Organizing the Brazil Awards for the third year, the Embassy of Brazil in The Hague will prize the best Dutch promoters of Brazil as a tourism destination on January 8th 2008. The ceremony will take place in the opening day of the International Tourism Fair of Utrecht (Vakantiebeurs 2008).

As in previous years, the Embassy will recognize the work done in the Netherlands for the following categories:

BEST TOUR OPERATOR                                                                                                       

To be granted to a Dutch tour operator that either sold most packages to Brazil or actively promoted Brazilian destinations in the Netherlands. The previous recipients were:

- FOX VAKANTIES (2005), represented by Maarten de Ruiter, director
- BRAZIL TOURS (2006), represented by Marius van Rij, owner and director

NOMINATIONS FOR 2007 (alphabetical order):

- Brazilië Online (Rijksja Online)
- Fly Brazil
- Kuoni Travel Nederland BV
- Sunrise Travel & Gobest
- Travel Trend
- TUI Nederlands NV
- Vamonos Travel

BEST PRESS/MEDIA                                                                                                              

To be granted to the best journalistic coverage or TV program on Brazil. The previous recipients were:

- RTL TRAVEL (2005), represented by Floortje Dessing, TV presenter
- REIZEN MAGAZINE (2006), represented by Sander Groen, free-lance 
  journalist/photographer
 
NOMINATIONS FOR 2007 (alphabetical order):

- De Bijenkorf (Rio de Janeiro promotion - Bij Magazine)
- De Telegraaf (Menzo Willems - "Jericoacoara/Ceará" and "Avontuur op de
  Amazone")
- Domenicus: Brazil Travel Guide (Marcel Bayer, writer)
- Peking Express: South America Edition
- RTL Travel's Hot List
- Sp!ts (Ilvy Njiokiktjien - "God is een Braziliaan")
- Squezee (Sander Groen - Squeeze - "Fernando de Noronha: het 
   bountyparadijs van Brazilië")
- Surviving Nature: Cowboys and Angels
- Veronica Magazine (Pauline van Laar - "Op avontuur door Brazilië:
   Anaconda's")

BEST INNOVATIVE CONCEPT                                                                                              

To reward the Dutch initiative which implemented a ground-breaking formula to promote Brazil in the Netherlands. The previous recipients were:

- BRAZIL OPTIMA FORMA (2005), represented by Jan-Willem van der Horn, owner
   and director
- HANS BOMMER (2006), represented by Hans Bommer, director of Van der Valk
   Vakanties

NOMINATIONS FOR 2007 (alphabetical order):

- Arke Fly  (Coca Cola TV advertisement campaign- Brazilië)
- Brazil Tours (Brazil's e-campaign)
- Brazilië.Startcentraal.nl (website on Brazil)
- De Bijenkorf (Rio de Janeiro promotion - Bij Magazine)
- Great Brazil Express (Train trip between Curitiba and Iguassu Falls)
- Olaf Reizen (different aproach to specialized products)

BEST ENTREPRENEUR                                                                                                         

To be granted to the Dutch company which made a significant investment on tourism in or towards Brazil. The previous recipients were:

- FLY BRAZIL (2005), represented by Ron Sampimon from DNJ Media
- TUI NEDERLAND (2006), represented by Steven van der Heijden, CEO

NOMINATIONS FOR 2007 (alphabetical order):

- 0031 Pousada e Restaurante (Cumbuco - Ceará)
- Amazonat Jungle & River Lodge (Amazonas)
- Golden Tulip Hotels, Inns & Resorts (diverse cities in Brazil)
- TIWA Amazone Eco-Resort (Manaus - Amazonas)
- Windtown Beach Resort & Spa (Cumbuco - Ceará)

The 2008 Brazil Awards ceremony also has the support of the Brazilian Institute of Tourism (EMBRATUR) and the Tourism Board of the State of Bahia (BAHIATURSA), which are offering the “Brazil Live Music Concert” and “The Roots of Bahia” show, respectively. 

Among the sponsors of the Brazil Awards are: Bertin Goup (Brazilian beef), Hooghoudt (Pitú), InBev (Brahma), AH (Miolo wines) and TAP Portugal. Samba Kitchen,  Instyle Productions, Native Brasil and Radio Pulsa Brazil are working on the production of the event.

If you are a tour operator, travel agency or travel journalist/photographer based in the Benelux and are interested in attending the Brazil Awards, please send an e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . The number of places is limited.