Itaipu Dam: Wonder of the Modern World Attracts Almost 20m Visitors Since 1977

WONDER OF THE MODERN WORLD ATTRACTS ALMOST 20M VISITORS SINCE 1977 Built on the banks of the Paraná River, on the border between Brazil and Paraguay, the Itaipu Hydroelectric Dam began operating in 1984 and was completed in 2007. It now attracts almost 860,000 tourists per year, of which 30% come from neighbouring countries and 20% from other nationalities.

Visitors are interested in getting to know this huge complex, which supplies energy to 50 million Brazilian homes and produces 17% of the electricity consumed in Brazil and 70% of Paraguay's electricity.

Visits to the plant generate around R$12 million per year, of which R$3.2 million are invested in the Itaipu Technological Park Fund to promote research into renewable energy, electric vehicle projects, research laboratories and free software factories, as well as the Mercosul Institute of Advanced Studies.

"This is a good example of how a large scale project can be transformed into an important tourist attraction capable of boosting the local economy and even transforming the future of our country. The more we move to renewable energy, the more we protect Brazil's natural landscape, such as the Amazon and the Pantanal wetlands", said Vinicius Lummertz, President of Embratur [the Brazilian Tourist Board].

The construction of Itaipu Dam involved excavating eight times more land than EuroDisney, used as much concrete as the equivalent of 170 Maracanã stadiums and as much metal to build 380 Eiffel Towers.

Visitor attractions include a sightseeing tour, an eco-museum and a wildlife sanctuary. Every Friday the dam is illuminated with a light show and on Saturdays there are racing tracks for test driving electric vehicles.

Hi-res images available here: https://app.box.com/s/felq4rd9izom2mjotk1muc89levlwebm (Image credit: Embratur)

For more information, visit: www.turismoitaipu.com.br.

~~~ For further information, hi-res images or further enquiries about Brazil please contact Michael Bodansky, representing the Brazilian Tourist Board, at michael.bodansky@ogilvy.com, or 0207 309 1228