accessible via the BA-099 Highway or (Line of Coconut and Green Line), a (toll) road, kept in excellent condition, running parallel to the coast, with access roads leading off to the coast itself.
The road runs along dunes of snow-white sand, and the coast itself is an almost unbroken line of coconut palms. The communities along this coast range from fishing villages to Praia do Forte.
Neighborhoods
Although the creation of Salvador was masterminded by the Kingdom of Portugal and its project conducted by the Portuguese engineer Luís Dias who was responsible for the city's original design, the continuous growth of the capital through the decades was completely spontaneous.
The walls of the city-fortress could not hold the expansion of the city, towards the Carmo and the area where now stands Castro Alves Square. At the time of its foundation, Salvador had only two squares and the first neighborhood ever built here was the Historic City Center.
Pelourinho and Carmo came subsequently, created as a consequence of the growing need of space that the religious orders had. With the rapid expansion, the neighborhoods grew and many of them were clustered in the same area, so today there are not accurate records as to their exact number. For urban management purposes, the city is currently divided on 17 political-administrative zones.
However, due to their very cultural relevance and to postal conveniences, the importance of the neighborhoods of Salvador remains intact.
Salvador is divided into a number of distinct neighborhoods, with the most well known districts being Pelourinho, Comércio, and Old Downtown, all located in West Zone. Barra, with its Farol da Barra, beaches and which is where one of the Carnival circuits begins, Barra is home of the Portuguese Hospital and Spanish Hospital, the neighborhood is located in South Zone.
Vitória, a neighborhood with many high rise buildings, is located in South Zone. Campo Grande, with its Dois de Julho Square and the monument to Bahia's independence, is also located in South Zone, as is Graça, an important residential area. Ondina, with Salvador's Zoobotanical Garden and the site where the Barra-Ondina Carnival circuit ends, the neighborhood is home of the Spanish Club, is also a neighborhood in the South Zone.
Itaigara, Pituba, Horto Florestal, Caminho das Árvores, Loteamento Aquárius, Brotas, Stiep, Costa Azul, Armação, Jaguaribe and Stella Maris are the wealthiest and the New Downtown neighborhoods in the East Zone and the city. Rio Vermelho, a neighborhood with a rich architectural history and numerous restaurants and bars, is located in the South Zone. Itapoã, known throughout Brazil as the home of Vinicius de Moraes and for being the setting of the song "Tarde em Itapoã", is located in East Zone.
The Northwest area of the city in along the Bay of All Saints, also known as Cidade Baixa ("Lower city"), contains the impoverished suburban neighborhoods of Periperi, Paripe, Lobato, Liberdade, Nova Esperança, and Calçada. The neighborhood of Liberdade (Liberty) has the largest proportion of Afro-Brazilians of Salvador and Brazil.
Pelourinho
The Historic Center of Salvador was designated in 1985 a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.The city represents a fine example the Portuguese urbanism from the middle of the 16th century with its higher administrative town and its lower commercial town, and a large portion of the city has retained the old character of its streets and colourful houses.
As the first capital of Portuguese America, Salvador cultivated slave labor and had its pillories ("pelourinhos") installed in open places like the Terreiro de Jesus and the squares know today as Tomé de Sousa and Castro Alves. The pillories were a symbol of authority and justice for some and of lashings and injustice for the majority.
The one erected for a short time in what is now the Historical Center, and later moved to what is now the Praça da Piedade (Square of Piety), ended up lending its name to the historical and architectural complex of Pelourinho, part of the city's upper town.
Since 1992, the Pelourinho neighborhood has been subject to a nearly US$100 million "restoration" that has led to the rebuilding of hundreds of buildings' façades and the expulsion of the vast majority of the neighborhood's Afro-descendent population.
This process has given rise to substantial political debate in the State of Bahia, since the Pelourinho's former residents have been for the most part excluded from the renovation's economic benefits reaped by a few. A major restoration effort resulted in making the area a tourist attraction.
Salvador's considerable wealth and status during colonial times as capital of the colony during 250 years and which gave rise to the Pelourinho is reflected in the magnificence of its colonial palaces, churches and convents, most of them dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. These include:
- Cathedral of Salvador: Former Jesuit church of the city, built in the second half of the 17th century. Fine example of Mannerist architecture and decoration.
- Convent and Church of São Francisco: Franciscan convent and church dating from the first half of the 18th century is another fine example of the Portuguese colonial architecture. The Baroque decoration of the church is among the finest in Brazil.
- Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim: Rococo church with Neoclassical inner decoration. The image of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim is the most venerated in the city, and the Feast of Our Lord of Good Ending (Festa de Nosso Senhor do Bonfim) in January is the most important in the city after Carnival.
- Mercado Modelo (Model Market): In 1861, at the Cayrú Square, the Customs Building was constructed, with a rotunda (large circular room with a domed ceiling) at the back end, where ships anchored to unload their merchandise.
- Lacerda Elevator (Elevador Lacerda): Inaugurated in 1873, this elevator was planned and built by the businessman Antônio Francisco de Lacerda, The four elevator cages connect the 72 metres (236 ft) between the Thomé de Souza Square in the upper city, and the Cayru Square in the lower city. In each run, which lasts for 22 seconds, the elevator transports 128 persons, 24 hours a day.
Sports
Salvador provides visitors and residents with various sport activities. The Fonte Nova Arena, also known as Estádio Octávio Mangabeira is a football stadium inaugurated on 28 January 1951 in Salvador, Bahia, with a maximum capacity of 66,080 people.
The stadium has now been replaced with a new stadium named Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova with a capacity of 56,000 people. This stadium hosted matches of 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and the subsequent 2014 FIFA World Cup, and will host football competition in the 2016 Summer Olympics. The stadium is owned by the Bahia government, and is the home ground of Esporte Clube Bahia.
Its formal name honors Octávio Cavalcanti Mangabeira, a civil engineer, journalist, and former Bahia state governor from 1947 to 1954. The stadium is nicknamed Fonte Nova, because it is located at Ladeira das Fontes das Pedras. The stadium was in 2007 closed due to an accident, and the E.C. Bahia home matches now happen in another stadium, in Pituaçu.
Esporte Clube Bahia and Esporte Clube Vitória are Salvador's main football teams. Bahia has won 2 national titles, Brazil Trophy in 1959 and the Brazilian League in 1988, while Vitória was a runner up in the Brazilian league in 1993 and Brazil Cup in 2010.
Salvador has two large green areas for the practice of golf. Cajazeiras Golf and Country Club has an 18-hole course, instructors, caddies and equipment for rent. Itapuã Golf club, located in the area of the Sofitel Hotel, has a 9-hole course, equipment store, caddies and clubs for rent.
Tennis is very popular among Salvador's elites,with a great number of players and tournaments in the city's private clubs. Brasil Open, the country's most important tournament happens every year in Bahia.
During the last decades, volleyball has grown steadily in Salvador, especially after the gold medal won by Brazil in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.The most important tournaments in Bahia are the State Championship, the State League tournament and the Primavera Games, and the main teams are Associação Atlética da Bahia, Bahiano de Tênis, and Clube the Regatas Itapagipe.
There are also beach volleyball events. Salvador has housed many international tournaments. Federação Bahina de Voleibol (the state league) can inform the schedule of tournaments. Bowling is practiced both by teenagers and adults in Salvador. Boliche do Aeroclube and Space Bowling are equipped with automatic lanes as well as a complete bar infrastructure.
