RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – After overcoming the pandemic, Grupo Ferrasa, Brazil’s leading hotel group, begins a new expansion process to consolidate its position. It announced the expansion of its water park and the construction of the Hot Beach You complex, its fifth facility, which will double its room supply. The company expects to reach more than US$190 million in revenue in 2025.
All indications point to a strong recovery in tourism in Brazil, especially in the domestic market, which is very close to pre-pandemic levels this mid-summer season.
Brazil’s skies closed last year with 62.5 million passengers. The aviation sector drove the recovery of Brazilian tourism in 2021.
In light of this optimistic scenario, Grupo Ferrasa, Brazil’s leading hotel conglomerate, announced a new expansion plan starting in 2022, focusing on Olímpia, a city in the hinterland of São Paulo also called “Brazilian Orlando”.
On July 3, 2014, the Legislative Assembly of the State of São Paulo approved a bill that transformed Olímpia into a Tourist Resort. The city is home to the Thermas dos Laranjais and Hot Beach water parks.
The group owns Hot Beach Park & Resort, the largest resort in the town, and Thermas Park, Resort & Spa, Celebration, and Hot Beach Suites, but has just confirmed the expansion of the water park and the construction of the fifth resort.
With this plan, Grupo Ferrasa expects to reach R$1 billion (more than US$190 million) in sales by 2025, with projections for other real estate developments in building construction, hotels, real estate developments, and vacation ownership factored into the equation.
They assert that these developments have made Olímipia a model case for Brazilian tourism, which will receive about 3 million visitors in 2019.
FERRASA GROUP TURNS 41 YEARS OLD
In 1981, three friends who had just graduated in engineering – Newton Ferrato, Flavio Sant’Anna, and Sergio Maziteli (in memoriam) – wanted to start a business in their native city. When there was no tourism in Olímpia, they founded the Ferrasa Group, which initially operated in the construction industry.
The company grew. Its portfolio includes more than 250 public works such as schools, hospitals, bridges, 12 buildings, and 20 residential complexes and housing estates. Recognizing the tourism potential of the region’s hot springs, the Ferrasa Group began operating in this sector in 2002 with the opening of its first operator in Olímpia.
Since then, it has only grown. Today, Hot Beach Parque & Resorts, a subsidiary of the Ferrasa Group, is the largest tourism company in Olímpia.
It manages the Hot Beach water park and four resorts with 5,000 beds. In February the company is preparing to open another resort and expand the water park, whose visitor capacity will increase by 40%.
With Hot Beach You, whose real estate sales will begin this semester, Hot Beach Parque & Resorts will have 2,000 apartments and a water park for 12,000 people per day. The Ferrasa Group is in the “Top 5” list of the hotel and entertainment industry in Brazil.
“We have grown and evolved without leaving behind the DNA of the Ferrasa Group, which is hospitality,” said Diego Ferrato, son of Newton Ferrato and current CEO of the Ferrasa Group.
Today, the tourist who arrives at Hot Beach Parque & Resorts has a wide choice of hotels that suit his profile and are fun both during the day and at night. During the day there are themed rooms, a varied gastronomic offer, animation, and an artificial beach in the water park Hot Beach Olímpia.
In the evening, there is entertainment at Vila Guarany, located between the Hot Beach Suites, the Hot Beach Resort, and the Hot Beach Water Park. There will be stores, restaurants, bars with music, and space for cultural activities, exhibitions, and folkloric performances.
Olímpia is the National Capital of Folklore, a title that the Ferrasa Group values highly, and for this reason, it places great importance on presenting folk culture to tourists.
Starting this year, the night entertainment at the Hot Beach water park will be expanded. The program includes cultural events such as musical performances and festivals for guests and the general public (with tickets) and sports events.
FERRASA GROUP FIGURES
41 years old
12 buildings
More than 250 public works such as schools, hospitals, bridges, and roads
20 housing estates
4 resorts
1 water park
1,000 employees