World Cup Guests Focus on Rio

The tourism picture for the World Cup in 2014 is getting significantly clearer and the answer to everyone's questions is Rio de Janeiro.

With sixty-four matches spread over twelve host cities and thousands of miles it can often be hard, ahead of the final draw, to determine where all the fans, sponsors and corporate hospitality guests will be traveling to. For World Cup 2014, however, almost nobody is waiting for the grouping of the teams to make their travel plans.

Corporate sponsors are the lifeblood of FIFA and each sponsor has preferred access at this pinnacle tournament. Almost universally, the international football federation's sponsors have chosen to base their hospitality programs out of Rio. For the sponsors it is obvious. Rio de Janeiro is the place their guests want to experience. When you think about iconic images of Brazil, the stretched out sidewalks and sands of Copacabana, the Christ the Redeemer statue and the city's infamous granite peaks are all among the first to mind. Rio is the place that everyone wants to go. Beautiful beaches, fantastic restaurants and world famous Maracanã Stadium all add to the appeal.

For team specific supporters, the preference for everything Rio is winning out over ultimate proximity. Even though only seven of the sixty-four matches will be held in Rio (including the most important one: the Final), Rio is still a good base to day trip to most of the other matches on the schedule. As such, even though they are not yet officially qualified and won't know where their matches will be held until December, the Swedish and Dutch soccer federations have made massive investments in hotel inventory and have decided to center their friends and family supporter programs in Rio. Others are following suit including fans of every other team.

At Roadtrips, luxury travelers and VIPs from all over the world are calling us daily to talk football and discuss their plans for 2014, too. Central to almost every conversation is Rio. For our guests, the wealth of things to do between matches, the chance to be in the 'hub' of the action during the tournament and the relatively easy logistics are making Rio de Janeiro THE destination for June and July next year.

Of course, the flip side of this is a supply and demand issue. With everyone focused on Rio, space is already at a significant premium and hard to come by. Expect that to get much worse as the tournament gets higher on people's radar. Normally the travel planning cycle for the World Cup doesn't really get going until seven or eight months before the opener. This time around, things have been going strong since the Fall of 2012. For those who are thinking of it, making plans early will be a wise move indeed.

Since 1992, Roadtrips has been specializing in providing memorable travel experiences to the world's most sought-after sporting events. The company has received many accolades for its superlative service and is known in the travel industry as a preferred specialist for luxury travelers. Roadtrips takes pride in its ability to deliver extraordinary sports travel experiences for thousands of discerning guests every year. For more information, call 1-800-465-1765 or visit www.roadtrips.com