Bahia's basketball league exists since 1993 and has 57 teams. The sport is very popular in the city of Salvador, especially among students.There are several courts scattered across the city, where is possible to play for free, like the one located at Bahia Sol square, where people play.
There are also several gymnasiums, in clubs like Bahiano de Tênis and Associação Atlética and the Antonio Balbino Gymnasiums, popularly known as "Balbininho", which is an arena that can hold up to 7,000 people.
Todos os Santos Bay and Salvador's climatic conditions are ideal for competition and recreational sailing. The city is equipped with good infrastructure for practice of sailing, such as rental and sale of dock space, boat maintenance, restaurants, snack bar, convenience stores, nautical products stores, boat rental agencies, VHF and SSB communication systems, events, and total assistance to crews.
The large number of sailing events organized by clubs and syndicates, like oceanic races and typical boats wooden fishing boats and canoes races, demonstrates the sport's growing force. Currently, Salvador has a national racing schedule with dozens of events, also receiving the Mini Transat 6.50 and Les Illes du Soleil races.
Rowing boat races started in the city more than a hundred years ago.It was originally practiced by young men from traditional families, who spent their summer vacations there. The sport is a leisure option in Cidade Baixa,the lower part of the city. Esporte Clube Vitória and Clube São Salvador were the pioneers in the sport.
Nowadays, these two entities and also Clube de Regatas Itapagipe lead the competitions that take place in the city. With the recent renovation of the Dique do Tororó area, Salvador received new lanes for the practice of the sport.
Popular Residents
- Ivete Sangalo, singer.
- Singer and politician Gilberto Gil
- Castro Alves, poet.
- Jorge Amado, writer.
- Ruy Barbosa de Oliveira, writer, jurist and politician.
- Maria Bethânia, singer.
- Simone Bittencourt, singer.
- Carlinhos Brown, singer.
- Dorival Caymmi, singer.
- Elsimar M. Coutinho, scientist and professor.
- Gal Costa, singer.
- Irmã Dulce, Catholic nun.
- Priscila Fantin, actress
- Adriana Ferreyr, actress.
- Óscar Freire, physician and professor.
- Acelino Freitas, boxer.
- Bebeto Gama, football forward.
- Gilberto Gil, singer.
- João Gilberto, musician.
- Dias Gomes, playwright.
- Tony Kanaan, race car driver.
- Cláudia Leitte, singer.
- Adriana Lima, supermodel.
- Manuel dos Reis Machado (Bimba), capoeira master.
- Lyoto Machida, mixed martial artist.
- Antônio Carlos Magalhães, politician.
- Gregório de Mattos, poet.
- Margareth Menezes, singer.
- Daniela Mercury, musician.
- Wagner Moura, actor.
- Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira, (Minotauro), MMA fighter.
- Amanda Nunes, mixed martial artist in UFC.
- Paquito, musician.
- Vicente Ferreira Pastinha, capoeira master.
- Pitty, musician.
- Lázaro Ramos, actor.
- João Ubaldo Ribeiro, writer.
- Glauber Rocha, movie director.
- Dante Bonfim Costa Santos, professional footballer.
- Junior dos Santos, mixed martial artist.
- Lateef Crowder Dos Santos, Capoeira practitioner
- Marcos Andre Batista Santos (Vampeta), soccer player.
- Milton Santos, geographer.
- Ricardo Santos, beach volleyball player.
- Raul Seixas, musician.
- Nelson de Jesus Silva (Dida), soccer goalkeeper.
- Hugo Viana mixed martial aritst in UFC
- Edvaldo Valério, swimmer.
- Caetano Veloso, musician.
- Antônio Carlos Vovô, leader of Ilê Aiyê Afro Bloco.
- Tom Zé, musician.
Saturday, 1 April 2017
PERU: Peruvian Airlines Boeing Catches Fire On Landing At Jauja In Central Peru
A Boeing jet operated by Peruvian Airlines caught fire on Tuesday while landing at an airport near the Andean town of Jauja in central Peru after it swerved on the runway, but there were no serious injuries, a government minister said.
Peruvian Airlines said in a statement that the Boeing 737-300 jet drove off the runway for unspecified reasons during the scheduled landing, after swerving to the right. It said that all 141 people on board the flight, which originated in Lima, were evacuated safely.
Authorities are investigating the incident, which occurred about 4:30pm, involving the Boeing 737-300 jet at the high-altitude airport in an agricultural valley some 265 kilometers from Lima, the capital.
The fire likely started when the wing scraped the runway, Interior Minister Carlos Basombrio said.
"The plane couldn't stop on the runway and they made a maneuver to stop it with the wing and that appears to have caused the fire," Basombrio told reporters on local broadcaster RPP.
Television images showed a large cloud of black smoke streaming from an airliner in flames.
Boeing said it was aware of the reports of the incident and was gathering information.
Peruvian Airlines said in a statement that the Boeing 737-300 jet drove off the runway for unspecified reasons during the scheduled landing, after swerving to the right. It said that all 141 people on board the flight, which originated in Lima, were evacuated safely.
Authorities are investigating the incident, which occurred about 4:30pm, involving the Boeing 737-300 jet at the high-altitude airport in an agricultural valley some 265 kilometers from Lima, the capital.
The fire likely started when the wing scraped the runway, Interior Minister Carlos Basombrio said.
"The plane couldn't stop on the runway and they made a maneuver to stop it with the wing and that appears to have caused the fire," Basombrio told reporters on local broadcaster RPP.
Television images showed a large cloud of black smoke streaming from an airliner in flames.
Boeing said it was aware of the reports of the incident and was gathering information.
UAE: Emirates To Launch Triple Decker Plane Featuring A Swimming Pool, Games Room, Gym And A Park
Emirates Airline is all set to launch another game changer, if we are to believe the Dubai-based airline.
One of the world's leading airlines just unveiled plans for a commercial aircraft with jaw dropping - almost unbelievable - facilities.
On Friday midnight, Emirates took to Twitter to announce its plans to launch the world's largest commercial plane, a triple-decker 'APR001', featuring a swimming pool, games room, gym and a park!
However, aviation enthusiasts and flyers, who like to travel in style, will have to wait since this 'larger than life' is nothing more than an April Fool's Day prank by Emirates.
But then who is to say what the future hold for the future of aviation. Until then, enjoy Emirates' current world class facilities the next time you fly with them.
Besides Emirates, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways - to name a few - attempted to prank people by announcing a plane with 'flaps' and a Corgi Class.
In a statement issued by Virgin Atlantic today, the airline spoke about its new innovation, the 'flapenergy':
After nearly 30 years of offering customers the ultimate long-haul flying experience, Virgin Atlantic and its founder Richard Branson are once again breaking barriers by announcing a world first in aircraft innovation.
Almost a decade in the making, Virgin Atlantic has today announced that its world-class engineering team have been secretly working on the design and production of the world's first-ever aircraft using new patented technology - flapology - to create the world's first aircraft with flappable wings.
Named the Dreambird 1417, the new aircraft has been inspired by the innovative engineering of a bird in flight and its flapping wing. The Dreambird 1417 boasts wings that bend and flex to create a flapping motion that not only propels the aircraft forward but generates its own power to meet every electronic need onboard.
The flamboyant Sir Richard Branson, President of Virgin Atlantic and popular prankster said:
"Birds are the ultimate flying machine and it's been a lifelong ambition of mine to harness their energy and apply it to a passenger aircraft. Engineers all over the world have been trying for years to mimic a bird in flight and thanks to the perseverance and dedication of the team at Virgin Atlantic, we've finally succeeded. Not only have we harnessed this but we've also created a faster, cleaner more self-sustaining aircraft."
