One of the goals of the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism is to turn the country into a year-round destination for cruise ships.

“In the North and Northeast regions, we can have a market that is as competitive as the Caribbean,” said Marx Beltrão, the country’s tourism minister, speaking at an event in Brasilia.

“Meanwhile, the South and the Southeast regions are just as good as the Europe,” he continued.

The minister believes that, if the country offers the ideal conditions (regulations and other local laws) for cruise lines, the year-round operation can become a reality.

“We have warm beaches the entire year and we have natural beauties beyond comparison,” Beltrão said. “We have to do our ‘homework’ and allow the cruise industry to advance, including in this area.”

The minister also announced several measures to put his country’s cruise market back on track. Among them, a promise to improve the infrastructure and reduce the operational costs for the ships and cruise lines.