Brazilian Tourism Minister Luiz Barreto said on Wednesday the appreciation of the U.S. dollar against Brazilian real opens up more opportunities for Brazil's tourism.

"Due to the hike of the dollar, Brazilians will desist from traveling abroad and will try internal travel," Barreto said.

He added that the depreciation of the real will also attract more foreign visitors to Brazil.

To stimulate the sale of tourism projects, the minister has announced 10,000 prizes of various kinds for nearly 11,000 registered travel agencies around the country.

He expressed his optimism about the prospects of domestic economy against the backdrop of the global financial turmoil. With a more solid economic foundation, he said, Brazil is in a much better situation in the face of the crisis.

According to Barreto, the Central Bank has taken a series of preventative measures, including the liberation of the compulsory deposits in the banks and a guarantee to the clients in case of financial difficulties.

"Still we don't know the real dimension of the crisis, nor do we know how it will affect the country, but we are ready to face it. Besides being a moment of crisis, it is also a moment of opportunities," Barreto said.

(Xinhua News Agency October 23, 2008)