But Virgin Australia took their April Fool's prank further by 'unleashing' cabin crew of dogs, aptly called - Canine Crew:
One of the world's leading airlines just unveiled plans for a commercial aircraft with jaw dropping - almost unbelievable - facilities.
On Friday midnight, Emirates took to Twitter to announce its plans to launch the world's largest commercial plane, a triple-decker 'APR001', featuring a swimming pool, games room, gym and a park!
However, aviation enthusiasts and flyers, who like to travel in style, will have to wait since this 'larger than life' is nothing more than an April Fool's Day prank by Emirates.
But then who is to say what the future hold for the future of aviation. Until then, enjoy Emirates' current world class facilities the next time you fly with them.
Besides Emirates, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways - to name a few - attempted to prank people by announcing a plane with 'flaps' and a Corgi Class.
In a statement issued by Virgin Atlantic today, the airline spoke about its new innovation, the 'flapenergy':
After nearly 30 years of offering customers the ultimate long-haul flying experience, Virgin Atlantic and its founder Richard Branson are once again breaking barriers by announcing a world first in aircraft innovation.
Almost a decade in the making, Virgin Atlantic has today announced that its world-class engineering team have been secretly working on the design and production of the world's first-ever aircraft using new patented technology - flapology - to create the world's first aircraft with flappable wings.
Named the Dreambird 1417, the new aircraft has been inspired by the innovative engineering of a bird in flight and its flapping wing. The Dreambird 1417 boasts wings that bend and flex to create a flapping motion that not only propels the aircraft forward but generates its own power to meet every electronic need onboard.
The flamboyant Sir Richard Branson, President of Virgin Atlantic and popular prankster said:
"Birds are the ultimate flying machine and it's been a lifelong ambition of mine to harness their energy and apply it to a passenger aircraft. Engineers all over the world have been trying for years to mimic a bird in flight and thanks to the perseverance and dedication of the team at Virgin Atlantic, we've finally succeeded. Not only have we harnessed this but we've also created a faster, cleaner more self-sustaining aircraft."
But Virgin Australia took their April Fool's prank further by 'unleashing' cabin crew of dogs, aptly called - Canine Crew:
JAPAN: Japan Plans To Ease Chinese Visa Rules To Boost Tourism
Japan is considering relaxing restrictions on visas for tourists from China, three people with direct knowledge of the matter said on Thursday, hoping to extend a tourism boom and lend support to consumer spending.
Since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took office in late 2012, his government has gradually eased visa requirements for Asian countries, pushing to a record high the number of inbound visitors and sparking an increase in hotel construction.
The government is considering lowering the prescribed minimum annual income a Chinese citizen needs to obtain a multiple-entry visa to 3 million yen ($26,983.27) from around 4 million yen now, the sources said.
"We want to announce this policy when the time is right, depending on the pace of increase in hotel accommodation," said one source, who declined to be named because the plans are not final.
The number of foreign visitors to Japan rose 21.8 percent to a record 24 million last year, the Japan National Tourism Organization has said.
China was the number one source of tourists visiting Japan, accounting for 26.5 percent of all arrivals.
Since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took office in late 2012, his government has gradually eased visa requirements for Asian countries, pushing to a record high the number of inbound visitors and sparking an increase in hotel construction.
The government is considering lowering the prescribed minimum annual income a Chinese citizen needs to obtain a multiple-entry visa to 3 million yen ($26,983.27) from around 4 million yen now, the sources said.
"We want to announce this policy when the time is right, depending on the pace of increase in hotel accommodation," said one source, who declined to be named because the plans are not final.
The number of foreign visitors to Japan rose 21.8 percent to a record 24 million last year, the Japan National Tourism Organization has said.
China was the number one source of tourists visiting Japan, accounting for 26.5 percent of all arrivals.
EGYPT: Israel Advises Tourists To Check Out Of Sharm el Sheikh Over Terror Threats
Egypt is likely to be subject to an ISIS terror attack in the near future according to Israel, which has warned tourists in the Red Sea resorts to leave immediately.
What does this mean for tourists?
Israel has warned that it believes an ISIS terror attack is imminent in Egypt’s Red Sea resorts, and is advising citizens to leave the area immediately.
Israelis have also been warned to cancel all future travel plans to the area.
“We don't want to cry wolf, wolf,” Eitan Ben-David, the head of Israel's counter-terror bureau, said. “We really believe that the threat is serious.”
The Red Sea resorts include tourist destinations such as Sharm el Sheikh, Luxor and Hurghada.
These are popular resorts with British holidaymakers for winter sun, and while demand has dropped off since prominent terrorist attacks in 2015 and last year, thousands still visit every year.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has not updated its advice in response to Israel’s claims that a terror threat is imminent.
Although it advises against all travel to the Governorate of North Sinai and all but essential travel to the Governorate of South Sinai, it specifically excludes the Red Sea Resorts.
The FCO says: “The tourist areas along the Nile river including Luxor, Qina, Aswan, Abu Simbel and the Valley of the Kings and the Red Sea resorts of Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada aren’t included in the areas to which the FCO advise against all but essential travel.”
Rasha Azaizi, director of the Egyptian State Tourist Office in the UK, said: "Egypt is and has always been open for business and 2017 will be a year of major growth and recovery. Tour operators, like Thomas Cook, are reporting a pump up in sales.
"As in every country in the world, the security measures in Egypt are very strict. As the terrible events in London last week have shown, terrorism is a global phenomenon and we all must be vigilant."
British visitors are still warned not to fly into Sharm el Sheikh after a plane from Sharm to St Petersburg, Russia, crashed in 2015.
Russian authorities stated that the crash was caused by an explosive device on board the plane.
The FCO says: “As a precautionary measure, we are advising against all but essential travel by air to or from Sharm el Sheikh.”
When asked about whether the threat level in Egypt had increased, an FCO spokesperson said: “FCO Travel Advice is kept under constant review.”
Frank Brehany, MD of HolidayTravelWatch, said: "Whilst tourism has essentially stayed away from Egypt, we must understand their reasons for doing so, whilst offering sympathy and understanding to those who rely on that tourism.
"It is not in my view the role of UK holidaymakers to be simply a ‘commodity' in the promotion of tourist trade between the UK and Egypt; that can surely only come when all the right measures and conditions are in place to guarantee their safety and indeed demonstrate that they not only work but that there is stability in any difficult destination."
The threat of terrorism is currently labelled as “high” in Egypt.
What does this mean for tourists?
Israel has warned that it believes an ISIS terror attack is imminent in Egypt’s Red Sea resorts, and is advising citizens to leave the area immediately.
Israelis have also been warned to cancel all future travel plans to the area.
“We don't want to cry wolf, wolf,” Eitan Ben-David, the head of Israel's counter-terror bureau, said. “We really believe that the threat is serious.”
The Red Sea resorts include tourist destinations such as Sharm el Sheikh, Luxor and Hurghada.
These are popular resorts with British holidaymakers for winter sun, and while demand has dropped off since prominent terrorist attacks in 2015 and last year, thousands still visit every year.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has not updated its advice in response to Israel’s claims that a terror threat is imminent.
Although it advises against all travel to the Governorate of North Sinai and all but essential travel to the Governorate of South Sinai, it specifically excludes the Red Sea Resorts.
The FCO says: “The tourist areas along the Nile river including Luxor, Qina, Aswan, Abu Simbel and the Valley of the Kings and the Red Sea resorts of Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada aren’t included in the areas to which the FCO advise against all but essential travel.”
