The letter of intent, signed in Lisbon, states that tourists with connecting flights in Rio de Janeiro can stopover in the city for up to 5 nights without additional cost.


The stopover scheme will come into force towards the end of this year, according to TAP.


Antonoaldo Neves said “25 percent of seats on all flights originating in Europe to Brazil and back are on TAP. We believe Europeans want to visit Rio”.


The Brazil Stopover programme was first announced at the Lisbon Tourism Market last March. It was planned that on their journeys to other Brazilian cities, passengers could stopover for up to 5 nights in the states of Brasilia, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Fortaleza and Salvador.


However, it is now known that Rio de Janeiro will start receiving the first stopover passengers towards the end of the year.