Dragon boat at show.

To Brazilian visitors at the Adventure Sports Fair 2009, one of the main attractions was a Chinese-made dragon boat, plus accompanying information on dragon boat racing. Dragon boats are both the centerpiece of a Chinese festival (Duanwo) dating back 20 centuries and the vessels used in a modern water sport.

Launched as a sport in Hong Kong in 1976, international dragon boat racing is now held in several countries - but is virtually unknown in Brazil.

"I have been studying this sport since 2002 and I think it's great to promote sporting integration and team work," said Fábio Paiva, representing Canoa Brasil, Garagem Náutica, which is promoting dragon boat racing in the country. Paiva was himself a 15-time Brazilian canoeing champion.

Paiva: Brazil's first dragon boat races.		Adventure tourism on the increase.

"I introduced the Hawaiian canoe to Brazil nine years ago during Adventure Sports Fair 2000 and it's a huge success today. Now I want people to find out the benefits of dragon boat racing," he added. Brazil imports dragon boats from China, with the first championship races taking place last February.

It seems an ideal time to introduce the sport to new fans, given that leisure activities - particularly water sports - are taking off in Brazil. At the same time, adventure tourism in the country has grown 116% in the first quarter, 2009 compared to the same period last year, according to the Brazilian Association of Adventure Ecotourism and Companies, ABETA.

Eco and adventure tourism are big revenue earners

It's only recently that Brazil has taken advantage of tourism to create jobs and increase incomes. Tourism impacts over 50 industries represented in the Brazilian economy. In the private sector alone, 120,000 jobs and about 420,000 indirect employment opportunities are expected to be generated by tourism by 2010.

Franco: one million jobs generated by tourism.

"In the hotel sector, about one million jobs are held, directly or indirectly through tourism," said Sergio Franco, Director of the Fair. "This is what the Adventure Sports Fair demonstrates here."

In fact, the Fair from 10 to 13 September at the Centro de Exposições Imigrantes in São Paulo was as much aimed at promoting tourism as showing new sporting goods.

Foreign tourists to Brazil spent US$445 million in July 2009. Data from the Brazilian Central Bank also showed that tourism generated US$3 billion between January and July, making tourism the major foreign exchange earner since 1969, with the exception of last year, during the global economic downturn.

This year, US-based National Geographic magazine chose Brazil as the "best adventure of 2009", consolidating the country's growing reputation as a destination for ecotourism, extreme sports and adventure tourism.

According to ABETA, about four million eco and adventure tourists a year visit Brazil, with this specialist market expected to surpass US$250 million in value this year.

Gustavo Timo of ABETA: multi-million dollar adventure market.		Consolo: paragliding is hugely popular.

The 2009 edition of the Adventure Sports Fair had over 52,300 visitors and handled US$50 million in business. Most exhibitors were from Brazil.

The top adventure sports in the country are parachuting, mountaineering and paragliding.

The President of the Brazilian Paragliding Association, Claudio Consolo, said his sport has grown 400% over the past 10 years. "We have great geographical and meteorology conditions; today, there are more than 4,000 people who practise the sport in Brazil," he explained.

Innovative highlights

A well-attended pavilion presented the Pumpabike, a water bike. The boat moves across the water using only pedal power and can travel at 30 km per hour.

Pumpabike.		Shark Kayaks.

Another new product was the Shark Kayak. The vessel, made of strong polyethylene, is an open one that is stable even in adverse conditions. With steady strokes of the paddles the boat travels at eight km per hour, but can easily exceed that at speed.

The Shark Kayak has two watertight compartments for storage of equipment and luggage, with handles for carrying it out of the water.

Ennio Robba, Director of Caiaker Kayaks and Accessories, said the market in Brazil is very robust for this kind of boat. "We are the biggest kayak manufacturers in Brazil and we expect growth of 30% to 40% in sales this year."

Kayaking and eco-tourism are linked and Christmas is an important sales season. Kayaks cost between US$300 and US$800 at retail in Brazil.

For surfers, the new Stand Up Board was presented by the Classic Longboards, a 30-year-old Brazilian-based company.

Robba: up to 40% sales growth.		Menezes: board coming back into fashion.

"This board is made of polystyrene coated with epoxy resin and can be used whether there are waves or not, because it has a paddle. It's a board that is coming back [into fashion]," explained Delton Menezes, Designer.

He said the water sports market in Brazil is seasonal and September to March is the best sales season of the year in Brazil. "During the winter (from June to August) we have the best waves here, but commercially, summer is much better, because of improved sales at Christmas time." The market is huge; besides soccer, surfing is the best participation sport in Brazil.

Menezes said the company exports to several countries, including South Africa, the US and Europe. "But the competition is huge, especially considering that high tech products are manufactured in China," he added. A surf board in Brazil costs from between US$300 and US$1,600 at retail.

Another novelty was a diving mask, called the Combo Mask, costing US$200 at retail and imported from the US by Narwhal.

"The product has a computer with an integrated display and doesn't require the use of a pressure gauge; it allows any diver to check the amount of air inside the cylinder and the depth that the diver is," explained Rodoberto Cavalheiro, President of Narwhal.

Cavalheiro (right) with Combo Mask.		Duko with Kartboard.

Visitors were also attracted to the Kartboard, used to simulate the surf on the street. "It's a special board with wheels. You can really feel as if you're surfing," explained Ricardo Duko, Dropboards Company Director.

"My production has been growing 60% a year since 2005," explained Duko. The price at retail varies from US$300 to US$800. "They are made in Brazil, but all the [accompanying] tyres are imported from China."

	Water resistant shirt.

A shirt that is water resistant was shown by Confecções Goh Sports Accessories, and impressed visitors. Prices were at US$60 per piece.

Regulatory changes in the air

The Brazilian government wants to improve the safety of adventure sports. So, through ABETA and the Ministry of Tourism, a new programme has been devised to regulate all such sports.

Explained Jurema Monteiro, Co-ordinator from the Ministry of Tourism: "the programme involves safety management, the use of appropriate equipment, first aid and environmental rules."

from special correspondent Mariana Vidal de Lima, São Paulo