Rasha Azaizi, director of the Egyptian State Tourist Office in the UK, said: "Egypt is and has always been open for business and 2017 will be a year of major growth and recovery. Tour operators, like Thomas Cook, are reporting a pump up in sales.
"As in every country in the world, the security measures in Egypt are very strict. As the terrible events in London last week have shown, terrorism is a global phenomenon and we all must be vigilant."
British visitors are still warned not to fly into Sharm el Sheikh after a plane from Sharm to St Petersburg, Russia, crashed in 2015.
Russian authorities stated that the crash was caused by an explosive device on board the plane.
The FCO says: “As a precautionary measure, we are advising against all but essential travel by air to or from Sharm el Sheikh.”
When asked about whether the threat level in Egypt had increased, an FCO spokesperson said: “FCO Travel Advice is kept under constant review.”
Frank Brehany, MD of HolidayTravelWatch, said: "Whilst tourism has essentially stayed away from Egypt, we must understand their reasons for doing so, whilst offering sympathy and understanding to those who rely on that tourism.
"It is not in my view the role of UK holidaymakers to be simply a ‘commodity' in the promotion of tourist trade between the UK and Egypt; that can surely only come when all the right measures and conditions are in place to guarantee their safety and indeed demonstrate that they not only work but that there is stability in any difficult destination."
The threat of terrorism is currently labelled as “high” in Egypt.
UAE: Guest Dies In Sharjah Hotel
A 45-year-old Swedish national of Iraqi origin was found dead at a hotel room in Sharjah under mysterious circumstances, local media has reported.
The deceased arrived a week ago along with his family to celebrate the New Year in Dubai, according to Khaleej Times.
A police team of CIDs, forensic laboratory, paramedics shifted the man to Al Kuwaiti hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The police launched an investigation, holding many people, including his friends who spent time with him in Dubai, stating they cannot rule out criminal act before the forensic report is produced.
The deceased was due to depart through Dubai Airport later in the day to rejoin his family back home.
The hotel management said one of his friends who came to visit him at the hotel found him unconscious and requested to call the ambulance.
The hotel management added that its staff did not notice any suspicious or mysterious act during the guests stay.
The deceased arrived a week ago along with his family to celebrate the New Year in Dubai, according to Khaleej Times.
A police team of CIDs, forensic laboratory, paramedics shifted the man to Al Kuwaiti hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The police launched an investigation, holding many people, including his friends who spent time with him in Dubai, stating they cannot rule out criminal act before the forensic report is produced.
The deceased was due to depart through Dubai Airport later in the day to rejoin his family back home.
The hotel management said one of his friends who came to visit him at the hotel found him unconscious and requested to call the ambulance.
The hotel management added that its staff did not notice any suspicious or mysterious act during the guests stay.
SOUTH AFRICA: Be Positive Former Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom Says
South Africans must remain positive following the mass Cabinet reshuffle by President Jacob Zuma, outgoing Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom said on Friday.
He took to Twitter on Thursday evening to thank people for their support.
"Thank you so much for the hundreds of kind and supportive tweets! Be positive!" his last tweet of the day read.
He responded to many tweets. In one of them, he said he was given no reason for his axing.
"I saw it on the media release," he said.
He said he was feeling "as strong as ever", but was deeply concerned about what was happening.
Hanekom was one of five ministers who lost their positions in the executive after Zuma's dramatic announcement on Thursday night.
A total of 20 ANC MPs received new posts in the Cabinet as part of the reshuffle, many of them young women.
Hanekom said his former colleagues would continue to serve as best as they could. He would continue to promote his old portfolio to anyone who asked about "our beautiful country".
"It was a privilege to serve and I truly enjoyed working with the industry. Tourism has huge potential," he said.
"I have certainly tried my best, and it was a privilege."
He said he would not quit as an MP in Parliament.
Hanekom's deputy Tokozile Xasa is taking over from him. She said that South Africa must give the incoming Cabinet ministers a chance to do good work in their portfolios.
"For ANC supporters out there, and to everybody, give the new people the opportunity to demonstrate and ensure that we are able to implement," she said.
He took to Twitter on Thursday evening to thank people for their support.
"Thank you so much for the hundreds of kind and supportive tweets! Be positive!" his last tweet of the day read.
He responded to many tweets. In one of them, he said he was given no reason for his axing.
"I saw it on the media release," he said.
He said he was feeling "as strong as ever", but was deeply concerned about what was happening.
Hanekom was one of five ministers who lost their positions in the executive after Zuma's dramatic announcement on Thursday night.
A total of 20 ANC MPs received new posts in the Cabinet as part of the reshuffle, many of them young women.
Hanekom said his former colleagues would continue to serve as best as they could. He would continue to promote his old portfolio to anyone who asked about "our beautiful country".
"It was a privilege to serve and I truly enjoyed working with the industry. Tourism has huge potential," he said.
"I have certainly tried my best, and it was a privilege."
He said he would not quit as an MP in Parliament.
Hanekom's deputy Tokozile Xasa is taking over from him. She said that South Africa must give the incoming Cabinet ministers a chance to do good work in their portfolios.
"For ANC supporters out there, and to everybody, give the new people the opportunity to demonstrate and ensure that we are able to implement," she said.
NEW ZEALAND: Plenty At Bay Of Plenty
The Bay of Plenty's latest figures in tourism showed a $63 million increase in year-to-year spend.
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment's (MBIE) latest statistics show year-end spending to February in the coastal Bay of Plenty region was up 6.7 per cent, from $876m in February 2016 to $939m in February 2017.
Overseas visitors attributed for nearly a quarter of the annual guest spend, $213m, up 13.3 per cent on the previous year.
Spending for the month of February was up 4 per cent to $87m, outperforming its neighbour Rotorua, which saw $75m in spending for the month.
Tourism Bay of Plenty CEO Kristin Dunne said they had a fantastic summer period.
"The consistency of these upwards figures heading into the cooler months show the Bay of Plenty has much more than traditional summer holiday appeal, with an abundance of natural attractions, increased retail opportunities and a growing cafe and restaurant culture," she says.
"It's also exciting to see overseas visitor spending on the rise."
Ms Dunne said the region was starting to reap the rewards of careful planning and putting long-term strategies in place to draw out the peak season into the shoulder months - a key goal for Tourism Bay of Plenty.
These upward trending figures also come at a time when the Bay of Plenty has been ranked the fastest-growing region in the country at 7.7 per cent, according to latest Statistics New Zealand data.
The growth in both the economy and visitor numbers feeds into region-wide initiatives Tourism Bay of Plenty is implementing, primarily the No Place Like Home campaign.
The campaign, rolled out in January, is a community-focused project, designed to make residents aware of experiences and attractions in the region that are uniquely Bay of Plenty.
Priority One Strategic Projects manager Greg Simmonds said the tourism industry was a key component to the Bay's economy and there was potential for further growth.
"It is fantastic to see the sector growing and it is a big employer in the region. With more quality tourism product offerings, I think the Bay is a very attractive destination for people."
"It has always been strong for domestic visitors but is now becoming increasingly known as an international destination."
Western Bay of Plenty District Council mayor Gary Webber said both councils had invested heavily in Tourism Bay of Plenty and it was great to see the dividends.
"Like all investments some of them take time and this has been delivered. It also reflects on the professional management and governance we have got in Tourism Bay of Plenty to try to grow a region positively.
"Anything that grows our economy grows employment opportunities and the return on investment for many businesses."
Owner operator of Mount Maunganui Surf Academy Andy Collins said there had definitely been a rise in the number of people he saw around the region.
