A special session of the Federal Senate held on Monday morning, 7th, honored the Brazilian Association of Travel Journalists (ABRAJET National) on its 65th (now 66th) anniversary of its founding. The session was presided over by Senator Eduardo Gomes (PL-TO), the author of the request, along with other senators.
At the beginning, following the singing of the national anthem, a minute of silence was observed in honor of the former president Hélcio Estrella, who had passed away on the previous Sunday, 6th. His accomplishments were read and praised, including his authorship of various books, including the entity’s book, “ABRAJET: A Journalism Heritage,” in its 2nd updated edition, which was to be launched during the ceremony.
The significance of ABRAJET in promoting tourism and industry for the Brazilian economy was highlighted during the event, as well as Senator Eduardo Gomes’ dedication to strengthening the sector. As the rapporteur of the Paulo Gustavo Law, benefiting the cultural sector, especially audiovisual, Gomes is a staunch advocate of tourism as a factor for sustainable development in the country.
The ceremony was well-attended, and former presidents of the association were present, including Claudio Magnavita-RJ, Ricardo Guerra-PE, and Miriam Petrone-SP. Founded on January 19, 1957, ABRAJET currently brings together around 350 specialized tourism journalists in 17 states of Brazil, who disseminate the potential of national tourism through various media outlets. Miriam Petrone was the only woman to have presided over the association (2014-2018). Her significance was highlighted by former president Cláudio Magnavita, who was part of the panel and represented the association’s founders in 1957. Miriam Petrone’s tenure marked her role in a male-dominated scenario within the association.
She restored important branches such as Sergipe and Bahia. She presided over 4 national congresses (Búzios-RJ 2015, Santos-SP 2016, Aracaju-SE 2017, and Florianópolis-SC 2018) and organized the 1st INTERNATIONAL MEETING OF TRAVEL JOURNALISTS in Uruguay in partnership with CIPETUR – Circle of Tourism Journalists of Uruguay in 2018, with the participation of over 100 journalists. Magnavita praised the role of women and their contribution to tourism, including recent efforts by former Minister of Tourism Daniela Carneiro.
He also emphasized the need for special attention to airfares and the importance of visa waivers for tourists wanting to enter Brazil from countries that had already been privileged. In the speeches of National President Evandro Novak, the significance of specialized press and its role in promoting national tourism was highlighted. The president of the Tocantins branch, Luiz Pires, who requested the session from Senator Eduardo Gomes, emphasized the political importance of the state and the actions taken in the Tocantins tourism scene, as well as the allocated funds for that purpose.
The late former Federal Deputy Júlio Coimbra, who brilliantly acted as an ABRAJET member and advocate for tourism in Tocantins and Brazil, was remembered. Abrajetians from eight states – Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, Pernambuco, Maranhão, Sergipe, and Tocantins – and the Federal District participated in the special session. On this occasion, the ABRAJET Federal District branch was established and its board was sworn in, with journalist and entrepreneur Wílon Wander Gomes as its president. Long live ABRAJET National!
