AGIFORS Annual Symposium 2005
Sao Paulo Information

Sao Paulo is a city of 20 million inhabitants. The city of Sao Paulo, not including suburbs, produces 10% of the Brazilian GDP. Guarujá is to Sao Paulo what the Hamptons are to New York – a relaxing beach retreat a short helicopter ride away from the big city. Guarujá attracts more than one million tourists during the Brazilian summer season, from December to March. Yet, it has managed to maintain its small city-by-the-sea charm. Guarujá is a one-hour drive from Sao Paulo through major roads.

A highway map of the state of Sao Paulo can be found at the Brazilian Transport Ministry webpage at http://www.dnit.gov.br/rodovias/mapas/

Sao Paulo is served by two major airports. Congonhas (CGH) is a domestic only, downtown airport 55 km away from Guarujá. Guarulhos (GRU) is served by all major carriers from the Americas and Europe and is 75 km from Guarujá. The other major international airport in Brazil is Rio de Janeiro’s GIG.

Brazil has three major domestic carriers:

 The AGIFORS Council and our symposium host, EMBRAER, have carefully considered the safety of each participant in the planning of our conference. There will be transportation arrangements available from Guarulhos airport for passengers arriving on the weekend of September 24 and 25. Instructions will be mailed to each participant prior to the conference. Hotel Casa Grande is an upscale resort in a mostly residential neighborhood. We ask each participant to take ordinary precautions to ensure their personal safety. Do not wear expensive jewelry outside hotel grounds. Do not be out on deserted streets late at night. Guarujá is regarded as a safer city than most. These recommendations still apply, and are even more relevant in both Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, like in any large western metropolis.

We do expect that the Symposium 2005 will be a memorable experience. The staff at Hotel Casa Grande is very attentive and the food is outstanding. If you would like to extend your trip, there is no shortage of options. Sao Paulo is linked to Buenos Aires and Santiago with multiple daily flights. Rio de Janeiro is a 40-minute hop from Sao Paulo. Other tourist spots popular with foreigners are Iguassu Falls, Manaus, smack in the middle of the Amazon, and the Northeast resort towns of Salvador, Recife, Natal and Fortaleza. On the less traveled path, Brazil boasts an inland swamp (http://www.pantanal.org/, historical cities filled with barroque architecture (http://www.ouropreto.org.br/), a futuristic capital (http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/3416/, and several fishing villages with trendiness that ebbs and flows:

If you have any questions please contact Tassio Carvalho at technicalchair@agifors.org.

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