"There are a lot more people coming into Tauranga each year, the beach is so much busier during the weekends," he said.
"A few years ago you would have no trouble getting a park down the Mount. Now from 10am, you can't park anywhere between the Mount and Grove Ave, it's mayhem."
Mr Collins said each year more and more people approached him for surfing lessons.
Tauranga Tandem Skydiving chief executive John Martin said he got a lot of tourists through his business to get a glimpse of the Bay from the sky.
Numbers this past summer were "plain sailing" as all the wet weather in the region meant lost days he could take punters in the air.
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment's (MBIE) latest statistics show year-end spending to February in the coastal Bay of Plenty region was up 6.7 per cent, from $876m in February 2016 to $939m in February 2017.
Overseas visitors attributed for nearly a quarter of the annual guest spend, $213m, up 13.3 per cent on the previous year.
Spending for the month of February was up 4 per cent to $87m, outperforming its neighbour Rotorua, which saw $75m in spending for the month.
Tourism Bay of Plenty CEO Kristin Dunne said they had a fantastic summer period.
"The consistency of these upwards figures heading into the cooler months show the Bay of Plenty has much more than traditional summer holiday appeal, with an abundance of natural attractions, increased retail opportunities and a growing cafe and restaurant culture," she says.
"It's also exciting to see overseas visitor spending on the rise."
Ms Dunne said the region was starting to reap the rewards of careful planning and putting long-term strategies in place to draw out the peak season into the shoulder months - a key goal for Tourism Bay of Plenty.
These upward trending figures also come at a time when the Bay of Plenty has been ranked the fastest-growing region in the country at 7.7 per cent, according to latest Statistics New Zealand data.
The growth in both the economy and visitor numbers feeds into region-wide initiatives Tourism Bay of Plenty is implementing, primarily the No Place Like Home campaign.
The campaign, rolled out in January, is a community-focused project, designed to make residents aware of experiences and attractions in the region that are uniquely Bay of Plenty.
Priority One Strategic Projects manager Greg Simmonds said the tourism industry was a key component to the Bay's economy and there was potential for further growth.
"It is fantastic to see the sector growing and it is a big employer in the region. With more quality tourism product offerings, I think the Bay is a very attractive destination for people."
"It has always been strong for domestic visitors but is now becoming increasingly known as an international destination."
Western Bay of Plenty District Council mayor Gary Webber said both councils had invested heavily in Tourism Bay of Plenty and it was great to see the dividends.
"Like all investments some of them take time and this has been delivered. It also reflects on the professional management and governance we have got in Tourism Bay of Plenty to try to grow a region positively.
"Anything that grows our economy grows employment opportunities and the return on investment for many businesses."
Owner operator of Mount Maunganui Surf Academy Andy Collins said there had definitely been a rise in the number of people he saw around the region.
"There are a lot more people coming into Tauranga each year, the beach is so much busier during the weekends," he said.
"A few years ago you would have no trouble getting a park down the Mount. Now from 10am, you can't park anywhere between the Mount and Grove Ave, it's mayhem."
Mr Collins said each year more and more people approached him for surfing lessons.
Tauranga Tandem Skydiving chief executive John Martin said he got a lot of tourists through his business to get a glimpse of the Bay from the sky.
Numbers this past summer were "plain sailing" as all the wet weather in the region meant lost days he could take punters in the air.
UAE: Florian Leven Is New General Manager For Al Bait Sharjah
GHM's upcoming Al Bait property in Sharjah, UAE, has revealed the general manager at its helm: Florian Leven.
Set to open later in 2017, the 54-room hotel is a luxury property that is set to include Sharjah's history and culture within its design and product offering.
Leven was formerly the resident manager of the Nam Hai Hoi An in Central Vietnam. He was in charge of The Nam Hai’s day-to-day operations, focusing on quality control, service and product consistency and staff training, receiving excellent LQA (Leading Quality Assurance) scores for the hotel throughout his supervision.
With more than 17 years of international hotel experience, this is Leven's first time as a general manager.
He commented in a statement: "Al Bait and Sharjah will be a compelling destination for today’s travellers – it boasts a rich history, an exotic culture, an unexplored landscape and discoveries waiting to be made by the intrepid seeker. It’s a privilege for me to be part of this adventure that GHM is bringing to the industry."
Leven’s expertise in the daily hotel operations is complemented by his finance and revenue management background. Before joining the GHM team in Vietnam, his work brought him from his home in Germany to Switzerland and then to Hawaii in the USA.
Set to open later in 2017, the 54-room hotel is a luxury property that is set to include Sharjah's history and culture within its design and product offering.
Leven was formerly the resident manager of the Nam Hai Hoi An in Central Vietnam. He was in charge of The Nam Hai’s day-to-day operations, focusing on quality control, service and product consistency and staff training, receiving excellent LQA (Leading Quality Assurance) scores for the hotel throughout his supervision.
With more than 17 years of international hotel experience, this is Leven's first time as a general manager.
He commented in a statement: "Al Bait and Sharjah will be a compelling destination for today’s travellers – it boasts a rich history, an exotic culture, an unexplored landscape and discoveries waiting to be made by the intrepid seeker. It’s a privilege for me to be part of this adventure that GHM is bringing to the industry."
Leven’s expertise in the daily hotel operations is complemented by his finance and revenue management background. Before joining the GHM team in Vietnam, his work brought him from his home in Germany to Switzerland and then to Hawaii in the USA.
DR CONGO: Discover Kisangani The City On The Island In The Democratic Republic Of Congo
Kisangani formerly Stanleyville is the third largest city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is the capital and largest city of the vast Orientale Province which is about the size of Spain, in the Congo Basin.
The city is found at the furthest navigable point on the Congo River upstream of Kinshasa/Brazzaville at the end of the Boyoma Falls, a series of cataracts along a 100 km stretch of the river.
The city's name comes from Swahili for "the city on the island" due to the number of tributaries in the area that almost completely separate Kisangani as an island.
Kisangani was a former port known as Stanleyville after its founder Henry Morton Stanley.
It traded palm oil and nuts throughout the Congo.
After the Congo gained it's independence and years later was ruled by President Mobutu Sese Seko he renamed he town Kisangani in order to Africanise his country.
Since then Kisangani has remained a major port for the tribes in the northern region in the country.
Being very near the equator and in the middle of the jungle, you might suspect the city has a wet, tropical climate and yes it does!
Humidity is high year-round, averaging 86%! Temperatures are fairly stable year-round, too, averaging 31/20 (88F/68F). The record low is just 16 (61 F).
Rains are heavy throughout much of the year, with a relatively dry season from December to early March.
Total rainfall for the year is 1620mm (63.78 inches) with the rainiest month being October (218mm/8.58in) while the driest is January (53mm/2.09in).
Kisangani is served by Bangoka International Airport. It has one international flight with Kenya Airways to Nairobi. Domestic flights to Goma and Kinshasa on CAA & FlyCongo along with service to Kindu on CAA.
As the end of the navigable stretch of the Congo River, Kisangani was formed largely to unload cargo and transfer it to train to bypass the cataracts.
There are irregular ferry services running between Kisangani and Kinshasa which take about 2-3 weeks. Most of these are old barges tied together and crowded with people riding atop cargo, although a few steamer vessels run this route too.
Overcrowded ferries are common and there have been a few instances of them capsizing, so choose carefully.
If you are lucky, you can negotiate with the captain for a private room or a bedroom.
Many of these ferries are supplied with food from people who bring boats from shore full of goods to trade or barter. A unique and classic trip, it's only for the hearty, experienced traveller, though still preferable to traveling overland.
Kisangani is difficult to reach by road. The only relatively "easy" route into the city is the newly rehabilitated National Route 4 which runs to Bukavu and the Rwandan border.
Much of the road is sealed, but slow-moving trucks and pedestrians & people on bikes keep the speed of vehicles down.
You should expect to encounter a handful of military or police checkpoints where you will likely be harassed for a bribe.
The route isn't terribly safe, with frequent reports of bandits setting up roadblocks and robbing motorists.
Additionally, safety in North/South Kivu is still shaky. You are best off traveling with a trucker or other local vehicle.
If traveling in your own vehicle especially a non-DRC vehicle, try to travel with a local or convoy for safety and to avoid excessive harassment at checkpoints.
Other roads in/out of the city are mostly muddy tracks only suitable for large 4x4 or 6x6 trucks. Travel from other major cities in the DRC can take weeks and isn't a very pleasant experience!
A train line runs south to Ubundu, mainly to haul freight traveling by boat around the cataracts. You should inquire at the train station for tickets and the next train as the trains run on erratic schedules.
Very few taxis and cars in general are available in Kisangani, but there's an easy and fun way to get around.
Stretch out an arm to any passing little motorbike and they'll take you to any place in the city. Normal price is around 1,5 USD. Same goes for natives on bicycles: they are an even cheaper alternative to motorbikes. Slower and less exciting though.
Boyoma Falls. On the edge of Kisangani, these are the last cataracts on the Congo until Kinshasa/Brazzaville.
Fishermen set up conical traps for fish and can be seen tending to these traps. Some have realized that tourists want to see them and there are reports that they will charge dollars to see them,stopping you before reaching the river and/or photographing them.
Congo boat rides. A trip by boat along the Congo is one of the world's greatest wild adventures. Trips by pirogue for a few hours or a few days can be arranged in most cities along the river.
Only a couple tour operators in the country offer these rides, but if you speak good enough French or Swahili, you can probably talk a pirogue owner into a short trip,make sure you understand what you're doing & where you're going.
Also you could head to the City Center and visit the bustling Central Market or even opposite Avenues de Atelier, you could have cheap but top quality lunch at La Bourgeoise.
Finally on Avenue Lumumba you could take photos of Lumumba stadium, it is not much but something to keep in memory.
Buy yourself a ride on the great Congo River. You'll really enjoy it. Also see if you can find any traditional souvenirs to remind of the journey.
Expect to eat what's eaten around most of the Congo; rice, maize and fish.
Drink the popular Congolese beer and european wines.
There are a handful of Hotels in Kisangani that are of an Alright standard these would include:
- Hotel Le Renaissance on Route Batwaboli
- Les Chalets on Boulevard du 30 Juin
- Hotel de Canon on Boulevard de 30 Juin
- Hotel Palm Beach on N7
- Grand Ramela below R408
Leaving is easy. Head to the port and get on a boat heading straight to Kinshasa, and from there get to the Ndjili Airport in Ndjili, Kinshasa and board a plane that goes to Europe.
The city is found at the furthest navigable point on the Congo River upstream of Kinshasa/Brazzaville at the end of the Boyoma Falls, a series of cataracts along a 100 km stretch of the river.
The city's name comes from Swahili for "the city on the island" due to the number of tributaries in the area that almost completely separate Kisangani as an island.
Kisangani was a former port known as Stanleyville after its founder Henry Morton Stanley.
It traded palm oil and nuts throughout the Congo.
After the Congo gained it's independence and years later was ruled by President Mobutu Sese Seko he renamed he town Kisangani in order to Africanise his country.
Since then Kisangani has remained a major port for the tribes in the northern region in the country.
Being very near the equator and in the middle of the jungle, you might suspect the city has a wet, tropical climate and yes it does!
Humidity is high year-round, averaging 86%! Temperatures are fairly stable year-round, too, averaging 31/20 (88F/68F). The record low is just 16 (61 F).
Rains are heavy throughout much of the year, with a relatively dry season from December to early March.
Total rainfall for the year is 1620mm (63.78 inches) with the rainiest month being October (218mm/8.58in) while the driest is January (53mm/2.09in).
Kisangani is served by Bangoka International Airport. It has one international flight with Kenya Airways to Nairobi. Domestic flights to Goma and Kinshasa on CAA & FlyCongo along with service to Kindu on CAA.
As the end of the navigable stretch of the Congo River, Kisangani was formed largely to unload cargo and transfer it to train to bypass the cataracts.
There are irregular ferry services running between Kisangani and Kinshasa which take about 2-3 weeks. Most of these are old barges tied together and crowded with people riding atop cargo, although a few steamer vessels run this route too.
Overcrowded ferries are common and there have been a few instances of them capsizing, so choose carefully.
If you are lucky, you can negotiate with the captain for a private room or a bedroom.
Many of these ferries are supplied with food from people who bring boats from shore full of goods to trade or barter. A unique and classic trip, it's only for the hearty, experienced traveller, though still preferable to traveling overland.
Kisangani is difficult to reach by road. The only relatively "easy" route into the city is the newly rehabilitated National Route 4 which runs to Bukavu and the Rwandan border.
Much of the road is sealed, but slow-moving trucks and pedestrians & people on bikes keep the speed of vehicles down.
You should expect to encounter a handful of military or police checkpoints where you will likely be harassed for a bribe.
The route isn't terribly safe, with frequent reports of bandits setting up roadblocks and robbing motorists.
Additionally, safety in North/South Kivu is still shaky. You are best off traveling with a trucker or other local vehicle.
If traveling in your own vehicle especially a non-DRC vehicle, try to travel with a local or convoy for safety and to avoid excessive harassment at checkpoints.
Other roads in/out of the city are mostly muddy tracks only suitable for large 4x4 or 6x6 trucks. Travel from other major cities in the DRC can take weeks and isn't a very pleasant experience!
A train line runs south to Ubundu, mainly to haul freight traveling by boat around the cataracts. You should inquire at the train station for tickets and the next train as the trains run on erratic schedules.
Very few taxis and cars in general are available in Kisangani, but there's an easy and fun way to get around.
Stretch out an arm to any passing little motorbike and they'll take you to any place in the city. Normal price is around 1,5 USD. Same goes for natives on bicycles: they are an even cheaper alternative to motorbikes. Slower and less exciting though.
Boyoma Falls. On the edge of Kisangani, these are the last cataracts on the Congo until Kinshasa/Brazzaville.
Fishermen set up conical traps for fish and can be seen tending to these traps. Some have realized that tourists want to see them and there are reports that they will charge dollars to see them,stopping you before reaching the river and/or photographing them.
Congo boat rides. A trip by boat along the Congo is one of the world's greatest wild adventures. Trips by pirogue for a few hours or a few days can be arranged in most cities along the river.
Only a couple tour operators in the country offer these rides, but if you speak good enough French or Swahili, you can probably talk a pirogue owner into a short trip,make sure you understand what you're doing & where you're going.
Also you could head to the City Center and visit the bustling Central Market or even opposite Avenues de Atelier, you could have cheap but top quality lunch at La Bourgeoise.
Finally on Avenue Lumumba you could take photos of Lumumba stadium, it is not much but something to keep in memory.
Buy yourself a ride on the great Congo River. You'll really enjoy it. Also see if you can find any traditional souvenirs to remind of the journey.
Expect to eat what's eaten around most of the Congo; rice, maize and fish.
Drink the popular Congolese beer and european wines.
There are a handful of Hotels in Kisangani that are of an Alright standard these would include:
- Hotel Le Renaissance on Route Batwaboli
- Les Chalets on Boulevard du 30 Juin
- Hotel de Canon on Boulevard de 30 Juin
- Hotel Palm Beach on N7
- Grand Ramela below R408
Leaving is easy. Head to the port and get on a boat heading straight to Kinshasa, and from there get to the Ndjili Airport in Ndjili, Kinshasa and board a plane that goes to Europe.
GIBRALTAR: Visit Gibraltar
Tourism in Gibraltar constitutes one of the British Overseas Territory's most important economic pillars, alongside financial services and shipping.
Gibraltar's main attractions are the Rock of Gibraltar and its resident population of Barbary macaques or "apes", the territory's military heritage, duty-free shopping, casinos and marinas.
Although the population of Gibraltar numbers only some 30,000 people,the territory recorded nearly 12 million visits in 2011,giving it one of the highest tourist-to-resident ratios in the world.
The Government of Gibraltar has sought to develop the tourism sector to replace Gibraltar's former dependence on the British military, its chief economic mainstay until cuts in the UK's Ministry of Defence budget led to the gradual run-down in the military presence after the 1980s.
Gibraltar's marinas one of which was the first to have been built in the region have made Gibraltar an important hub for sea transport for over 50 years.
A tourist boom began in the mid-1980s but stalled by the end of the decade before being boosted again in the mid-1990s by a programme of Government investment and marketing.
The building of the new Gibraltar Cruise Terminal, a new airport terminal, pedestrianisation of key streets, redevelopment of historic buildings in the city centre and improvements to tourist attractions elsewhere on the peninsula have helped to increase tourist numbers considerably since the turn of the 21st century.
For much of Gibraltar's history as a British territory, its economy relied on its dual status as a key British military base and a trading entrepôt at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea.
Tourism first became significant between the two World Wars and expanded considerably after World War II due to the opening of Gibraltar's first marina, built in 1961, as it was the first in the region and began to attract increasing numbers of yachts and cruise ships.
Gibraltar's tourist trade was devastated by the Spanish government's 1969 decision to implement a total closure of the Gibraltar-Spain border as a consequence of the political dispute over Gibraltar's status.
Visitor numbers collapsed over the subsequent decade.The border was not reopened but partially) until 1982 and was finally reopened fully on 5 February 1985.
A flood of visitors poured into the territory after the border reopened; 45,000 people entered Gibraltar within the first week, rising to over 10,000 per day over Easter 1985.
Within only six months, a million people had visited, rising to two million by the end of the year.
Air traffic doubled as tour operators began offering packages combining Gibraltar with the Costa del Sol.
By 1986, five million visitors a year,60,000 weekly were arriving in Gibraltar.
The airport resumed its role before the frontier closure of acting as a gateway to the Costa del Sol; 90,000 visitors came by air annually, of whom 22,000 headed on to the resorts of the Costa del Sol.
To make room for the expected flood of visitors' cars on Gibraltar's crowded roads, 1,000 old vehicles were rounded up and pushed off the cliffs into the sea at Europa Point at the southern tip of the territory.
Despite this drastic measure, parking spaces were in critically short supply as over 1,000 vehicles per day entered Gibraltar after the reopening of the border.
The territory enjoyed a retail, accommodation and catering boom, though it came at the price of chronic traffic problems and threats to the environment, notably disturbances to the macaque and bird populations.
The number of macaques grew very rapidly as a result of illegal feeding by tourists, which also led to an increase in aggressive behaviour as the monkeys came to associate humans with food.
The problems culminated in 2008 with the Government of Gibraltar ordering the culling of a rogue group of monkeys that was breaking into hotel rooms and scavenging in bins in the Catalan Bay area.
The cull was protested by researchers and animal rights campaigners but was justified by the Government on the grounds that the overly aggressive monkeys would frighten tourists and cause damage to the economy.
The running-down of the British military presence in Gibraltar in the 1980s and 1990s forced the territory's Government to carry out a major shift in its economic orientation, with a greater emphasis on encouraging tourism and establishing self-sufficiency.
By this time, however, tourist growth had stalled with hotel bed occupancy in the territory at under 30% in 1993.
Tourism became an important issue in the elections of 16 May 1996.
The newly elected Chief Minister, Peter Caruana, pledged to revive Gibraltar's faltering economy by expanding the tourist trade.
The new Government carried out a programme of improvements to the port facilities including the construction of a new passenger terminal to welcome cruise ship visitors.
New marketing initiatives were established, such as Gibraltar joining the MedCruise Association to help promote the Mediterranean as a cruise destination and establish common standards for port facilities.
£5.2 million was invested in improving the airport terminal, while Main Street was refurbished and pedestrianised. A number of old garrison buildings were redeveloped for leisure and retail use, notably the area around Grand Casemates Square, which was formerly used as a car park.
The tourism improvement programme led to a major increase in visitor numbers, which rose from four million in 1996 to seven million in 2001 and overnight stays also rose by 30%.
By 2006 tourism contributed more to Gibraltar's economy than any other sector,with visitors spending an estimated £279.41 million in 2011.
In 2014, a popular newspaper placed Gibraltar on its list of 10 most "disappointing" tourist locations.
In 2011, 11,940,543 visitor arrivals were recorded in Gibraltar, of whom 11,424,581 arrived by land, 351,534 by sea and 164,428 by air; the number of land arrivals excluding cross-border workers was 9,616,781.
Visitor demographics are dominated by day-trippers from neighbouring Spain,90 per cent of visits are made on excursions from Spain, either local Spanish people or Britons visiting or residing in Spain, many coming from the nearby Costa del Sol.
A smaller number of visitors, mostly from the United Kingdom, stay for at least one night in the territory.
The average stay is 4.1 nights as of 2011.Tourism is generally year-round thanks to Gibraltar's hospitable climate, with the August peak only about 50% higher than the January low.
The numbers and relative proportions of visitors have changed considerably over the last 40 years.
During the years of the closure of the land border, the majority of visitors arrived by sea. The number arriving by sea remained fairly stable until the mid-1990s but has grown considerably since then due to an increasing number in visits from cruise ships, over 100 of which now visit annually.
The number of arrivals by air rose through the 1980s to a peak of 62,438 in 1989 but stagnated for some years afterwards, rising only to 66,219 in 1996.
Numbers increased substantially during the 2000s as low-cost airlines Monarch and EasyJet launched flights to the territory.
As of 2011, air arrivals constitute only about 1.4% of all visitors, down from 38% in 1974 during the frontier closure.
Both air and sea traffic is dominated by British visitors; over 80% of departing air passengers leave for the UK, while 93% of cruise passengers are also British.
By contrast, nearly 80% of day visitors by land,thus effectively 80% of all visitors are Spanish nationals.
Gibraltar's tourist trade is hindered by a number of factors. The small size of the territory means that there is an acute shortage of land for expanding tourist facilities and major pieces of infrastructure such as the Gibraltar airport.
Accommodation constituting hotels, guesthouses and self-catering facilities is consequently limited.
Smuggling between Gibraltar and Spain remains a source of tension between the two governments and occasionally leads to long delays for vehicle traffic crossing the border during Spanish Civil Guard crackdowns.
The ongoing political dispute with Spain has also hampered the development of transport links.
It was not until as recently as December 2006, following the signing of the Cordoba Agreement, that direct flights between Madrid and Gibraltar were re-established, Air traffic had previously been obstructed at previous times, flights to and from Gibraltar were not even permitted to fly over Spain as the Spanish did not recognise the British sovereignty over the land where the airport is located and demanded a joint operation of it and the right to treat the airport as a domestic Spanish facility.
The Gibraltarians resisted this as a de facto breach of their territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Since the 2006 Agreement between Britain and Spain, air travel to and from Gibraltar has been conducted without hindrance.
Gibraltar's main attractions are the Rock of Gibraltar and its resident population of Barbary macaques or "apes", the territory's military heritage, duty-free shopping, casinos and marinas.
Although the population of Gibraltar numbers only some 30,000 people,the territory recorded nearly 12 million visits in 2011,giving it one of the highest tourist-to-resident ratios in the world.
The Government of Gibraltar has sought to develop the tourism sector to replace Gibraltar's former dependence on the British military, its chief economic mainstay until cuts in the UK's Ministry of Defence budget led to the gradual run-down in the military presence after the 1980s.
Gibraltar's marinas one of which was the first to have been built in the region have made Gibraltar an important hub for sea transport for over 50 years.
A tourist boom began in the mid-1980s but stalled by the end of the decade before being boosted again in the mid-1990s by a programme of Government investment and marketing.
The building of the new Gibraltar Cruise Terminal, a new airport terminal, pedestrianisation of key streets, redevelopment of historic buildings in the city centre and improvements to tourist attractions elsewhere on the peninsula have helped to increase tourist numbers considerably since the turn of the 21st century.
For much of Gibraltar's history as a British territory, its economy relied on its dual status as a key British military base and a trading entrepôt at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea.
Tourism first became significant between the two World Wars and expanded considerably after World War II due to the opening of Gibraltar's first marina, built in 1961, as it was the first in the region and began to attract increasing numbers of yachts and cruise ships.
Gibraltar's tourist trade was devastated by the Spanish government's 1969 decision to implement a total closure of the Gibraltar-Spain border as a consequence of the political dispute over Gibraltar's status.
Visitor numbers collapsed over the subsequent decade.The border was not reopened but partially) until 1982 and was finally reopened fully on 5 February 1985.
A flood of visitors poured into the territory after the border reopened; 45,000 people entered Gibraltar within the first week, rising to over 10,000 per day over Easter 1985.
Within only six months, a million people had visited, rising to two million by the end of the year.
Air traffic doubled as tour operators began offering packages combining Gibraltar with the Costa del Sol.
By 1986, five million visitors a year,60,000 weekly were arriving in Gibraltar.
The airport resumed its role before the frontier closure of acting as a gateway to the Costa del Sol; 90,000 visitors came by air annually, of whom 22,000 headed on to the resorts of the Costa del Sol.
To make room for the expected flood of visitors' cars on Gibraltar's crowded roads, 1,000 old vehicles were rounded up and pushed off the cliffs into the sea at Europa Point at the southern tip of the territory.
Despite this drastic measure, parking spaces were in critically short supply as over 1,000 vehicles per day entered Gibraltar after the reopening of the border.
The territory enjoyed a retail, accommodation and catering boom, though it came at the price of chronic traffic problems and threats to the environment, notably disturbances to the macaque and bird populations.
The number of macaques grew very rapidly as a result of illegal feeding by tourists, which also led to an increase in aggressive behaviour as the monkeys came to associate humans with food.
The problems culminated in 2008 with the Government of Gibraltar ordering the culling of a rogue group of monkeys that was breaking into hotel rooms and scavenging in bins in the Catalan Bay area.
The cull was protested by researchers and animal rights campaigners but was justified by the Government on the grounds that the overly aggressive monkeys would frighten tourists and cause damage to the economy.
The running-down of the British military presence in Gibraltar in the 1980s and 1990s forced the territory's Government to carry out a major shift in its economic orientation, with a greater emphasis on encouraging tourism and establishing self-sufficiency.
By this time, however, tourist growth had stalled with hotel bed occupancy in the territory at under 30% in 1993.
Tourism became an important issue in the elections of 16 May 1996.
The newly elected Chief Minister, Peter Caruana, pledged to revive Gibraltar's faltering economy by expanding the tourist trade.
The new Government carried out a programme of improvements to the port facilities including the construction of a new passenger terminal to welcome cruise ship visitors.
New marketing initiatives were established, such as Gibraltar joining the MedCruise Association to help promote the Mediterranean as a cruise destination and establish common standards for port facilities.
£5.2 million was invested in improving the airport terminal, while Main Street was refurbished and pedestrianised. A number of old garrison buildings were redeveloped for leisure and retail use, notably the area around Grand Casemates Square, which was formerly used as a car park.
The tourism improvement programme led to a major increase in visitor numbers, which rose from four million in 1996 to seven million in 2001 and overnight stays also rose by 30%.
By 2006 tourism contributed more to Gibraltar's economy than any other sector,with visitors spending an estimated £279.41 million in 2011.
In 2014, a popular newspaper placed Gibraltar on its list of 10 most "disappointing" tourist locations.
In 2011, 11,940,543 visitor arrivals were recorded in Gibraltar, of whom 11,424,581 arrived by land, 351,534 by sea and 164,428 by air; the number of land arrivals excluding cross-border workers was 9,616,781.
Visitor demographics are dominated by day-trippers from neighbouring Spain,90 per cent of visits are made on excursions from Spain, either local Spanish people or Britons visiting or residing in Spain, many coming from the nearby Costa del Sol.
A smaller number of visitors, mostly from the United Kingdom, stay for at least one night in the territory.
The average stay is 4.1 nights as of 2011.Tourism is generally year-round thanks to Gibraltar's hospitable climate, with the August peak only about 50% higher than the January low.
The numbers and relative proportions of visitors have changed considerably over the last 40 years.
During the years of the closure of the land border, the majority of visitors arrived by sea. The number arriving by sea remained fairly stable until the mid-1990s but has grown considerably since then due to an increasing number in visits from cruise ships, over 100 of which now visit annually.
The number of arrivals by air rose through the 1980s to a peak of 62,438 in 1989 but stagnated for some years afterwards, rising only to 66,219 in 1996.
Numbers increased substantially during the 2000s as low-cost airlines Monarch and EasyJet launched flights to the territory.
As of 2011, air arrivals constitute only about 1.4% of all visitors, down from 38% in 1974 during the frontier closure.
Both air and sea traffic is dominated by British visitors; over 80% of departing air passengers leave for the UK, while 93% of cruise passengers are also British.
By contrast, nearly 80% of day visitors by land,thus effectively 80% of all visitors are Spanish nationals.
Gibraltar's tourist trade is hindered by a number of factors. The small size of the territory means that there is an acute shortage of land for expanding tourist facilities and major pieces of infrastructure such as the Gibraltar airport.
Accommodation constituting hotels, guesthouses and self-catering facilities is consequently limited.
Smuggling between Gibraltar and Spain remains a source of tension between the two governments and occasionally leads to long delays for vehicle traffic crossing the border during Spanish Civil Guard crackdowns.
The ongoing political dispute with Spain has also hampered the development of transport links.
It was not until as recently as December 2006, following the signing of the Cordoba Agreement, that direct flights between Madrid and Gibraltar were re-established, Air traffic had previously been obstructed at previous times, flights to and from Gibraltar were not even permitted to fly over Spain as the Spanish did not recognise the British sovereignty over the land where the airport is located and demanded a joint operation of it and the right to treat the airport as a domestic Spanish facility.
The Gibraltarians resisted this as a de facto breach of their territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Since the 2006 Agreement between Britain and Spain, air travel to and from Gibraltar has been conducted without hindrance.
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